Along in the Silence
Along in the Silence
Writing the Isolated Narrative
Writing the Isolated Narrative
Write a story, screenplay, or poem where the protagonist is completely alone for the entire narrative. This could be:
Physical isolation (a deserted island, a locked-down city, a cabin in the woods).
Emotional isolation (trapped in their mind, feeling alone in a crowded world).
Self-imposed isolation (choosing to be alone, retreating from society).
This piece should explore the experience of being alone. What happens when a person has no one to talk to, no one to guide them, and nothing but their own thoughts for company?
Can you create a beginning, middle, and end where isolation is the central theme?
The character must be alone for the entire piece.
The story should have a clear beginning, middle, and end.
The isolation should change the character in some way by the end.
The format can be a short story, screenplay, or poem.
If this is part of a larger work, provide a summary of where this scene fits.
What does solitude reveal about the character?
Are they at peace, or are they falling apart?
Do they talk to themselves? To imaginary people? To inanimate objects?
How does their past affect how they handle being alone?
Use sensory details.
What does the silence sound like?
What small sounds become overwhelming?
What textures, smells, or tastes become important when nothing else is happening?
Find the conflict.
Is there a physical problem (e.g., survival on an island, running out of food)?
Is there an internal problem (e.g., guilt, loneliness, questioning reality)?
Does the character want to escape, or do they choose to stay alone?
How does the story end?
Does the character find peace in their solitude?
Do they go mad?
Do they discover something about themselves they never realized before?
Amanda Gorman’s poetry on isolation & resilience
“The Sea Devil” by Arthur Gordon (solitude at sea)
“I Am Legend” by Richard Matheson (alone in a ruined world)
Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe (classic survival story)
Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer (choosing isolation)
Cast Away (film, 2000) (talking to a volleyball counts as isolation!)