Therapeutic Isolation
Therapeutic isolation isn’t about hiding from the world.
Stop Chasing What is Causing You Pain
If something is hurting you, stop chasing it. That sounds simple, but it’s one of the hardest things to do when you’re invested.
We convince ourselves that one more try will fix it. One more push, one more reach, one more effort. Sometimes the healthiest move is to step back and say, this isn’t helping me anymore.
Is It the Chase or Social Pressure?
Ask yourself why you’re chasing it in the first place. Is it something you truly want, or is it something you feel you should want?
Social pressure is sneaky. It tells you what success looks like, what you should be doing, and how fast you should be getting there. Strip that away and ask the hard question. Do I actually want this?
Step Out of the Rat Race and Breathe
You don’t have to run at the same pace as everyone else. Step out for a moment. Breathe.
That pause isn’t failure. It’s clarity. When you step away from the noise, you can finally hear your own thoughts again instead of everyone else’s expectations.
Find What Drives You
This is the uncomfortable part. What drives you, really?
Is it your own curiosity, your own stories, your own desire to create? Or is it validation from readers, rankings, and external approval? Be honest with yourself, because the answer determines how sustainable your career will be.
Authors Have Too Much or Too Little Isolation
Writers live in isolation, but too much of it will drain you. Too little, and you never find your voice.
You need both. Time alone to create, and time connected to readers and other authors. Finding that balance is personal, and it shifts over time. Pay attention to when you feel energized and when you feel depleted.
Final Thought
Therapeutic isolation isn’t about hiding from the world. It’s about stepping back long enough to reconnect with yourself.
When you stop chasing what hurts, question why you’re chasing anything at all, and give yourself space to breathe, you regain control. From there, you can choose your path instead of being pulled along by it.
Therapeutic Isolation — Original Medium Article
Therapeutic Isolation — Over 1000 Five Minute Focus videos on the Successful Indie Author YouTube Channel
The May I Write a Novel Challenge is live, but it is never too late to jump in and get started.
Join other successful indie authors this May on the SIA Writing Challenge website and record your progress. Collectively, SIA members wrote nearly 3,750,000 words in May 2025.
You set your goal. You establish your own boundaries. The rest of us will support and encourage you. Simple as that.
Don’t miss out on your chance to be part of that success in May 2026.
SIA Writing Challenge website — Record Your Progress on Your Way to Becoming a Successful Indie Author
Craig Martelle is an author, leader, and entrepreneur living in Alaska. Retired from the Marine Corps military intelligence community and physical security, he graduated summa cum laude from law school and went into business consulting. From intelligence, to the inner workings of company boardrooms, to on-the-ground leadership, Craig has seen it firsthand.
He is a million-selling author of over 200 science fiction (post-apocalyptic, military sci-fi, and space opera), thrillers, and the non-fiction series, Successful Indie Author. Craig has been running author conferences since 2017, and also the Successful Indie Author Facebook Group, and the Successful Indie Author YouTube Channel.
Leadership is a service, not a crown to lord over others.
I really like this photo. Pen and Solitude; the best ingredients for creative works.
I really like this picture. Solitude and pen; the ingredients for our best creative works.