Mats Söderlund was awarded the Swedish Writers' Union's prestigious Catapult Award for best literary debut in 1992, and has since received numerous literary awards and scholarships. He describes himself as "a forester from the north" with roots deeply entrenched in Nordic folklore and the Northern narrative tradition. He has released seven collections of poetry, as well as works of fiction and nonfiction. Söderlund holds a Bachelor of Science in Social Work and served as Chairman of the Swedish Writers' Union between 2005 and 2012.