How to Beat Imposter Syndrome Before It Beats You

Editor’s Note: See Jane Write publishes guest articles by writers who identify as women, non-binary folks, and our allies. Learn more here.

By: Delany Diamond

Imposter syndrome affects people from all walks of life and in any profession. But what exactly is imposter syndrome?

The Oxford Dictionary describes it as “the persistent inability to believe that one’s success is deserved or has been legitimately achieved as a result of one’s own efforts or skills.”

If you’re a writer suffering from this affliction, you might think your success is not attributed to your writing skills. Rather, there are other reasons for your success, such as luck. These thoughts can cause serious problems. For example, low self-esteem, fear of your incompetence being “discovered,” and a lack of drive to pursue your writing dreams.

The good news is, you can break free from the shackles of imposter syndrome and beat it with these three strategies: celebrating your accomplishments, connecting with other authors, and treating criticism and failure as an opportunity to learn.

Celebrate your accomplishments

As writers, we often focus on the negative and let it affect our mood. My advice is to become your own cheerleader and celebrate your accomplishments, no matter how small.

Have you ever received a negative review for a published work? If you’ve published online, you’re bound to have received some type of negative feedback. But here’s the thing: art is subjective, and it’s not realistic to believe that every reader will like your work. So if you’re suffering from imposter syndrome, turn your attention from the negative remarks and pay attention to the positive ones.

Pat yourself on the back for every positive review you receive. I bet you have more positive than negative ones, so why focus on the negative?

Pat yourself on the back because you finished your manuscript. That’s a huge accomplishment. There are millions of people who aspire to be writers but haven’t completed a book.

Pat yourself on the back when readers tag you on Twitter or stop by your Facebook page and tell you how much they enjoyed your article. The fact that someone took the time to share positive feedback with you shows how much your work meant to them. You should not take any compliment lightly, especially nowadays when snark and negativity are rewarded with virality.

Here’s a tip: Keep a Kudos File. I have one. Save positive remarks, comments, emails, and reviews to that file. It can be electronic or hard copy—whichever you prefer. Every time you feel down or not so confident about a work in progress, pull out the file and remind yourself of how highly past readers view your work.

By acknowledging your accomplishments, big or small, you’ll boost your confidence and bolster your self-esteem—and land a solid blow to imposter syndrome. 

Connect with other writers

Writing alone is often the norm for us, which unfortunately allows imposter syndrome to thrive. Connect with other writers, and you’ll have a supportive group of people you can commiserate with and who will encourage you when you have doubts.

Having a group of writer friends you can discuss your work struggles with will not only validate that you’re not the only person experiencing trials, but they’ll put your concerns into perspective and normalize them. In addition, hearing other writers share how they’ve overcome setbacks could give you ideas for alternative steps to take and inspire you to stay committed to your work, ultimately helping you squash self-doubt.

In-person workshops or author conferences are an excellent way to meet other writers. Use Google to find writing organizations in your area, but don’t dismiss online options. Check out meetup.com, author groups on Facebook, or See Jane Write.

I’ve found that I appreciate both in-person and online writing organizations. I meet with one group monthly and in person, and another group on a quarterly basis via Zoom. In addition, I have author friends that I can text or email—women I’ve known for years, thanks to attending a writers’ meeting or other writerly event.

Finding your own tribe of writers will help you realize you’re not alone, and these connections can create an uplifting atmosphere that helps you combat imposter syndrome.

Treat criticism and failure as opportunities to learn

This might be the hardest of the strategies to follow, but it shouldn’t be skipped.

It’s easy to internalize rejection, negative reviews, or struggles, allowing them to fuel doubt about your abilities and accomplishments. But instead of questioning your worth, use them as an opportunity to learn and grow in the craft and business of writing.

That doesn’t mean you can’t feel sad or upset, but don’t let these situations define you. Instead, analyze the feedback or failure and see if there are lessons to be learned. Do multiple reviews mention your main character seems one-dimensional? Learn how to write compelling, interesting characters. Are editors or beta readers pointing out a specific problem with your manuscript? Use those critiques as an opportunity to improve your craft. Did a magazine reject your pitch? Learn how to pitch properly and then resubmit.

Failure and criticism mean you’re working and releasing projects. As I mentioned before, it’s not realistic to expect every reader to like your work, and likewise, it’s not realistic to expect a writing career with no setbacks or missteps. Instead of beating yourself up, be thankful that now you know better and move forward with more knowledge.

I prefer to write novellas, and early in my career, I used to receive critical reviews stating my books were too short. After a while, I realized I had to do something to address those concerns. I took a leap of faith and wrote a full-length novel, which turned into a series called the Johnson Family. That series is my best-selling romance series! Had I not learned from the criticisms I received, I wouldn’t have had that type of success.

Facing criticism and accepting failure is hard, but by taking the time to evaluate these challenges and pivoting to address them, you very likely will achieve greater success.

Get to writing

Imposter syndrome is an ugly, persistent feeling that causes you to question your own talent. But you can beat it. Remember to be your own cheerleader and celebrate your accomplishments; connect with other authors for support, encouragement, and to better understand what’s normal in the writing world; and don’t let criticism or failure crush your spirits. Use them as an opportunity to learn and improve.

So write those novels, blog posts, and articles. You’re talented. You’re good at what you do.

And your readers are waiting.

Delaney Diamond is the USA Today Bestselling Author of more than 50 contemporary romance and romantic suspense novels, and dozens of romance short stories. When she’s not spinning tales of romantic fiction, she’s in the kitchen trying out new recipes, dining at one of her favorite restaurants, or traveling to an interesting locale.

She enjoys learning about time management and ways to increase productivity and shares her recommendations on the For Authors page of her website. She also offers self-publishing consultations, leveraging her extensive experience to guide and support authors through the writing and publishing process.