What does a normal or ideal working day look like for you? Do you have fixed working hours or do they vary from day to day?
My books are typically quite research-based, so that usually involves going to a library or a museum collection of some sort to look at material. I usually get up really early and ride my bike to a coffee shop, where I will start my day just thinking and looking at people. If I am writing and working at home, I might start the day in bed, with coffee and my laptop. I’ll stay there for a good hour, before I take a shower and get dressed. I love how quiet the house is in the morning.

 

How many hours per day do you work on average (writing, painting, practicing, composing)?  What is the best case result (two pages, one sketch, twenty bars)?
I usually work around seven hours, but I only write about 2-3 of those. I find writing quite exhausting, even when it feels easy. The rest of the time I will do research and plan what I am doing next. I’m definitely a planner. And quite a slow writer.

 

How many hours do you add on average for ‘background work’ and everything else (research, office stuff, acquisition, website, social media)? How do you find the balance between all the tasks you have to keep track of as a free artist?
I actually really like all the “office work” and logistics. I think I would be a great travel agent! I like accounting too. When I have been working on a book for about 4-5 hours, it’s nice to turn to more practical things. Most days, I will also work on a translation after lunch.

 

Are there weekends for you? What does ‘free time’ mean to you?
I try to not write on weekends, but sometimes I do it anyway, if the urge comes over me. And that happens a lot. The big difference is that I don’t work in the morning – my husband and I usually stay in bed, having coffee, reading newspapers etc. When my children were smaller, however, I rarely wrote on Saturdays and Sundays, I was so busy with them.

 

What is the biggest threat to your artistic work, what do you get distracted by?
Other people. And by that I mean people who need something from me, like my attention. I can sit in a café and work, surrounded by strangers, but having my family around, for instance, or friends, is distracting. I’m quite good at blocking out noise, though.

 

Do you have strategies to protect yourself from distractions?
I turn off notifications on my phone, and the only ones that can get through, are my sons. My husband and my friends know they should never call me until after lunch, unless there is a real emergency.

 

What is your working environment like, what is essential for you? For example, do you need absolute silence – and if so, where and how do you find it?
I think beauty and comfort are quite essential for me. I always work on the sofa, never at a desk, and I like soft blankets and comfortable clothes. I drink a lot of coffee (before lunch) and tea (after lunch). When I work in Oslo, I look out at our garden. That makes me happy. Siri Hustvedt once that it is impossible to write if you are not relaxed – I agree with that 100%.

 

When and where does the most important part of your work happen, where do you find the greatest inspiration? At work at your desk or by chance – reading, relaxing, travelling, interacting with other people?
I get a lot of inspiration from my research. That usually gets me going. Feeling that connection with time, history or another person.

 

How often or easily do you get into a creative ‘flow’, and what helps you most to reach this state?
It’s the eternal mystery. I honestly don’t know. What I have learned over the years, is to trust that it will come, and not to worry if it does not happen every day. When I’m in a real creative flow, I put everything else aside. I keep going until I collapse in bed.

 

What do you do when nothing works out – when you cannot come up with ideas or when you don’t succeed in what you set out to do?
I just put it aside and work on something else. I try to have faith in the process, knowing that it will come to me eventually. But I’m definitely moodier when I am struggling.

 

What helps you when your self-confidence is down (e.g. because of bad reviews, financial crisis, bad mood, personal worries)?
As I have gotten older, I worry a lot less about what people think and less about money. Perhaps because a) people forget reviews and b) the money problems always seem to work themselves out. I often remind myself how lucky I am to be able to do this. Very few people get published, receive grants or get translated. It must mean that I, at least occasionally, know what I am doing. I’m also lucky that my husband has a steady job (at the University of Oslo).

 

Do you reward yourself when you have achieved something, reached a certain goal?
Absolutely! I usually buy myself something, maybe a small piece of art or a piece of clothing I have wanted to have.

 

Do you rely on the advice of others or on advice literature? Are there any books that have helped you to find courage on your artistic path?
Yes, many books have helped me, and this changes a lot depending on what I am working on. When I was writing “Ein Raum zum Schreiben” I found it really hard to write about myself. I kept reducing my own story, while my editor kept saying: “You know, Kristin, people will be interested in your experiences.” Reading Deborah Levy’s autobiographical trilogy helped me a lot, and also Rachel Cusk’s “Aftermath” (for which she received so much criticism in the UK, it almost broke her). Women taking up space inspire me a lot! I also remember reading Siri Hustvedt’s “What I loved” when I was struggling to find my way as a young author, it’s one of my favorite books of all time. It felt so real.

 

How much does the recognition of your art by others mean to you? What is the best form of recognition?
When “Ein Raum zum Schreiben” came out in Norway, I got many messages from other Norwegian writers. I have never experienced that before, and it made me really happy. I think that is one of the most rewarding experiences I have had. That, and my mother telling me at 17 she was absolutely sure I would get published one day.

 

What are you afraid of?
Losing my freedom and being controlled by others. And losing my children, always. The thing that gives me the most security, is my marriage. Drama and turmoil throw me off writing. I like everyday life.

 

Are there things you regret or wish you had known earlier? What would you do differently if you were at the beginning of your career?
My first novel was published when I was quite young, only 25, and in my 30s I did not publish anything at all. I was writing, but I did not take the time to work seriously or actually finish anything, which I regret a bit. That said, I had a wonderful job as an editor which I enjoyed a lot, and I often think that this was a better job for a mother of small children.

 

Did working as a freelancer come about by chance, was it necessary or was it something you wanted and strived for? What is nice about it, what is difficult?
When the magazine I was editing folded in 2015, I knew I had to get back into the writing. Everyone kept saying how sad it was about the magazine being shut down, but my editor told me: “This is great, now you can write books again!” I also started working as a translator, to help my income, and I still do freelance work as an editor. But I make sure I have time to write.

 

Who would you like to read the answers to this questionnaire from?
Tore Renberg!

 

 

@kristinvalla