Don’t Stand So Close to Me: Unpuzzling Psychic Distance

Instructor: Deb Noyes
Thursday, June 25, 2026
7:00 - 8:30 PM EST | Online | Recorded
Level: All Levels

There’s nothing we love more than sinking our teeth into craft.

Join former Candlewick Executive Editor and former VCFA faculty member, Deb Noyes for this MFA-level seminar about psychic distance in writing.

We all know that narrative point of view impacts voice, but how does its wily cousin, psychic distance—also known as narrative or emotional distance—figure into the equation?

Together, we’ll look at an array of middle grade and YA books with John Gardner’s spectrum of distance in mind to see how writers in all genres shift seamlessly from far to near and back again, measuring distance to control tone, tracking the psychology of characters, and upping the emotional stakes in a story.


This Workshop is For You If: 

  • You are an author who wants to explore and study craft.

  • You are an author currently writing a novel.

  • You are an author wanting to look at how to elevate your manuscript in revisions.

You’ll Complete This Workshop With:

  • A better understanding of how authors can use psychic distance in their work

  • A more academic understanding of the concept of psychic distance