Why women's stories matter
Writer Hawraa Khalfan partner speaks about creativity, resilience and her upcoming novel 'Still Born a Woman'
Hawraa Khalfan, 34, is a writer, mother and partner at ARTSCENE KW, with a lifelong passion for language and storytelling. Her work centers on women's experiences, driven by the belief that if women are not safe to create, humanity itself suffers. Through her writing, Khalfan gives voice to the silent battles and hidden strengths of women, weaving stories that challenge expectations and inspire change. Her upcoming novel, 'Still Born a Woman', continues this mission, shedding light on the realities girls and women face when love and freedom are conditional.
Kuwait Times: Being a mother, a writer and a partner at ARTSCENE KW sounds like a lot to juggle. How do you manage to balance all these roles?
Hawraa Khalfan: Motherhood reminds me how much there is to explore as a creative. ARTSCENE KW is how I give back to my creative community and make sure nobody has to find their creative self the hard way. Through my writing, I make sense of the world. It's when I feel most alive. Balance comes out of necessity. These parts make up my identity, so they must take up space. Balancing multiple things may look hard, but when they are part of who you are and who you want to be, everything falls into place.
KT: Your passion for writing women's stories is inspiring. What inspired you to focus on this point of view, and how do you think your writing reflects the struggles and triumphs of women? Why is it important for women's stories to be told?
Khalfan: Stories are the most efficient way for the world to comprehend what it is to be a woman. Our brains absorb stories because they help us merge all versions of ourselves into the one who can survive. Stories allow us to connect our realities as women. I write stories because highlighting the inner and outer realities society pushes onto us is how we come together.
If women are not safe, they do not create. If women do not create, humanity stumbles. Teaching girls to submit and then expecting them to grow into strong women doesn't make sense. We can't expect women to raise healthy children, run households, aspire to be CEOs and stay youthful without building that strength first. Normalizing conversations about how hard it is to fulfill these roles is how we grow that strength.
KT: What does writing mean to you personally? How does it shape your identity, and what role does it play in how you express yourself and connect with others?
Khalfan: My passion for writing grew from being a quiet child. Through writing, I communicated with myself. Even when I'm not writing poetry or novels — I'm currently working on three books — my journal is my shield, my therapist and my memory.
KT: You're currently working on a book that has yet to be published. Can you share a little about it and what themes or messages you hope to convey?
Khalfan: 'Still Born a Woman' is a dystopian young adult novel set in a fictional country where sex at birth and a lineage-based legal system determine the law. It follows the story of Zainab, who loses her best friends, driving her to plan her escape. Through the novel, I aim to comment on love — and how unconditional love doesn't exist for girls and women today. If we don't submit to the status quo, we are discarded or worse, killed.
KT: For aspiring women writers who might be balancing similar responsibilities, what advice would you give them to stay motivated and find time for their craft?
Khalfan: Ask yourself, can you help yourself? I can't. I know what happens when I don't write. I begin to resemble the women of my mother's generation—women with long lists of regrets for the goals they set aside to cook meals, support husbands, and raise children. I'd rather be a cycle breaker. I'd rather be the mother who models for her children that following your passion is never wrong.
It sounds like a cliché, I'm aware. But if you can't sit at a desk for hours, write what you can. Writing is a skill — like muscle memory. The more you do it, the easier it gets. Build a writing habit, even if it's just 20 minutes a day. If it gets hard, ask for help. DM me — I'd be more than happy to help you write more.
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