Kick your negative thoughts and feelings to the curb. Discover how to overcome writer imposter syndrome, and boost your confidence, creativity, and self-worth.
Are you lacking confidence in your writing, questioning your validity as a “real” writer, or worrying whether anyone will ever care what you have to say? You may be a victim of writer imposter syndrome.
Imposter syndrome isn’t new. The concept emerged in a landmark 1978 study by Pauline Clance and Suzanne Imes, who studied imposter beliefs in highly successful women across various fields. The verdict: impressive accomplishments don’t necessarily alleviate feelings of imposter syndrome.
These findings implicate that imposter beliefs stem from some internal conflict, which means, much like with writer’s block, imposter syndrome needs to be gutted from the inside out. Easier said than done, right?
Alas, have no fear. This blog delves into writer imposter syndrome, exploring what it is and how to overcome it—or, at the very least, hinder its iron grip on your emotions.
What Is Imposter Syndrome for Writers?
According to Merriam-Webster, imposter syndrome is, “a psychological condition characterized by persistent doubt concerning one’s abilities or accomplishments accompanied by the fear of being exposed as a fraud despite evidence of ongoing success.”
This means that people experiencing imposter syndrome may already have some success in their endeavors. They just often don’t believe it’s warranted or real, like they somehow subconsciously stole the work from others or only had enough creative juice to be a one-hit wonder.
Imposter syndrome affects professionals from all walks of life, and writers aren’t immune. Yes, writers do get imposter syndrome, and honestly, it makes sense. Writing is such a vulnerable act, often requiring putting raw emotion on display. It can be harsh, gut-wrenching, and grueling.
Not unlike some of the critics who might read your work.
Common Causes of Writer Imposter Syndrome
Writing’s subjective nature may be one of the biggest causes of writer imposter syndrome. There’s no golden standard of creativity when it comes to writing. What one person thinks is good may be boring, uninspiring, repetitive, or just plain bad to someone else.
Rejection also inevitably ties to writing. This stems back to subjectivity. Ultimately, agents, editors, and publishers are as human as the writers whose words they read. They know what they like, what they don’t, and what they’re willing to take a chance on.
And, finally, let’s not forget that writing isn’t known as the most lucrative profession. Most of our labor goes unnoticed and unpaid, raising questions about whether what we’re doing is worth anything at all, which can spiral into negative thoughts of personal self-worth and value.
How to Identify Writer Imposter Syndrome
Do any of these feelings, thoughts, or concerns sound familiar? Research suggests up to 82% of people face imposter syndrome at some point in their lives. Common signs indicating you might be part of that statistic include:
- Persistent feelings of self-doubt and inadequacy
- Fear of failure
- Lack of self-confidence
- Anxiety
- Negative self-talk
- Distrust in your capabilities
- Constantly comparing yourself to other people
- Undervaluing your work, contributions, or achievements
If it makes you feel any better, famous authors also experience imposter syndrome. Cheryl Strayed once wrote, “Writing is always full of self-doubt, but the first book is really full of self-doubt, and it was much more of a struggle to keep that faith. By the time I wrote Wild, I was familiar with that feeling of doubt and self-loathing, so I just thought, ‘Okay, this is how it feels to write a book.”
How to Overcome Imposter Syndrome: 6 Ways to Improve Your Self-Confidence as a Writer
Writer imposter syndrome may never fade entirely, but there are ways to alleviate its negative effects. If you’re wondering how to stop imposter syndrome, review these tips.
Call Yourself a Writer, Even If You Aren’t Published
Fake it ‘til you make it, right? If you write, you’re a writer. It doesn’t matter whether you’re published or the majority of your writing constitutes handwritten scribbles in a notebook. You’re putting words down. You’re creating something. So call yourself what you are.
Read Other Writers’ Origin Stories
Remember, every writer began where you are now: a person who feels they have something to say so they write it down hoping that someone, someday will read it. Search for interviews of your favorite authors to learn more about their origin stories. It might make you feel better about your own humble beginnings.
Review Your Past Work
If you’re feeling particularly negative about your current writing, review your past work. This can do one of two things:
- Illuminate your progress since you started writing and how much you’ve improved
- Remind you how good you’re writing can be and that you’re simply experiencing a temporary creative setback
Let Other People Read Your Writing
Thinking about other people reading your writing may raise your heart rate, but isn’t having your words noticed the end goal? People are going to read your writing when you start querying your manuscript and selling your book in stores. So rip off the proverbial Band-Aid, and let other people read it now. Compliments and praise can do wonders for a writer’s self-confidence.
Connect With Other Writers
If you’re struggling with writer imposter syndrome, there are probably dozens, if not hundreds or thousands, of other writers facing the same dilemma. Why not connect with them and discuss your feelings? Ways to connect with other writers include:
- Joining Facebook or LinkedIn groups
- Signing up for a writing workshop
- Attending an MFA program
- Creating a writing instagram
- Looking for writing- or book-themed community events, like author visits or readings
- Attending a writing conference, like AWP
Keep Writing
You had to have seen this one coming. If you’re like me, writing is more than just something you do. It’s a therapeutic outlet. A method of exploring your thoughts, emotions, and feelings. Writing can help you understand where those pesky imposter syndrome beliefs come from.
Also, the only way to get better at something is to keep doing it. So keep writing. You’ll only get better with every word, sentence, and story you write.
Don’t Let Writer Imposter Syndrome Hold You Back
If you want to overcome imposter syndrome, face it head-on. Don’t let these feelings prevent you from doing what you love and achieving your goals.
Take care of yourself. Practice self-care to protect your mental health, connect with loved ones, take a trip, or get lost in nature. Do whatever it takes to remind yourself of your strengths and capabilities as a writer to boost your confidence, self-worth, and creativity.
The imposter beliefs may not disappear, but that isn’t really the goal. Aim for making the positive thoughts louder than the negative ones until, eventually, they become so overpowering you can’t ignore them anymore. And you start to believe them.
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