Jacob Skyggebjerg is a Danish writer known for his raw, energetic prose and unflinching portrayals of youth, masculinity, and life on the margins. His work often blends autobiography with fiction, marked by a direct language and a strong physical presence. In this interview, we talk with Skyggebjerg about writing, experience, and the realities that shape his literature.
Why do you write?
I write because I never had a choice. It has always been in me.
What projects are you currently working on?
I am working on my second novel, Hvad mener du med vi, which I hope to have out in september. Besides from that, what I do is secret. But I have other stuff going on.
What is your main inspirations when you write?
The stuff that I’m reading. And whatever is going on. Different feelings inside.
What are the key essentials when writing?
To me, one thing must be to stay disconnected from the surrounding world. The more the brain is set to writing, the less it is willing to compute what is happening in the outside world. The outside world stops to matter, it becomes pure disturbance.
What are your favorite books?
Right now, it would definitely be Tolstoy’s The Kreutzer Sonata. I like russian litterature very well, and this is the latest addition to my library. It describes some very strong feelings very precisely.
Which writers are on your radar right now and why?
Leo Tolstoy. I don’t care much for trends and tendencies when it comes to art. I like digging where nobody cares to look.
Any particular art/books/music/series/movies you want to recommend?
The Kreutzer Sonata (book),Amores Perros (movie), Dead Souls (book)
Aside from writing, are there other things you’d like to do in your career?
I’d like to do more acting. Maybe screenwriting. If there is one thing I am more than a writer, it would be an actor.
What’s the last art exhibition/artwork/book you went to see that you really enjoyed?
The Kreutzer Sonata
Top 3 favorite places in Copenhagen?
Places that I haven’t been before.
Where are you going for your next holiday?
I never have holidays, and I don’t like that people are always just talking about holidays as if they were something given. I would like to explore Russia, though, perhaps Belarus.
What is you favorite candy?
I don’t eat candy.
Follow Jacob Skyggebjerg
https://www.instagram.com/jacobskyggebjerg
