
What is imposter syndrome?
- You’ve got lots of ideas, but none of them seem good enough for a whole book.
- Your ideas seem to pale in comparison with the last good book you read.
- You believe you need to go on a writing course or get some more training because you’ve not done any serious writing since GCSE English.
- You think that your writing is hopelessly poor quality.
- With non-fiction, you think that you might be exposed as a fraud if you put yourself out there as an expert.
- With fiction, you think people won’t relate to your characters or enjoy the story.
How can imposter syndrome affect your writing?
- Procrastination - doing other chores and activities before writing.
- Anxiety - comparing yourself to other writers.
- Over-editing - losing the 'guts’ of a story.
- Writer's block - staring at a blank page, trying to write something.
- Total retreat - you stop writing altogether.
Ways to overcome imposter syndrome
- Identify your current script - what the voice in your head is saying - and then develop a new script that you want instead, that will allow you to shift yourself out of it, "I’m doing that thing again... but I’m okay with it and I’m going to move on."
- If the script isn’t clear enough, stop yourself and ask a few exploratory questions, "What am I uncomfortable about? Can I be okay with it and move on?"
- Ask yourself why you feel like this. Is it your unconscious mind - which is always working to get the best results for you - suggesting that you need to do a bit of extra research or preparation... more editing... a last read-through?
- Separate feelings from facts. Consider all the positive things people have said about your writing before. Ask yourself what a true and good friend would say to you in this moment - instead of a critical voice?
- Counter the negative comparisons by re-framing the thought and your feelings. For example, "Everyone else in the group is brilliant and I’m not" becomes "Everyone in the group is brilliant and I’m excited that I’m going to learn so much!"
- Get feedback and perspective. Buddy up with another writer; join a writing class or group; get some professional feedback from an editor or proofreader, agent or publisher. Feedback is a gift.
- Acknowledge your common humanity by realising there are others who suffer with it and you’re not alone. You may even find new tools and techniques to help you. Even Jacinda Ardern has publicly talked about how she works to turn self-doubt into something positive.
- Consciously slowing our brains down helps us to come up with our best ideas. So, quieten your mind with meditation or mindfulness techniques. Focus on feeling your pulse, or do some deep breathing exercises. Get calm because it will improve your writing.
About Lauren Malone
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