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We humans share the tendency of presenting a happy face to the world. If you think about it, this proclivity reflects another way of thinking about isolation. When we only let people see one side of us, we are, by definition, isolating ourselves. Yet, if telling the truth opens you up to ridicule or attack, […]

Imagine the haunting stories you could write based on these quotes about isolation and the loneliness it engenders. “A prisoner is a man buried alive.” (Charles Dickens, author, after visiting a Pennsylvania prison) “It is strange to be known so universally and yet to be so lonely.” (Albert Einstein, scientist) “The mass of men lead […]

It’s hard to write about abstractions. It’s not like describing a bridge or a hat. Making the suffering real for readers is a key to writing success. Whether your characters have to endure physical isolation, social isolation, or some combination of the two, you need to select incidents that demonstrate the impact of their condition. […]

Not all isolation can be segregated into neat categories, just as not all conflicts can be limited to one dimension. People often experience a combination of physical and social isolation. Immigrants, for instance, who are fearful of not fitting in, or who are undocumented, may physically isolate themselves, which results in social isolation. In the […]

Consider, for example, Sue Kaufman’s Diary of a Mad Housewife, which looks at the existential anxiety of a frustrated and bored suburban housewife. Or Laurie Halse Anderson’s middle grade novel, Speak, which focuses on a young teen’s severe depression following an acquaintance rape, and the ostracism that followed. With social isolation, your character often suffers […]

In addition to people who suffer from social anxiety—a difficulty with or an inability to interact with other people, social isolation is common among sociopaths—people who lack empathy. A notable pattern among serial killers, for instance, is that they were isolated from their peers when they were children. Some were fat kids, teased remorselessly. Others […]

Social psychologists report that we human creatures want to be part of a community. We associate with various groups, all sorts of groups, ranging from religious organizations to non-profit organizations, from hunting clubs to book clubs, and from neighborhood block parties to political parties. Human beings seem wired to socialize. And the research is clear—evidently […]

Let’s consider a powerful example—Princess: A True Story of Life Behind the Veil in Saudi Arabia, which is an example of literary nonfiction. The author, Jean Sassoon, describes a different kind of physical isolation—imprisonment. Sassoon writes about a padded, windowless room where there is no light, where you never see anyone, and where no one […]

Physical isolation occurs when someone is prevented from interacting with other people. Sometimes this isolation results from an accident or misadventure. Other times, a person is forced into isolation, say if they’re placed in solitary confinement or kidnapped. A boy’s ability to cope with isolation is at the heart of both The Hatchet, Gary Paulsen’s […]