If you’re a writer who feels like they’re not good enough to be an author, others will always be better than them, or you’ll never get published, you probably have imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome for writers can feel like you don’t deserve to write or be published, but it can also feel like your writing isn’t good enough compared to others.
When you have imposter syndrome, it can be overwhelming to cope with. Many of us write alone, but if we talk to others then we learn that almost everyone feels this way sometimes. It can vary in strength and frequency, but imposter syndrome is ultimately lurking in the background.
If you’re not sure what imposter syndrome is and want to learn more about it, read on.
What does imposter syndrome feel like for writers?
Imposter syndrome is a feeling of not being good enough, especially in comparison to other people around you or people doing the same thing as you. For writers, this can feel like being a fraud, of not being a good writer, or that you don’t deserve to be published.
Unsurprisingly, imposter syndrome stops a lot of writers from becoming published authors.
5 signs of imposter syndrome in writers
Here are just five signs of what imposter syndrome in writers can look like:
- You downplay your writing skills, knowledge, and achievements.
- You’re a perfectionist who always feel under pressure to be perfect, and if you make a mistake you feel awful.
- You compare yourself to other writers and feel like you could never be as good or as successful as them.
- You feel unworthy of success and think it’s not worth trying, or like you’ll be exposed by others as not being good enough for your success.
- You feel like readers and writers compliment you because they’re nice, not because they genuinely believe it.
It can be really hard to have imposter syndrome as a writer. It’s an isolated hobby and a stressful, underpaid career, and you’re constantly at the mercy of readers and their opinions. Add in the rejection-filled publishing industry and it’s a recipe for disaster.
Imposter syndrome about writing
Some common thoughts you might have with imposter syndrome include:
- I’m not a good writer.
- I could be writing more.
- I’m only successful because I got lucky.
- I should feel guilty for succeeding.
- I’m not worthy of being an author.
- I don’t deserve to have my stories published.
- My writing isn’t worth being read.
Even famous authors get imposter syndrome. It’s also common for freelancers to suffer with imposter syndrome, even when they’ve been rewarded for all their hard work.
While imposter syndrome about writing is common, that doesn’t mean there isn’t something we can do about it.
What to do if you have imposter syndrome
If all of this sounds like you, there are things you can do to overcome imposter syndrome. Therapy and counselling are two of the biggest – but also most expensive – solutions for imposter syndrome. Counselling has definitely helped me with talking through my imposter syndrome, but it’s not something everyone can defeat permanently.
Self-care is an important part of managing imposter syndrome. There are endless ideas for self-care that could work for you, so it’s all about exploring different techniques until you find something effective.
Self-care for imposter syndrome can look like:
- Meditation
- Deep breathing
- Exercising
- Walking outside
- Soaking in a bath or having a shower
- Listening to music
- Reading a book or blog
- Looking after your body (like eating a meal, hydrating, or napping)
- Talking to someone you trust about your feelings
You may be surprised to hear how many writers suffer with imposter syndrome. Starting a conversation is the first step to finding solidarity with others and learning what helps them.
Northern Editorial suggests acknowledging the imposter syndrome, picturing it as a monster, and keeping the monster at bay by understanding its nature. You can even kill the monster by believing in yourself.
Blogging can be a great way of expressing and processing your feelings too. If you’re not open to putting your feelings out in public, a self-care journal or diary can work just as well.
Many people find validation helps writer imposter syndrome, but it’s difficult to genuinely receive it. By validation, I mean being recognised by other people for your skills and achievements. You might get validation as receiving likes on social media posts, or receiving reviews for your book.
You can’t ask for validation, because your imposter syndrome might tell you that it’s not genuine. This can then make other, unprompted validation less believable in the future.
Instead of relying on others for validation, an alternative is to use affirmations – statements that you say to yourself to reassure yourself and overcome your negative thoughts.
Affirmations for imposter syndrome
By telling yourself affirming statements, you can feel empowered and change your mindset. A full list of affirmations can be found at my masterlist of affirmations for writers.
Some people prefer to use affirmations in the first person, eg. “Nobody can tell this story like I can”. For others, second person can be more helpful. Below, you’ll find affirmations for imposter syndrome in second person, but try them in first person too to see what works best for you!
- Your writing is enough, even if you’re struggling.
- You can write at your own pace.
- You deserve to write.
- You are capable of writing amazing stories.
- It’s okay to feel like this isn’t good enough, but past you would be so proud of it.
- Your story matters.
- Keep trying.
- Don’t give up.
- You deserve to be published.
- There’s a place for your writing.
- If you need a break, that’s okay. You can continue writing later.
- Everyone makes mistakes. You don’t have to fix them right now.