Two-Fifty Tuesday: Imposter Syndrome

When You Feel Like a Fraud

“Imposter Syndrome” is a persistent sense of profound doubt in one’s abilities and a chronic fear that one will easily be exposed as a fraud. Sound familiar? I haven’t met one writer yet who doesn’t relate.

Why do so many of us (yes, absolutely me, too!) feel this way? Because we live in a society of external validation. If you want to become a lawyer, doctor, engineer, teacher, mechanic, tradesperson, then you do the work until other people decide you’ve met the bar to be certified. When we start to write, we think the same thing: if you want to become a writer, then you do the work until other people decide you’ve met the bar to be published. Then you’re a real writer, right? When other people determine you’re good enough. 

But the reason those other jobs have certifications is to protect the public—a small group of experts take on the responsibility to ensure competency so the public doesn’t have to figure it out on their own. But you know what? For writing, the public doesn’t need protection from a small group of experts—the “publishing industry”—because the public themselves can decide competency. 

So take the risk. Call yourself the writer you are. Because no one can tell you you’re not.