Sandra Beijer: poised storyteller with an authentic voice

With a steady hand and a clear sense of direction, blogger and author Sandra Beijer guides readers through her everyday life in Stockholm, her travels abroad, new writing projects, heartbreaks, and the mixed emotions of becoming a parent. Regardless of format, her voice is always refreshingly authentic and yet graciously poised. This autumn, Beijer’s new play Glow Up premiers at Dramaten. We catch up with the ever-resourceful storyteller to discuss her latest project, last year’s musical experiment, and how she feeds her creativity.

Sandra Beijer is a veteran in the blogging world. Impressively, her blog celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. One of the most established blogs in Sweden, this is also one of the country’s biggest with millions of views per month. “Still after so many years, it feels like a luxury to be able to write a diary as a living. It’s the best job imaginable – I’ll probably blog forever,” Beijer says with a broad smile. “The blog allows me to express myself. It’s a place where I’m in complete control.”

Sandra Beijer’s blog celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. One of Sweden’s biggest blogs, it has millions of views per month.

The success of Beijer’s blog is not surprising, considering her professional experience. Having worked as a copywriter for years, first in Stockholm and later in New York, she has developed a clear sense of direction and an authentic voice in her storytelling, which is complemented by stunning photography. It feels like reading a high-quality lifestyle magazine – a place for inspiration, with Beijer’s evident sense for fashion and interior design as a backdrop.

Reflecting on her previous advertising experience and tendency to work conceptually, Beijer admits: “The blog is shaped around a framework, with recurring themes such as interior tips and latest reads. What people might not know is that I spend a lot of time planning the content. And I always post once per day, regardless.” This commitment and regularity offer a safe place for the readers; you know there will always be something new to read, every day.

A creative and productive storyteller, Beijer has also published three novels, written a TV manuscript, and most recently the play Glow Up, which premieres at Dramaten in September.

Broken hearts and coming of age

Whilst the blog remains Beijer’s main source of income, it has also allowed her to focus on other writing projects, including three published novels, a TV manuscript, a music poetry experiment, and an upcoming play. She has also translated Rupi Kaur’s poetry collection Milk and Honey, published a number of short stories, participated in several anthologies, written columns for magazines and newspapers, been in charge of two podcasts, and collaborated with major brands for the blog.

Productive doesn’t even begin to describe her work ethos. “It has always been my dream to become an author and I’m so happy that I decided to follow my passion,” reflects Beijer. “However, working with the blog and writing books became quite lonely after a while, so I wanted to broaden my horizon with other types of projects. But regardless of format and channel, it’s ultimately all about telling a story.”

Photo: Isabella Ståhl

Beijer’s first novel, Det handlar om dig (It’s about you), was published in 2014. Her debut love story was widely praised as one of the best young adult books. “This novel changed everything for me. When I landed the book contract, whilst working as a copywriter in New York, I finally gained the courage to quit my job and go all in with the writing.”

Her second novel, Allt som blir kvar (All that remains), was released two years later and also turned into a TV series for SVT, the Swedish public television broadcaster. Beijer wrote the script for the series and also featured as executive producer. The TV series is based on the book, which tells the story of young heartbreak. Matilda is dumped by her boyfriend in the middle of the summer and feels like she’s going to die. Together with best friend Miron, she rides out the sadness. “Working with the TV series was fantastic. First of all, I had the chance to once again work in a creative team, similarly to the advertising industry, but I could also see the characters come alive thanks to the director and the actors – a fascinating experience.”

Musical experiment and new play

In 2019, Beijer’s third novel Mellan oss (Between us) was published. This is a deep dive into the complications of enduring the roller-coaster high school years and becoming a teenager; dreams of popularity, the first kiss, and the entry into an adult world.

Following the birth of her son and maternity leave during the pandemic, Beijer regained her inspiration to write, but this time in a different form. Tjejdikter (Girl poems) is an album with lyrics written by Beijer and produced in collaboration with female Indie singers such as Dolce, Nadja Evelina and Manon Lamartine. Described as a collection of poetry set to music, the album was released at Bokmässan (Göteborg Book Fair) last year.

Beijer’s music experiment Tjejdikter was released last year. Photo: Linn Wexell

“This was such as random project but honestly so much fun!” she beams. “Music is a big part of my life, and I wanted to try my hand at writing lyrics. So, I got in touch with some record producers, and luckily it became reality. It was incredible to meet and co-create with these female singers. Tjejdikter is like a mixed tape, every tune with my lyrics and performed by a different singer.”

Her latest project Glow Up is a play for young adults, directed by Carl Johan Karlson, which premieres at Dramaten (Royal Dramatic Theatre) in Stockholm this autumn. “With this play, I delve into female friendships and our ever changing bodies,” elaborates Beijer. “It’s a playful monologue about experiencing disgust for your own body and other people’s bodies, but it also explores the idea of ‘perfect’ influencers versus normal everyday lives.”

Beijer has a strong sense for fashion and interior design, which also provides inspiration for her blog readers.

Writer with a room of her own

Somewhat of a rebel, Beijer might not be seen as highly controversial but she certainly doesn’t follow the norm. And she doesn’t need to find her voice, it’s there already – in all her work. “When I say something on the blog that might not fit the template of what’s socially acceptable, such as wanting to spend time alone or struggling with the idea of parenthood, it might inspire other people to also say and do things that are considered wrong or not desirable.”

Beijer comes across as grounded with a solid understanding of what she needs, and peace and quiet is key to achieving her level of creativity. “As a writer, I have to make the time and I need to have my own room, my own place – I need a lot of time on my own. In creative work, it’s also important to constantly gather information and to research your own creativity. If I’m not feeling inspired, I realise that it’s better to just stop and go for a walk, or do something else for a while.”

What does the future have in store for this creative storyteller? Working on the TV series Allt som blir kvar left a mark and Beijer wants more, hopefully with similar projects in the pipeline; “Working on scripts for TV series is mind-blowing. The initial text is not the finished product; the director builds a whole world and the actors make the story come alive. It’s like working with a colouring book, adding different colours to the picture.”

Rest assured, Beijer has plenty in store and new inspirational content on her blog, every day.

Check out Sandra Beijer’s blog: sandrabeijer.elle.se
Follow Sandra on Instagram: @sandrabeijer

An avid reader herself, Beijer shares three book recommendations with Scan Magazine:

Body High by Jon Lindsey
“American debut novel from 2020. A chaotic story that moves through the slums of Los Angeles. Body High is a beautiful novel where the main character seems so alive that I fell in love over the 150 pages.”

Supper Club by Lara Williams
“Published in 2019, this book is about two young women who start a lawless supper club. Kind of like a fight club, but only for women. In the club, they expand and reclaim space as a form of feminist action. It’s nicely orchestrated and well written.”

The Guest by Emma Cline
“Tells the story of a young woman who is dumped by her rich, older boyfriend. She is stranded outside a summer house in Long Island, but instead of going home she decides to stay on the island. To succeed, she must deceive the upper class that she belongs there. Stylish and cool page-turner.”