Today we’d like to introduce you to Kara Dobias.
Kara, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Throughout my life, I explored creativity through a variety of artistic disciplines, particularly performance and writing. I earned my degree in Theatre Arts from Drew University, and during my senior year, I collaborated with Tectonic Theater Project on an original production that I co-wrote, acted, and sang in. That experience made me realize how much I enjoyed having a hand in multiple facets of a creative project and thinking deeply about how different artistic elements can work together to fully immerse an audience in the world of a story.
Around that same time, poetry became the medium that felt most aligned with my self-expression. Over time, I began sharing my work online, which eventually led me to publish my first poetry collection, “Alive.” During that process, I also joined an international women’s poetry community called Poems and Power, which became both a creative support system and a space that helped me grow more confidently into my identity as an author.
Working on the book allowed me to revisit many of the same instincts I had discovered while developing that production. I found myself thinking not only about the poetry itself but also about how the visuals, atmosphere, and presentation surrounding the project could deepen its emotional impact.
As I prepared “Alive” for release, I collaborated with photographers and a cinematographer to build a visual identity around the work. Watching the emotional landscape of the book come to life through imagery was incredibly fulfilling, and it made me realize how naturally all of my creative interests were beginning to intersect.
Most recently, I recorded “Alive” as an audiobook, which is currently in production. That experience felt especially full-circle because it brought together my backgrounds in writing and performance in such a tangible way.
Looking back, my creative journey has been about allowing the different parts of my artistic identity to coexist rather than limiting myself to one medium. In many ways, “Alive” and the upcoming audiobook feel both like a culmination of that process and the foundation for where I want to go next.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It definitely hasn’t been a completely smooth road. When I was working on “Alive,” it felt like the beginning of something much larger for me creatively. Because the work itself was so personal, it required me to trust my own instincts in a way I hadn’t before. While I collaborated with others throughout the process, I ultimately had to decide whether the work felt honest, complete, and aligned with my vision. That process taught me a lot about self-trust.
One of the hardest parts was continuing to believe in what I was creating before I had anything concrete to point to. So much of the process happened quietly behind the scenes, and even though I knew how much care, intention, and emotional energy was going into the work, there were moments when it was difficult not having something tangible for people to connect to yet. At the same time, I was also stepping away from the creative path people may have expected from me based on my background in theater and voice, so pursuing poetry more seriously could have seemed like an unexpected pivot from the outside.
Coming from a performance background, I was used to working within spaces where teachers, directors, or vocal coaches helped shape the standard of what was considered “good.” Creating “Alive” required me to develop a much deeper sense of confidence in my own artistic voice because, for the first time, I had to become that measure for myself. Before I found a larger audience and community around my writing, the process felt isolating at times, and what kept me going was simply my own desire to create the work. In many ways, that experience helped me become not only a stronger artist but also a more self-assured person.
I also had to let go of the idea that there is one “correct” path for creatives. So much of my journey unfolded in ways I never could have predicted, and learning to stop measuring my progress against other people’s timelines has been incredibly freeing. By continuing to share my work vulnerably, I ended up connecting with readers and collaborators who genuinely resonated with what I was creating. That experience reminded me that success doesn’t have to look identical for every artist in order to be meaningful.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Right now, I’m primarily known for my poetry collection, “Alive,” which has become the centerpiece of much of my creative work over the past few years. More than just a book, it allowed me to create a fully realized artistic experience that blended writing, imagery, and performance.
At the core of my work is emotional honesty. When I write, I try to reach the most truthful parts of my own experience and translate them into something readers can connect with in a meaningful way. I’m drawn to creating work that feels immersive—poetry that carries atmosphere, imagery, and emotional texture alongside the words themselves.
Throughout “Alive,” there are references to literature, history, and visual art that helped shape certain metaphors and tonal landscapes within the poems. I wanted the book to feel layered and cinematic, not only through the writing itself, but through the larger emotional world surrounding it.
One of the projects I’m most proud of right now is the audiobook version of “Alive,” which will be releasing soon. Narrating the work has felt especially meaningful because it reconnects me with another part of myself through voice and performance. While poetry has become the most public-facing part of my work in recent years, I still see myself as an evolving artist, and the audiobook feels like an important bridge into whatever comes next creatively.
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
My definition of success has evolved a lot over time. Earlier on, I think I was much more focused on external validation and traditional markers of achievement, but as I’ve grown more deeply into my work, success has started to feel much more rooted in connection, fulfillment, and honesty.
One of the most rewarding parts of publishing “Alive” has been hearing from readers around the world who connected with the work in deeply personal ways. A lot of the book explores themes of womanhood, identity, vulnerability, and emotional growth, and something that has been especially moving to me is seeing women across different ages recognize parts of themselves within those experiences. Knowing that I was able to write from such an honest and vulnerable place while still tapping into something broader and deeply recognizable for other women has felt very powerful.
I also think there’s something deeply fulfilling about creating work that feels honest to who you are and seeing a project through from beginning to end with care and intention. I absolutely still have ambitions for my work and hope to continue expanding my audience and opportunities as an artist. But over time, I’ve learned that external recognition can’t be the sole measure of whether the work itself has value. If something I create genuinely resonates with someone or helps them feel understood, that kind of impact holds a depth that no metric or accolade can fully replicate.
To me, success is ultimately about creating work that feels emotionally truthful, continuing to grow creatively, and contributing something meaningful to other people through art.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.karadobias.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karadobias/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kara-dobias
- Other: https://mybook.to/vjZZ0q
Image Credits
amunini! film, Maurice Shriqui, Anastasia Elliot
