--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I do consider myself a Norwegian writer…" description: "\"I do consider myself a Norwegian writer, or a Scandinavian writer, as my family tree reaches into both Denmark and Sweden. I don't think about it, of c..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/161/per-petterson-8468_about_i-do-consider-myself-a-norwegian-writer_2140676.png" --- # I do consider myself a Norwegian writer, or a Scandinavian… ![“I do consider myself a Norwegian writer, or a Scandinavian writer, as my family tree reaches into both Denmark and Sweden. I don't think about it, of course, when I am writing.” quote by Per Petterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/161/per-petterson-8468_about_i-do-consider-myself-a-norwegian-writer_2140676.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/161/per-petterson-8468_about_i-do-consider-myself-a-norwegian-writer_2140676.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/161/per-petterson-8468_about_i-do-consider-myself-a-norwegian-writer_2140676.png) > “I do consider myself a Norwegian writer, or a Scandinavian writer, as my family tree reaches into both Denmark and Sweden. I don't think about it, of course, when I am writing.” [Per Petterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/per-petterson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A writer’s heritage spans borders, but identity is defined by the act of writing, not ancestry. **In simple terms:** Writing defines identity, not lineage. Key Takeaway Focus on craft over background. Themes identity heritage craft Mood introspective proud Type literary personal When to use this quote - multicultural societies - authorial voice - creative process - personal branding Key Concepts Cultural studies literary identity Questions to Reflect On - How does your background shape your voice? - Do you feel pressure from heritage? A Different Perspective Ancestry may influence but not dictate work. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [About](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/) [Am](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/am/) [Both](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/both/) [Consider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consider/) [Consider Norwegian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consider-norwegian-4456002/) [Course](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/course/) [Denmark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/denmark/) [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Family Tree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family-tree/) [I am](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-am/) [Myself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/myself/) [Norwegian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/norwegian/) [Norwegian Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/norwegian-writer-2439209/) [Reaches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reaches/) [Scandinavian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scandinavian/) [Scandinavian Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scandinavian-writer-4456001/) [Sweden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sweden/) [Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think/) [Tree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tree/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writer Scandinavian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer-scandinavian-4456000/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [If you're a Norwegian writer, you are not visible in the world. The door of the English language is very hard to open for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/per-petterson/if-you-re-a-norwegian-writer-you-are-not-visible-in-the-world-the/) [Per Petterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/per-petterson/) > [Living here where I live, on a farm way out in the countryside, in the woods, in fact, I have plenty of time to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/per-petterson/living-here-where-i-live-on-a-farm-way-out-in-the-countryside-in-the/) [Per Petterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/per-petterson/) > [You forget, when you're in the Scandinavian countries, you forget they don't speak English first and they speak better than I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-stanhope/you-forget-when-you-re-in-the-scandinavian-countries-you-forget-they/) [Doug Stanhope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-stanhope/) > [“But I’m completely innocent in this case. I’m the victim. Don’t you understand? If she’d just dressed in an appropriate manner, nothing would have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steen-langstrup/but-i-m-completely-innocent-in-this-case-i-m-the-victim-don-t-you/) [Steen Langstrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steen-langstrup/) > [The Norse way of speaking, no one really knew what the Vikings sounded liked, they were Norsemen. The accent is really a combination of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katheryn-winnick/the-norse-way-of-speaking-no-one-really-knew-what-the-vikings-sounded/) [Katheryn Winnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katheryn-winnick/) > [I had an interest in Scandinavian countries because I'd never seen snow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-kent/i-had-an-interest-in-scandinavian-countries-because-i-d-never-seen/) [Hannah Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-kent/) > [“Maybe because there are so few Icelanders in the world, we know next to nothing about them. We assume they are more or less…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-lewis/maybe-because-there-are-so-few-icelanders-in-the-world-we-know-next/) [Michael Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-lewis/) > [I read mostly Irish, African, Japanese, South American, and African writers. You can count on Scandinavian literature for a certain kind of darkness, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-abani/i-read-mostly-irish-african-japanese-south-american-and-african/) [Chris Abani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-abani/) > [“It’s a case of mistaken identity. It’s one big mistake. You weren’t even in the country when it happened.” Maja in the short story…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steen-langstrup/it-s-a-case-of-mistaken-identity-it-s-one-big-mistake-you-weren-t/) [Steen Langstrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steen-langstrup/) > [I love Scandinavian brands from growing up in Iceland.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laufey/i-love-scandinavian-brands-from-growing-up-in-iceland/) [Laufey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laufey/) > [If anything, I've thought of myself as Scandinavian. Particularly, Danish. We spoke English at home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prince-philip/if-anything-i-ve-thought-of-myself-as-scandinavian-particularly/) [Prince Philip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prince-philip/) > [My husband is from Finland, so every so often I'll throw a Scandinavian-themed party.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rafferty/my-husband-is-from-finland-so-every-so-often-i-ll-throw-a/) [Sarah Rafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rafferty/) > [There were tons of bronzed Scandinavian types at the Sorbonne. Marvellously blond and healthy and shining white teeth. Funny thing though, because someone told…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bingham/there-were-tons-of-bronzed-scandinavian-types-at-the-sorbonne/) [Charlotte Bingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bingham/) > [I don't care where the players come from, whether they are English, Scandinavian, German, or Chinese whatever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-van-gerwen/i-don-t-care-where-the-players-come-from-whether-they-are-english/) [Michael van Gerwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-van-gerwen/) > [I desperately wanted to play the part of Darth Vader's mother - I think she ended up being played by a Scandinavian actress -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsay-duncan/i-desperately-wanted-to-play-the-part-of-darth-vader-s-mother-i-think/) [Lindsay Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsay-duncan/) ## More by Per Petterson > [“Light in every lamp, light in every mind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/per-petterson/light-in-every-lamp-light-in-every-mind/) [Per Petterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/per-petterson/) > [I come from a working-class family. They're the people I know and the people I love, I guess. I do not write about them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/per-petterson/i-come-from-a-working-class-family-they-re-the-people-i-know-and-the/) [Per Petterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/per-petterson/) > [When my mother talked about her brother, there was this light in her eyes. I thought, 'This is the basis of a novel.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/per-petterson/when-my-mother-talked-about-her-brother-there-was-this-light-in-her/) [Per Petterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/per-petterson/) > [“But life had shifted its weight from one point to another, from one leg to the other, like a silent giant in the vast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/per-petterson/but-life-had-shifted-its-weight-from-one-point-to-another-from-one/) [Per Petterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/per-petterson/) > [“All my life I have longed to be alone in a place like this. Even when everything was going well, as it often did.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/per-petterson/all-my-life-i-have-longed-to-be-alone-in-a-place-like-this-even-when/) [Per Petterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/per-petterson/) > [“I distinctly heard the blackbird from the top of a spruce tree, and clear as glass I heard the lark high up and several…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/per-petterson/i-distinctly-heard-the-blackbird-from-the-top-of-a-spruce-tree-and/) [Per Petterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/per-petterson/) > [I decided if I couldn't be a writer, my life would be miserable. I had this imaginary room of references to all the books…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/per-petterson/i-decided-if-i-couldn-t-be-a-writer-my-life-would-be-miserable-i-had/) [Per Petterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/per-petterson/) > [“It is important not to be careless about supper when you are alone. It is easily done, boring as it is to cook for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/per-petterson/it-is-important-not-to-be-careless-about-supper-when-you-are-alone-it/) [Per Petterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/per-petterson/) > [“We ran back, he first and I following him, between the beds and downstairs, and we picked up an armful of wood from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/per-petterson/we-ran-back-he-first-and-i-following-him-between-the-beds-and/) [Per Petterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/per-petterson/) > [I rely heavily on rhythm when I write. You should tap your foot when you read it, all the way through.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/per-petterson/i-rely-heavily-on-rhythm-when-i-write-you-should-tap-your-foot-when/) [Per Petterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/per-petterson/) > [“What I liked was the train ride. It took an hour and that was enough for me to be able to lean backwards against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/per-petterson/what-i-liked-was-the-train-ride-it-took-an-hour-and-that-was-enough/) [Per Petterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/per-petterson/) > [“...everything felt fine at that moment; the suit was fine, and the twon was fine to walk in, along the cobblestone street, and we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/per-petterson/everything-felt-fine-at-that-moment-the-suit-was-fine-and-the-twon/) [Per Petterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/per-petterson/) > [“It may be all very well in Dickens, but when you read Dickens you're reading a long ballad from a vanished world, where everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/per-petterson/it-may-be-all-very-well-in-dickens-but-when-you-read-dickens-you-re/) [Per Petterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/per-petterson/) > [I write about families. That is who we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/per-petterson/i-write-about-families-that-is-who-we-are/) [Per Petterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/per-petterson/) > [“...the young swans as big as their parents now, but still grey and it looks peculiar, like two different species swimming in a line,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/per-petterson/the-young-swans-as-big-as-their-parents-now-but-still-grey-and-it/) [Per Petterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/per-petterson/) [Explore all 79 Per Petterson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/per-petterson/) ## More About quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [I talk to my mates about our kids, being too tired and being worn out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-willoughby/i-talk-to-my-mates-about-our-kids-being-too-tired-and-being-worn-out/) [Holly Willoughby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-willoughby/) > [With 'Pretty Girls,' I saw the opportunity to talk not just about crime but what crime leaves behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/with-pretty-girls-i-saw-the-opportunity-to-talk-not-just-about-crime/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [I write about presidents. That means I write about guys - so far. I'm interested in the people closest to them, the people they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-write-about-presidents-that-means-i-write-about-guys-so-far-i-m/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/) [Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/) > [I learned a lot about myself at Oakmont.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-lowry/i-learned-a-lot-about-myself-at-oakmont/) [Shane Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-lowry/) > [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/) [Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/) > [Sport is not just about entertainment. It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/) [Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/) > [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' 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It was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-durham/i-just-worried-about-my-weight-worried-about-my-appearance-and/) [Judith Durham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-durham/) > [I read a couple of books about neuroscience and the relationship between the mind and the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-read-a-couple-of-books-about-neuroscience-and-the-relationship/) [Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/) > [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) > [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) [Browse all 26,122 About quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I do consider myself a Norwegian writer, or a Scandinavian writer, as my family tree reaches into both Denmark and Sweden. 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