Interview: Making Space for Women’s Rage in Storytelling

Besides her role as Growth Manager at Obstacle, Clara is a prolific writer and creative - in this interview, she shares how she feels, thinks and works.

What drives you to write?

From a young age, I would always come up with complex stories in my head. I started writing as a creative outlet through poems and lyrics in my teenage years. After I moved to the UK for my acting career, I realised quite quickly how important it is to create your own work. Through that, I started to write short films.

When the creative industry came to a standstill in 2020, I learned how important it was to maintain a creative outlet at home. That led me to write and release my own songs. I always found the lyric writing part easy and most enjoyable; once I’d started, the ideas would just keep coming.

Even though I’ve been writing short-form content for years and had many ideas in my head for long-form content, it wasn’t until last year that I set out to write my first feature-length film. This turned into ‘Dark Echo’, a zombie horror. 

Inspired by that process, I decided to write my first book, a dystopian vampire novel, that I'm currently working on. 

What is the responsibility of a writer?

My responsibility as a writer is to be authentic and to share, through my art, what it means to be a woman.

Every writer will have a slightly different role. I see mine as an entertainer of sorts. I want people who read my short stories ‘Before You Dream’, my book, or a screenplay to be entertained first and foremost. A chance to escape their current reality for a few hours, if they wish. To live different lives and have their own creativity sparked through reading.

What common theme do you always return to?

The most important theme for me is female rage. Women are allowed to feel sadness or joy, especially in media portrayals, but one emotion they’re rarely allowed to express is anger. Every emotion can be powerful, and I believe there’s freedom and empowerment in rage. Having that represented in art can give people permission to feel it too, in a safe and meaningful way.

Another important theme I always return to is belief systems. How they are formed and how a character is challenged on their beliefs throughout the story. They begin to ask themselves: Is that actually true, or is it just what I was taught from a young age?

Can you walk us through your writing process?

Writing is an ever-changing process for me, I’m still trying a lot of things out. I’ve found a few methods that really help, but it can vary from day to day. Sometimes I just need to sit down and start writing, and the words will flow. On other days, I need to organise my thoughts, jot down a scene I’m planning, or play it out in my head to connect with it emotionally. Film music is always a big source of inspiration for me.

I’ve learned that, for me, it’s really important to write every day. Some days I only manage a sentence, while on others I write over five thousand words. Being consistent makes a huge difference, especially on the harder days. The more I write, the more I improve, and it’s incredibly motivating to see that daily progress.

How do you approach developing an idea from the first spark to a finished piece?

Most of my ideas begin as daydreams. If they stick around for a while, I start to take a closer look at them. The ones that feel most exciting are the ones I pursue. I think it’s so important, especially with a first draft, to just write whatever you want or need to. Not judging yourself allows the creative flow to thrive and leads to work that’s truly exciting.

Who are the writers you’re currently excited about? 

There are so many artists who inspire me. From Taylor Swift’s lyrics to Sarah J. Maas’s ACOTAR series, I try to read and listen to as much as possible. It doesn’t always have to be directly connected to what I’m writing, just experiencing someone else’s perspective through their art enriches my creativity immensely.

Through a book club, I was introduced to Medea by Rosie Hewlett, a retelling of Greek mythology. It was an incredible read from Medea’s perspective, fully exploring how the events unfolded and what led her to follow the path she did. It was a powerful reminder of how important it is to experience different points of view.

You can find out more about Clara Maria Rose on her website, claramariarose.com or follow her writing journey on TikTok @clara_maria_rose.