
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.
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