Have you ever been so excited about writing that you started the journey but, at some point, you’ve found yourself spiralling into uncertainty and doubt with a series of questions flashing before your mind as unwanted guests:
Why should I write this book when plenty of other people have something to say about it?
Is my story even worth telling?
I don’t even think I’m that good of a writer.
This stuff is for the people who know what they’re doing.
Imposter syndrome is about doubt.
It might go like this: You have training or a degree but doubt your abilities to do the job. You feel like everyone else is good at it and has a well-deserving position, but you feel like a fraud.
You might dream of writing a book, but you don’t feel like you’re a good enough writer to do it. It might be that you’ve already written a draft for your book, but you doubt all of it and are considering giving up altogether.
The definition of “imposter” is someone who pretends. Imposter syndrome convinces us that “we are pretenders” and that we can’t really do what we claim to be doing—that we’re faking it. The irony of the word imposter is that most people who struggle with imposter syndrome aren’t pretenders. They are usually well-meaning people that struggle with doubt.
When it comes to the world of writing, there are many things you could doubt—whether you feel like a “good enough” writer or whether anyone wants to read what you’ve got to say. You might even find yourself in a solid writing streak and then one day decide it’s all too hard, and you can’t be bothered anymore. Maybe you’ve lost the motivation.
The thing about imposter syndrome is that, like anything in life, we can choose whether or not we want to pay attention to it. It might scream, kick up a fuss and tell you that you need to listen, and you can acknowledge that it’s there but not be dictated by it.
Once we are aware of something, we have the ability to either keep paying attention to it or ignore it. Imposter syndrome will try to steal your time, attention and joy. When you can call it out for what it is, it can lose its power because you stop fuelling its source and combat it with the truth.
If you have something to share, a story to tell or words that this world needs, maybe the reason imposter syndrome keeps popping up is to stop you from releasing your words. We all struggle with doubt, but doubt doesn’t need to dictate our actions and future. Doubt can make us stronger because we choose not to yield to it.
May you be encouraged in your writing journey, know that you aren’t alone in your doubts, and for every word you pen to paper, you’re one step closer to your publishing dream.
The Editing Eagle 