Meet Louise Erixon - Stockholm Writers Group Member and 4 x SWF Attendee

Meet Louise Erixon, a dedicated member of the Stockholm Writers Group, as well as enthusiastic attendee of SWF for four years and counting.

Louise has attended every festival since its inauguration in 2018 - she just happened to see an ad for the festival, completely by chance, at just the right moment in her life. She booked her ticket on the spot in what she says was the "best spontaneous decision" she'd ever made!

You can connect with Louise on Twitter and Instagram and read more about her work on her Author’s Page.

A fairly common thread in the SWF community is that many of us have dreamed of writing for years before we ever had the time, resources, or ability to sit down and actually do it. When did you first decide writing was something that you wanted to actively pursue, and then how long was it before you started writing seriously?

I’ve always been writing, ever since I was little and back then it was diaries, thoughts and little short stories I made up. It wasn’t until after the end of a long relationship some years ago, that I really started to see writing as something I wanted to do seriously. During that relationship, I’d completely lost who I was and writing was how I found my way back to myself but also how I discovered who I wanted to be and what I wanted to do with my life. It didn’t take long before I knew that writing is what I wanted to do, it’s what makes me happy and it’s a big part of who I am.

Less than a year after the breakup I accidentally stumbled across an advertisement for the “Stockholm Writers Festival 2018”. Being a Swedish person who only writes in English I was so happy to find an event in English, so I booked my tickets right then and there and it was the best spontaneous decision I’ve ever made! Not only was it an amazing experience with all these inspiring talks and workshops but I felt that I’d found my people.

It was also where I met the lovely and effervescent Cassandra Ware Blomberg, I came to the festival alone and she made me an instant friend. She invited me to submit a writing sample to the Stockholm Writers Group where I was accepted as a member. Without them, I wouldn’t be anywhere near the writer I am today and without the festival, none of that would have happened!

What is your primary creative writing genre, and did this change over the years, or has this always been your main focus?

I write in the thriller/suspense genre, with a healthy (that means big) dose of dark humour. I have a fascination for the psychology of people, their reasoning and rationalising, actions and reactions. When I started writing more seriously I was mostly retelling the stories of the many unsung female heroes throughout history who never got the appreciation or attention they deserved. It was almost a sort of fan fiction, if you will, to in my own way vindicate how they were so often misrepresented and underestimated. Having now landed in a love for thrillers, suspense, and mystery I let them inspire my stories and my characters, giving me the best of both worlds!

Can you tell us about some of your favorite SWF moment(s) and what really stuck with you after the festivals?

For my first SWF in 2018, I submitted a piece for the First Pages Prize. It was the first time I’d ever shown anyone else my writing let alone submitted something for a competition. It was beyond terrifying but I made the longlist! It was an amazing feeling and a huge encouragement to continue with my writing dreams.

At the 2019 festival, I worked up the courage to pitch my novel to an agent. Again, beyond terrifying and as soon as I started talking I forgot about 75% of what I had so meticulously prepared but it was such a valuable experience. And I must have said something right because the agent was interested and asked for the first three chapters. Another big push to keep me going.

Oh, and my mum also attended that year which was so much fun, she’d been writing a little on and off for a few years and after hearing me rave about my first SWF in 2018, she decided to come along. She had an amazing time and has continued writing with newfound excitement ever since.

I think what has really stuck with me is the overwhelming feeling of support, encouragement, and community at the festival, from friends as well as complete strangers. The people you meet are so kind and welcoming and everyone is so generous with their time and knowledge. It really is a very special and almost magical experience.

What would you say were the biggest takeaways for you from SWF?

One of my biggest realisations from attending the festival is that writing can be a lonely thing and not having others around you who understand and support you is, in my opinion, a deal- breaker. If I hadn’t found the wonderful people I met during the festival I’m fairly certain I wouldn’t be where I am now. Without my writer’s group, I’m not sure I would have pushed through and persevered when I hit those moments (that most of us writers do) when it feels like you’re stuck or that you can’t string together words to save your life, let alone good words! I think we all need both support and cheering on as well as accountability and kicks in the ass, and other writers are the best suited to do that, in a loving way of course. Community really is queen!

Do you feel that you’ve evolved as a writer since attending your first Stockholm Writers Festival, and what part did the festival itself play in that evolution?

Louise Erixon with Crown of Flowers by Pradeep George — Louise Erixon - Photo by Pradeep George

Without question, leaps and bounds! SWF has given me so many tools and opportunities to push myself well beyond my comfort zones when it comes to my writing. All of this knowledge that I have now in everything from plotting to publishing, character development and story structure, have made the monumental task of writing a novel a lot more manageable and fun. And few things are as enjoyable and inspiring as learning and developing your craft.

Can you tell us a little about a piece you’ve written that you are particularly proud of, published or not — just something that still moves you every time you revisit it?

For this interview, I revisited the piece I submitted for the First Pages Prize back in 2018 and I still feel that I’m so proud of it. Yes, I think the writing is good but more than that the piece represents so many firsts for me. The first time I’ve attempted a full novel, the first time I shared my words, the first time I did something just for me and dared to try and turn a dream into something real. It really was the starting point of calling myself a writer, and believing it!

Has attending SWF helped you in pursuing the “path to published," and if so, how?

Absolutely. The idea of being published seems much more realistic now than before I attended SWF. Before it was this big, daunting, abstract thing that only happened to other people who were already professionals but now it seems more comprehensible and perhaps even attainable. Knowing what it actually entails and how it works, practically, has been a huge eye-opener and help.

If you plan on attending SWF22, (and we certainly hope you do) is there anything specific that you hope to learn more about this time around?

As I plan to be done with the 1st draft of my current WIP by the end of this year, I’m really interested to learn more about the editing process and how to get your book pitch-perfect. Especially how to keep up the energy and love for your book when going over it for the umpteenth time.

We asked Louise to include include a short piece that she’s written — a short poem, a 100-word story, or something creative that we could share in this feature for inspiration. She explains:

“Below is the very first part of the first chapter of my book with the working title “Don’t Lose Your Head” and it’s a development of what I submitted to the First Pages Prize at SWF 2018. It feels only right that it gets to show off a little since it’s such a big part of my SWF history. It’s a modern-day set retelling of the relationship between Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII and in my version, it’s not Anne who loses her head...”

We hope you enjoy this modern take on Anne Boleyn - we certainly can’t wait to read the entire novel!

Don’t Lose Your Head

This has to be what dying feels like.

My hand comes out from the pocket of Henry's jacket. Trembling fingers unfold to reveal the small object that's punctured my skin, but I already know. The second it takes to snatch my hand back and drop it is too long, it's too late. Truth and panic spread like poison, wrapping themselves around ribs and lungs, welling up thick inside my throat, suffocating me. Yes, I'm definitely dying and I can only imagine the headlines:

The body of 33-year-old Boleyn Blickling was found on Thursday, April 4th, in the bathroom of her and husband Henry Kingsley’s Hereford home. Wearing doughnut printed pyjamas as she was doing the laundry, she died from choking on the truth that her husband was cheating on her. Their cat, Schroedinger, had eaten parts of her face.

What an unworthy way to go. I would've preferred something involving blaze and glory or at the very least to be dressed in something more dignified. Perhaps they’ll at least immortalize me as an internet meme.