Tips for Overcoming Imposter Syndrome
Many authors nowadays are familiar with the term imposter syndrome—and its implications. In today’s busy and internet-centered world, it can be easy to compare our success to others and be overly critical of our work, and this often gets in the way of our writing.
Let me be honest for a moment: there is no “overcoming” imposter syndrome. This is something many authors will navigate for their entire career. But there are strategies you can implement to lessen its effects on your writing, daily life, and overall peace of mind.
What Is Imposter Syndrome?
Imposter syndrome (IS) is a common behavioral health phenomenon defined as the self-doubt of one’s intelligence, skills, abilities, qualifications, and success, despite being a high-achieving individual [1].
Imposter syndrome can happen to anyone, regardless of occupation, but it’s very common in writers. This is because we’re often highly emotionally attached to our work, which is also very consuming of our time, thoughts, and energy.
Additionally, due to the nature of our work, we tend to be very self-critical. Sometimes we have to be to get our stories in the best possible shape. But more often than not, this self-doubt gets out of control and interferes with our writing and even our daily lives.
Common Signs of Imposter Syndrome in Writers
Common manifestations of imposter syndrome in writers include:
Self-doubt: You frequently question your abilities and wonder if your work is “good enough.”
Fear of exposure: You might worry that others will discover your perceived lack of skills and expose you as a “fraud.”
Perfectionism: You might set unrealistic standards for yourself, which can lead to procrastination and a constant sense of dissatisfaction.
Comparison: You may find yourself comparing your work to other writers you believe are “better.”
Overachieving: You may feel the need to constantly prove yourself by taking on more work or striving for perfection, often unrealistically.
Publishing a book is like putting a piece of your soul out there for the world to scrutinize, so it makes sense that this can sometimes affect our emotional wellbeing.
When I get writer’s block, imposter syndrome is almost always the culprit. And sometimes I even find myself worrying about my writing skills when I’m not writing. This constant fear of failure can be debilitating.
It’s important to note that imposter syndrome is not a reflection of your talent or skills. Many “successful” writers struggle with these feelings every day. By recognizing these feelings, you can take one step closer to managing your self-doubt and clearing the path to pursuing your passion.
So, is there a way to overcome imposter syndrome?
4 Comforting Thoughts for Writers with Imposter Syndrome
As I mentioned before, when I say “overcoming imposter syndrome,” I mean it loosely. I’m not an expert, and some people might benefit from navigating these feelings with professional help. I think overcoming imposter syndrome is less about a one-time fix and more about continually navigating waves of doubt as they come and go. But there are some habits I practice to reroute this way of thinking.
Below are some comforting thoughts that help me when I’m struggling with imposter syndrome. Again, there is no one-size-fits-all solution, but I hope some of them resonate with you in some way!
1. Your Readers Will Find You
Your readers will find you.
This is one of my all time favorite sayings. I tell this to myself all the time!
Don’t worry about writing something based on how well you think it might sell. Although popular tropes and trendy comp titles are great marketing assets, what matters most is that you’re writing what you want.
You’ll hear mixed opinions about this, but honestly, I think it’s more valuable to write something unique and flat out “weird” that you’re passionate about as opposed to writing something highly marketable, structured to industry standards, and easy to explain that you’re less passionate about.
It doesn’t matter if your story has a strange premise, is structured in an unconventional way, has odd pacing, doesn’t have a good set of comp titles, etc.
Write what you want and your audience will follow!
This may be difficult to fully believe at first—especially for new or indie authors who are responsible for all of their own marketing—but in today’s current literary landscape, which is overcrowded and filled with sameness, your unique thoughts are incredibly valuable.
Writing stories that stand out from the crowd, which you are passionate about, is a great way to attract a loyal audience who will love what you have to say.
2. Everyone Gets Bad Reviews
Everyone gets bad reviews! Even your favorite authors. I promise.
Don’t believe me? Go check out the 1-star reviews for your favorite books on Goodreads.
At the end of the day, it’s all a matter of taste. And we love opinions! Variation is what makes this world beautiful, and if someone’s taste doesn’t align with your work, that’s okay.
Bad reviews are not always a reflection of the quality of your book, or your talent as a writer, or what the future of your career will look like. At the end of the day, it really is just a matter of—you guessed it—taste.
Yeah, it doesn’t feel good when people express criticism in a way that is not constructive or sometimes just plain mean. But when you focus on who you’re writing for and why, those bad reviews might fade into the background.
Try to stay away from Goodreads if you can. If you’d like to learn something from the critical reviews, consider having a friend help you out! They can sort through the reviews for you and “translate” the points back to you in a more constructive, actionable way.
You can also have someone else mine out the good reviews for you! These are great sources of motivation and they can help you remember your who and why.
3. You’re Already So Much Better Than You Were Yesterday
You’re already so much better than you were yesterday!
Every word you write is a word of improvement, a word of practice. If it comforts you, go back and read your old writing not to be critical, but to see how far you’ve come.
I remember sometime during the drafting process of my second book Cut Deck, I was feeling really unmotivated and self-critical about my writing. So I talked about it to my brother and he put some things in perspective for me.
My brother’s a very practical guy. He doesn’t sugarcoat anything and isn’t afraid to tell you what you need to hear, even if it isn’t what you want to hear. That’s why I always trust his advice.
He told me to look through my very first draft of Lone Player—the sloppy one that I wrote in 28 days back in October 2021 for the Lost Island Press writing contest. This draft was a mess.
Then he told me to rate how good I thought it was on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the absolute best I can do with my current skill set. I’m pretty sure I said it was a 2. Maybe a 3.
(Don’t get me wrong, I love my books! I was just rating the early drafts—not the final versions.)
Then he told me to look through my latest draft of Cut Deck and rate it on the same scale. I said it was a 7.
Then he said if that very first draft of Lone Player is a 20%, and Cut deck is 70%, that’s an improvement of 50% in about 2 years.
Which means I might improve by another 50% (of what I am right now) in the same amount of time. And I’ll just constantly grow and improve and raise my skills the more I write.
The trick is to not let your fear of being inadequate get in the way of actually making those improvements. The doing part is essential!
4. Write For the One
Write for the one.
If you can’t find any other reason to keep writing, write for the one person you might save with your work. Because you never know the full effect your story might have on someone else.
What if your story is the one that pulls them out of a really dark place and turns their life around? There have definitely been books that have done this for me!
What if your story is the little nudge someone needs to keep going? What if your story becomes at least one person’s favorite book? Doesn’t that make it all worth it, then?
If it helps, find your favorite good review (or have a friend sort through and find one for you). Screenshot it or jot it down, and keep it close. Whichever one speaks to you the most. Refer to it when you’re feeling down and remind yourself that this is who you are writing for.
There is one review that has always stuck with me. I can’t remember who it was, or exactly what was said—but one reader messaged me about how they loved Lone Player so much they explained the whole plot to their sibling, and now that’s something they talk about and bond over.
This really struck close to home because I have that kind of relationship with my brothers; we’re always sharing book recs and connecting over stories the other hasn’t even read yet. And to think my book is being talked about in the same way somewhere…that’s just so special.
You are writing for the readers who need you. You are not writing for those who didn’t enjoy your book, or perhaps even said something hurtful about it. They are welcome to read it and express their thoughts, of course—because taste and opinions and the courage to speak one’s mind is the lifeblood of the literature world—but it is not for them. It is for those who need it.
You are needed, and your words are too.
Discover More Tips for Authors
Imposter syndrome is common in authors, but by making conscious decisions to rewire your mindset, you can lower the impact of self-doubt and get back to writing what you love.
If you found these tips helpful, feel free to check out some of my other blog posts! We also have a fun community of readers and writers over on Instagram.
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References
Huecker, M. R., Shreffler, J., McKeny, P. T., & Davis, D. (2023, July 31). Imposter phenomenon. StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK585058