selvsnarive

Selvsnarive is a term used in literary and media studies to describe a mode of storytelling centered on the narrator's own life and experiences. The term is used in Nordic contexts and reflects a blend of self-identity and narrative construction, often emphasizing how personal memory is shaped and presented to an audience.

In practice, selvsnarive appears across genres and media, including autobiographies and memoirs, first-person documentary work, and digital platforms where users curate life stories through posts, videos, or micro-essays. Core features include a first-person voice, reflexivity, and deliberate choices about which memories to reveal or omit, along with interpretation of those memories to convey a coherent sense of self.

Scholars use the concept to analyze how identity is produced in narrative form, how truth claims are negotiated, and how audiences respond to intimate storytelling. It intersects with autoethnography, life-writing, and digital storytelling, as well as discussions of influencer culture and online self-presentation.

Critics note potential limitations, such as selective memory and performativity, ethical concerns about privacy and consent, and the possibility that life-writing becomes commodified or sensationalized. Some critics also question the line between truthful documentation and crafted storytelling in selvsnarive.

See also: Autobiography, Autoethnography, Life writing, Digital storytelling, First-person narrative.