Author Fredrik Backman Dishes on Creative Anxiety and Procrastination

A few years ago, I watched a Nordic film that shook me to my core, it was called A Man Called Ove, and I immediately went out and bought the brilliant book it was based on. Since then, I have been a massive Fredrik Backman fan, and I am not alone. He''s an international bestselling author with fans all over the globe. Recently, Backman gave a hilarious and insightful speech on the realities of being a writer. If you've ever felt like you're not quite sure what you're doing, Backman's words will resonate with you and leave you with a smile.Let's dive in. Fredrik Backman Writing Advice If you want to win a crowd over, start with a little self deprecation. Backman endears himself by admitting he has some discomfort with public speaking.Of course, as a writer I get that.He explains that as someone who lives and works alone, surrounded by their imaginary friends, he gets paid to be "insane." I love Backman took that joke and transitioned iit into a poignant talk about anxiety. When his agent suggested he talk about "creative anxiety," Backman's response was that he simply has "normal death anxiety" and the occasional panic attack. He also hilariously claims to have never experienced writer's block, thanks to his finely honed procrastination skills. He even wrote the speech on his flight from Sweden, calling jet lag a "procrastinator's dream."Being from Sweden, Backman also offers a witty comparison of Swedish and American depression, describing the Swedish version as a more affordable, self-assembly model. And for those wondering why the author of such emotionally rich novels doesn't delve into the world of crime writing, his answer is simple: murder is just too much work. He'd rather write about characters who could commit murder but haven't gotten around to it yet.But beyond the humor, which really got me, Backman's speech is a heartfelt message of encouragement to all aspiring authors.He encourages aspiring authors by sharing his own feelings of self-doubt and uncertainty. And he reassures them that even though he often feels like he doesn't know what he's doing, he still became a successful author.His core message is one of solidarity and possibility: if he can do it, so can they. They just have to get the pages out of their brains. He jokes that he's an idiot and has no idea what he's doing, but that because he actually sits and writes hel;s an author, and the only barrier to entry is getting those crazy ideas down on the page and working on them. I think that should put a lot of people at ease. The key to becoming a writer is just to write. And we should never forget that. Summing It All Up Backman ended with the hopeful and supportive sentiment that he looks forward to the day he can be a reader of their books.All it takes is for you to sit down and do the work. will you be brave enough, or dumb enough to do it today? That answer is up to you. Let me know what you think in the comments.

Jun 5, 2025 - 09:25

Author Fredrik Backman Dishes on Creative Anxiety and Procrastination

A few years ago, I watched a Nordic film that shook me to my core, it was called A Man Called Ove, and I immediately went out and bought the brilliant book it was based on.

Since then, I have been a massive Fredrik Backman fan, and I am not alone. He''s an international bestselling author with fans all over the globe.

Recently, Backman gave a hilarious and insightful speech on the realities of being a writer. If you've ever felt like you're not quite sure what you're doing, Backman's words will resonate with you and leave you with a smile.

Let's dive in.

Fredrik Backman Writing Advice

If you want to win a crowd over, start with a little self deprecation. Backman endears himself by admitting he has some discomfort with public speaking.

Of course, as a writer I get that.

He explains that as someone who lives and works alone, surrounded by their imaginary friends, he gets paid to be "insane."

I love Backman took that joke and transitioned iit into a poignant talk about anxiety. When his agent suggested he talk about "creative anxiety," Backman's response was that he simply has "normal death anxiety" and the occasional panic attack. He also hilariously claims to have never experienced writer's block, thanks to his finely honed procrastination skills. He even wrote the speech on his flight from Sweden, calling jet lag a "procrastinator's dream."

Being from Sweden, Backman also offers a witty comparison of Swedish and American depression, describing the Swedish version as a more affordable, self-assembly model.

And for those wondering why the author of such emotionally rich novels doesn't delve into the world of crime writing, his answer is simple: murder is just too much work. He'd rather write about characters who could commit murder but haven't gotten around to it yet.

But beyond the humor, which really got me, Backman's speech is a heartfelt message of encouragement to all aspiring authors.

He encourages aspiring authors by sharing his own feelings of self-doubt and uncertainty. And he reassures them that even though he often feels like he doesn't know what he's doing, he still became a successful author.

His core message is one of solidarity and possibility: if he can do it, so can they. They just have to get the pages out of their brains.

He jokes that he's an idiot and has no idea what he's doing, but that because he actually sits and writes hel;s an author, and the only barrier to entry is getting those crazy ideas down on the page and working on them.

I think that should put a lot of people at ease. The key to becoming a writer is just to write. And we should never forget that.