Keeping Going When Imposter Strikes

KEEPING GOING WHEN IMPOSTER STRIKES

With my next book, Translucent, coming out this month (pre-order here) I thought that I would talk about imposter syndrome and how to keep going even when it's there on your shoulder, as an ever-present beast. I will have been published for twenty years in August. It blows my mind to think back to that time, and the time when I first started writing, and see just how far I've come. Translucent will be my 23rd book, which is mad when you think about how I started off just wanting to write and publish ten books because anything more than that seemed to be impossible.

For reference, I've now written over double that. I've gotten to a point in my writing career where I'm focusing more on older projects than penning new ones. I will go back to drafting, I have two new ideas bouncing around in my head already, so the plan will be to go back to it, but for now my focus is elsewhere. I say that simply to give you some idea of how far I've come, and to know that even with all of that behind me, all of those published books and the like, I still get imposter syndrome from time to time, and it still impacts me.

I've been lucky to have a good support system. I've been lucky to have people who have my back and will tell me straight, and I love my job. I love what I get to do and how I get to create and build worlds and stories for readers, but sometimes that imposter will lean down to whisper in your ear that even with all of that behind you, you are not meant to be here, meant to be doing what you do, and being real? It sucks.

I get that after this long doing this, some new writers might want to hear that imposter syndrome goes away, that it gets better, that you don't ever have times when you wonder, and I hate to break it to you, but that's just not the case. I know of other big authors who also have the same issues, some more than others, and it's just something that you have to learn to deal with.

I can tell you a million ways that you are not an imposter, but if you're a stranger to me, then it feels like it falls flat. It feels like a platitude and something I'm saying just to make you feel better, when I know nothing about you, your work, or your process. But here's something that applies to everyone, no matter where they are in their writing journey, or publishing journey. Imposters don't question if they belong. They just do it and never question themselves.

I always found it hard to accept that, just by questioning my own status, my own validity, I was proving to myself, and the world, that I am not an imposter. I should just keep writing, keep my eyes on the page, and work on what I'm doing, because I am valid as a writer, as an author. The same is true of anyone reading who's ever felt this way before.

If you've searched for something about imposter syndrome, and you're questioning whether you have the skills or talent, or right to be where you are and doing what you're doing. You do. You belong here. You are meant to be doing this. You're not an imposter because you question your place. Imposters don't do that.

Hope that helps, and keep writing!

Any questions? Lemme know in the comments! 

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