Fosse's work spans over seventy novels, poems, children's books, essays, and theatre plays, which have been translated into over fifty languages.

[3][4] His minimalist and deeply introspective plays, with language often bordering on lyrical prose and poetry,[5][6] have been noted to represent a modern continuation of the dramatic tradition established by Henrik Ibsen in the 19th century.

[5][7] Fosse's work has often been placed within the tradition of post-dramatic theatre, while several of his notable novels have been described as belonging to the style of post-modernist and avant-garde literature, due to their minimalism, lyricism and unorthodox use of syntax.

[11] A serious accident at age seven brought him close to death; Fosse witnessed seeing a shimmering light and experiencing peace and beauty.

As a teenager, Fosse was interested in becoming a rock guitarist, and he began to dedicate more time to writing once he gave up his musical ambitions.

[11] He published a second novel, Stengd gitar (Closed Guitar) in 1985 and a poetic cycle, Engel med vatn i augene (Angel with Water in Its Eyes) in 1986.

[15] Other authors and books that have influenced his life and work include Olav H. Hauge, Franz Kafka, William Faulkner, Virginia Woolf, and the Bible.

[18] Since 2011, Fosse has been granted the Grotten, an honorary residence owned by the Norwegian state and located on the premises of the Royal Palace in the city centre of Oslo.

[19] The use of the Grotten as a permanent residence is an honour specially bestowed by the King of Norway for contributions to Norwegian arts and culture.

The translated works which have been produced include Night Sings its Songs[25] (2004), deathvariations[26] (2006), SaKaLa[27] (2008), A Summer Day[28][29] (2012), and Dream of Autumn[30] (2013).

In April 2022, Fosse's novel A New Name: Septology VI-VII, translated into English by Damion Searls, was shortlisted for the International Booker Prize.