Anna Wahlenberg came from a middle-class family in Stockholm and married Fritz Kjerrman in 1888, sub-editor of the newspaper Dagens Nyheter. They had two sons.
She made her debut in 1882 under the pseudonym Rien with Teckningar i sanden (SS) and continued writing throughout her whole life, but was known above all for her contribution to 1880s realist literature that centred on discussion of problematic issues with works such as Små själar (N), 1887, about a young woman’s fight for financial independence, Hos grannas (SS), 1887, and I hvardagslag (SS), 1889.