Help Clara Finish Her Novel (in Iceland)!!!

Hi! My name is Clara and I'm writing a NOVEL!

I have been writing for as long as I can remember, but up until 2021, I was strictly a poet. I had never thought about writing a novel (or anything longer than a slam poem, to be honest) until an idea for a story overcame me with such magnitude that I simply had to write it down. I kept writing it down and it turned into a book (with chapters and everything!).

The thing about writing a novel is that it takes a bunch of time. The responsibilities of daily life make writing this book a pretty slow-moving process, and I'm so (so!) eager to get it done. I recently said to a friend, “If I just had a month to go somewhere quiet to focus on my craft, I could finish my novel.” She replied to me, “Well, it seems like you need to start looking for a residency.” And so, I did! And I got accepted to one! In Iceland!

I am so thrilled to say that I was selected to spend April in Iceland as a resident at the NES Artist Residency. I can't wait to spend focused, uninterrupted time with my story while I learn from other artists (and explore Iceland — a truly once in a lifetime experience).

The ONLY hiccup in this plan is money. The cost of the program, the airfare, and expenses while I'm there are sizeable, and I would be so grateful for any financial help to make it happen. Asking for help is uncomfortable, but I am doing it anyway, because I truly believe that this story is one that needs to be told (and it is such a dream of mine to tell it).

Thank you so much for reading this far and for taking the time to learn about what I'm working on. I'm really proud of it! And I hope that (someday soon!) I'll be able to share the whole thing with the world.

A little bit about the project can be found below!

"Pitted" revolves around Eloise, a twenty-something writer living in LA who is struggling to recover from an eating disorder. After a huge life shift, she is forced to reckon with her own ideas about femininity, shame, and identity.

I believe this story will speak to young women who are struggling with disordered eating, coming to terms with their identity, or overcoming codependency. I am writing the book that I wish I could have read in high school, and I hope to have the chance to finish it completely in Iceland this April! Thank you again for reading and for your help — it means the world!