Writer Max Porter: I Want the Language to be Squirming

In this in-depth conversation with Louisiana Channel, acclaimed British novelist Max Porter reflects on the relationship between language, music and literary form, revealing how rhythm, voice and collaboration shape his work. Porter rejects the notion of a singular authorial voice, describing himself instead as "a handler of voices" and "a conductor of voices." He discusses his attraction to polyphony, dialect and shifting registers, arguing that fiction should invite readers into an active collaboration rather than present a fixed meaning. "I perhaps have a style, but don't believe I have a voice," he says. "I'm quite hungry for dialect, for slang, for a kind of democratic, busy, peopled surface." Throughout the interview, Porter explores the musical foundations of his writing, explaining how listening to music influences the rhythm and emotional architecture of his prose. "Music is as close as you get to God," he says, describing his search for "the music in a sentence" and his ambition to push language beyond conventional boundaries. He also speaks about the creative process, embracing uncertainty as an essential part of writing. "I've realized that being mad is my favorite part of it," Porter says, reflecting on the period before a work finds its formal structure. For him, literature is an ongoing act of listening, questioning and experimentation rather than control. The conversation also touches on translation, adaptation, performance art, literacy, the physical experience of reading and the enduring influence of works such as Grief Is the Thing with Feathers. Porter explains why he welcomes multiple interpretations of his work: "Being misunderstood is in fact an exhilaration. That's where the possibility lies." Max Porter (b. 1981, England) is a renowned British author known for his experimental and poetic prose. His debut novel, ‘Grief Is the Thing with Feathers’ (2015), won the International Dylan Thomas Prize and the 2017 Europese Literatuurprijs. His subsequent works, including ‘Lanny’ (2019) and ‘Shy’ (2023), have further established him as one of the most distinctive literary voices of his generation. Elisabeth Skou Pedersen interviewed Max Porter in connection with the Louisiana Literature festival at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Denmark, in August 2024. Camera & Edit: Jarl Kaldan Therkildsen Produced by Christian Lund Copyright: Louisiana Channel, Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, 2026. Louisiana Channel is supported by Den A.P. Møllerske Støttefond Subscribe to our channel for more videos on literature:    / thelouisianachannel   FOLLOW US HERE: Website: http://channel.louisiana.dk Instagram:   / louisianachannel   Facebook:   / louisianachannel