Millennium in Stieg Larsson’s own words
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Stieg Larsson about
His own writing ability
“- I have no particular superstition about my own ability to express myself in texts; they tend to become much better after an editor has chopped through them and I’m used to both edit and be edited. I am in other words not touchy as regards this; sometimes we will disagree about the substance and like everyone else I do have one or two darlings that I’m reluctant to let go of. I think that the first chapters of Book One are long-winded and it takes a while before the story gets going. The purpose of them, I suppose, was akin to build a solid character gallery and environment before the story itself kicked off. And so on… It’s nice that you think the books are well written. It warms the heart of an old text producer.”
Original quote in Swedish: “Jag har ingen särskild övertro på min egen förmåga att verbalisera texter; de brukar bli mycket bättre sedan en redaktör hackat på dom och jag är van att både redigera och bli redigerad. Jag är med andra ord inte ömfotad; ibland kommer vi att vara oense om sakinnehåll och jag har förstås som alla andra en eller annan käpphäst som jag ogärna släpper. Jag tycker själv att de första kapitlen i bok ett är långrandiga och det tar ett tag innan storyn kommer igång. Syftet där var väl närmast att bygga upp ett ordentligt persongalleri och miljö innan storyn brakade igång. Och allt sånt. Det är roligt att du tycker att böckerna är väl genomskrivna. Det förnöjer en gammal textproducent.”
- from a mail by Stieg Larsson to Eva Gedin, 30 April 2004
Chris’ comments: Currently (January 2010) there’s a silly ‘debate’ in Swedish and other media about the quality of Stieg Larsson’s writing. Larsson’s old friend (at least that’s what he dubs himself on the cover of his book about Larsson), Kurdo Baksi, has proclaimed that Larsson was a man who ‘could not write’. It is not a new debate, since the grand old man of Swedish political crime fiction, Jan Guillou, was also keen to criticize Larsson’s writing skills a few years back, if my memory serves me correctly.
As a matter of fact, this ‘debate’ is quite predictable whenever someone sells through the roof, without writing in the style of socalled ‘real literature’ (whatever that is). As I have noted elsewhere on this site, I do have my own reservations about Larsson’s writing ability as such, but no doubt about his genius in creating characters and riveting stories – in other words: page turners! And that is what counts – both for the readers and at the counter, where they sell the books. Sometimes people (usually commercially less successful authors) get jealous of such blockbuster sales, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have a point in their critique of another author’s writing ability. Kurdo Baksi may even have a point, although he is obviously out to promote his own book.
It just means, I think, that such debates rarely are very interesting to the rest of us mortals. Ask yourself this: Would you have refrained to buy Millennium if you read in some curled-up newspaper that some established Scandinavian authors panned Larsson’s writing ability? Or would you go buy it because your girl friend told you that this was the best damn book she ever read?
I know what I did! 
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More quotes and comments to come! Stay tuned – for example by subscribing to my twitter-stream!
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Categories: Books
8 Comments » (Including 2 Discussion Threads)
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January 21st, 2010 at 2:55 PM
THANKS!!!!!
January 27th, 2010 at 8:41 PM
I think the sales figures speak for themselves.
Who cares anyway? As long as people enjoy the books.
Personally, I don’t think Dan Brown is much of a writer. But that hasn’t stopped him selling more books than just about anyone else on the planet…
January 27th, 2010 at 8:57 PM
I think what happens is that the ‘debate’ is created in certain parts of the old media (culture sections of newspapers, etc.); and perhaps one or two places in the blogosphere. The former happens because of the typical journalistic bias towards ‘conflict’, even when there’re perhaps only a handful of other, largely irrelevant, authors who suddenly go into attack-mode against a commercially successful colleague (dead or otherwise). It’s a dead end really, because as you say: The sales speak for themselves. That’s also why we won’t go into it anymore here at Sally’s. Except maybe for my own in-depth article about Larsson’s writing style, influences, strengths, weaknesses and so on. Alas, if only the day had 48 hours …
January 28th, 2010 at 12:24 AM
Hi Chris, The old guard is doing the same thing to Camilla Läckberg, particularly Leif G.W. Persson, who has made several vituperative comments to journalists about her “lousy” writing style. Now she is #1 in Sweden for each book now that Stieg’s sales have tapered off, so sales figures tell the tale. Those old farts certainly aren’t writing for young moms with babies, are they? Know thine audience. –Reg
January 28th, 2010 at 9:11 AM
I agree wholeheartedly. I was never much a fan of some of the female Nordic crime writers – those I’ve tried to read that is. Lemme see: Liza Marklund, Elsebeth Egholm and I think one by Läckberg as well. BUT I was never – at any point – a fan of old [censored] who think they know best what is ‘good literature’. Christ almighty, there should be something for every audience and if someone wants a ‘broader audience’ to read literature with more political and social themes and whatnot, well, maybe they should write an exciting action-thriller about it! Like … a book about a bisexual punk-goth-kick-ass hacker and her faithful super-idealistic journalist friend … I think, I’ve seen such books on the shelves somewhere
January 28th, 2010 at 2:44 PM
The sales figures are an argument, but I can think of best-selling authors whom I did not think were particularly good writers. So sales could be one measure, but certainly there are others, and you mention some of them. Larsson does create compelling stories, which have plot twists that are difficult to predict. He creates fascinating characters that are multidimensional. And he addresses difficult social issues. I think it is the combination of these three facets that makes him a wonderful writer, and so many people agree that the sales figures are astronomical.
August 25th, 2010 at 9:20 PM
The link to “www.stieglarsson.se” doesn’t work anymore. You need a password!
August 25th, 2010 at 9:30 PM
Wow… how’s that for competency!