Clara Christ

I think first and foremost I am a passionate reader. When I was younger, my parents read to me a lot and as soon as I could read myself, I fell in love with and lost myself inside stories every night. Children’s books always enchanted me and really I always knew I’d want to write them myself one day. (Still my dream!) Since I learned how to put letters together into words and how to craft sentences from words, writing has had its hooks in me. To me it’s like looking at the sky and finding shapes in the clouds: sometimes a simple, fluffy-sheep-cloud floats by unnoticed, sometimes you have to change your point of view in order to see the shape, sometimes you find an unexpected new motif and sometimes you spot the winged, swamp alligator wearing a straw hat that you have been waiting for.

That was a happy coincidence: I read the call for submissions in a newspaper and spontaneously decided to participate. I immediately liked that there was no set subject – completely without restrictions, I had a few ideas right away. And because of my name I figured I was basically obliged to participate in the competition.

The days at Cornelia’s were simply magical! It was a fantastic experience to be able to leave behind the everyday for a few days and to completely focus on writing, especially with Lara and Alonja from Clara’s Prize. As soon as we stepped through the gate it was as if we were inside a soap bubble. One where there simply isn’t room for doubts, but only for creativity, dreams and community.

The painterly landscape of Tuscany, the quiet, the great conversations, and the rustling energy in the air were extremely inspiring. It felt almost impossible not to write.

Besides the many intense impressions and beautiful memories, I also took with me a new awareness and understanding of writing. At this place where art and language are so highly valued, I realized that writing is not a lonely activity. Sharing stories with each other makes them twice as valuable, and writing for others, not only yourself, is a privilege. I learned that through many small moments.