DFWCon 2026

First-person POV can create an extraordinary bond between character and reader, but writing "I" doesn't automatically create intimacy. In fact, common first-person habits can unintentionally push readers away. In this practical, craft-focused workshop, literary agent Kelly Dyksterhouse explores narrative distance and the techniques that make first-person narration feel immediate, authentic, and emotionally compelling. Through examples from popular novels, writers will learn how to recognize distancing language, avoid common POV traps, handle description and interiority more naturally, and develop a character voice readers will happily follow.