Thread by @AlyssaMatesic

Here’s one mistake I see in almost every novel I edit: too much narrative distance, or space between the reader & the characters/events in the story.

Here are three ways you could be creating narrative distance & weakening your manuscript – without even realizing it (a 🧵):

1. Recounting events in retrospect. This removes the reader from the present plot action & can feel like an info dump.

Often, the narrative will be more engaging if you show the event as a scene when it actually occurs. Show us the character’s emotional response in the moment.

2. Not illuminating characters’ thoughts. In 1st or close 3rd person POV, we should typically have near-full access to the POV character’s mind. Look at what happens externally & internally/emotionally for your character in each scene. Show how they react & interpret the action.

3. Withholding info from the reader. Having your protagonist explicitly keep secrets from the reader creates narrative distance & can cause readers to disengage.

Unless you are deliberately crafting the story around the reveal of this secret, we should know what they know.

3 ways narrative distance could show up in your novel:
1. Recounting events
2. Not illuminating the POV character’s thoughts
3. Withholding info from the reader

Try closing the narrative distance. It nearly always makes your story stronger!
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