The Case of the Skeleton Lurking in the Writer’s Closet

It’s October, that time of year where our fears come out to play. It’s also the perfect time to face our fears as writers. How do I know what your fears as a writer are? Let me begin with a story.

During my first few years as a professor, I was lamenting with a colleague up north about the job. Rather, it wasn’t the job that was the source of my anxieties, but my own feelings of inadequacy and fears of failure. He patiently listened while I poured my heart out and at the end, he mentioned something about impostor syndrome. I did a quick google search and I was floored. I had just spent an hour describing a classic, textbook case of impostor syndrome to my friend. I didn’t even know this existed. Fast forward a few years and I found the ugly head of impostor syndrome sticking out of the closet once again, this time as I struggled to find my bearings as a writer.

What do writers fear most?

While preparing this blog, another recent google search along the lines of “what do writers fear the most” revealed a shocking result. Most if not all of those fears could be categorized as symptoms of impostor syndrome. I thereby (very unscientifically) conclude that impostor syndrome is the proverbial skeleton hiding in the closet of most writers. Case solved.

• Do any of these sound familiar when you think of yourself as a writer?
• Intense and/or exaggerated feelings of self-doubt and/or inadequacy
• Lack of self-confidence
• Persistent negative thoughts such as “I’m not good (or smart) enough to be a writer”
• Fear of being discovered and exposed as a fraud
• Difficulty in accepting any success
• Feeling unworthy to receive positive reinforcement
• Denial of your competency
• Belief that your success is because you somehow “tricked the system”

You may be suffering from impostor syndrome

If some or all of those things ring a bell of truth for you, then you may be suffering from impostor syndrome as a writer, defined roughly as an anxiety induced by the inability to attribute one’s success to one’s hard work and accomplishments. It disproportionally affects women and minorities (including LGBT), particularly high-achieving individuals. It does not necessarily have to apply to professional settings (e.g., social outings – “This was a pity invite.”) and most people will experience some degree of impostor syndrome at some point in their life. While not technically a psychological condition, it does create anxiety, depression, lack of self-confidence, shame, frustration, and the feeling of being a fraud.

Since I had already fought impostor syndrome once before, this second battle was easier for me to win. For some, simply knowing that you’re not alone in the struggle is sufficient to go into this battle without a second thought. Others may need a more proactive strategy, however, in order to placate these damaging feelings. A few tips to help you get started include:

Remember you’re not alone – many writers are going through these same feelings

Conquering Impostor Syndrome

• Recognize the symptoms and talk about it with others (or a therapist)
• Separate feelings from fact
• Challenge any negative thoughts
• Celebrate your accomplishments – own them!
• Identify and avoid triggers
• Don’t seek validation from others, only from yourself

Conquering impostor syndrome is a huge milestone in becoming a happier and more productive writer. It was only by throwing open that closet door and bashing that skeleton into a heap of ashen bones was I able to put my writing out there to become published and read. If you find yourself suffering from impostor syndrome, know you’re not alone and that you are anything but an impostor. You, my friend, are a writer!

Happy writing!