An Imposter’s Guide
Imposter or writer?
Keys to overcoming imposter syndrome
Writers can be their own harshest critics. Correction, they are their own harshest critics. I tweaked this sentence several times before realising I was proving my point. Being critical is an essential skill in writing, but it can also be a writer’s greatest threat. A document gets hidden in a drawer instead of being published, or worse still, the delete key erases all traces of a season of creativity.
Criticism should be used like a craft knife, cutting away the elements that destroy the beauty and form of what you’re creating. Unfortunately, it is often used as a butcher’s knife not to cut away the fat but to chop up the meaty part of your work.
So why do writers become crazy when editing their work? Why butcher something perfectly acceptable? It may boil down to imposter syndrome.
noun: imposter syndrome
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.
This is particularly prevalent in the writing world. The writer’s inner voice is a very creative antagonist. That voice will do its best to convince you that you will fail before you even lift a pen or tap on your keyboard, a voice that will try to convince you that you’re an actor, not a writer.
The issue was first highlighted in an article entitled “The imposter phenomenon in high achieving women: Dynamics and therapeutic intervention” (Clance & Imes, 1978). The research concluded that although these women were bright, had outstanding academic achievements, and had reached the peak of their professions, they continued to believe they were just good at fooling people. They suffered from ‘an internal experience of intellectual phoniness’. While these women were all in the medical profession, it is my belief the imposter phenomenon is prevalent in the writing profession.
How many writers have you spoken to who can’t take a compliment? They brush the words away and immediately need to point out the flaws in their work. How many writers have manuscripts tucked away that they will never present to the world because they believe their work isn’t good enough?
Getting rid of childhood ghosts.
There is evidence to suggest that early family history impacts self-belief. Suppose you were raised in a household where another sibling was the designated genius and achiever. In that case, you might have internalised some beliefs that impact and convince you that you’re somehow ‘less than’. Conversely, you may have had your skills talked up, but the reality of the challenges you faced reinforced the message that everyone else had it wrong and you really weren’t that smart. It is necessary to get rid of those ghosts; easier said than done, right?
So, how can you erase them?
First, acknowledge that they are there. It might be time to put those writing skills to use and do some journaling. Tell your own story, and identify the words that have haunted you.
Second, own their impact. This doesn’t give the other person power over your life; it disables their power. Once you acknowledge the influence of those words or actions, you place yourself in a position where you can challenge their credibility.
Third, shut them up. This is much more difficult, especially since the human default is to prove everyone wrong. However, that response is unlikely to help. Clance & Imes (1978) identified four behaviours that can keep people stuck in an imposter cycle so in ‘shutting up’ the ghosts don’t fall into these traps:
- Use of cover-up strategies, including diligence and hard work. However, overt success does not equate to internal belief.
- Engaging in intellectual flattery and playing down your intelligence.
- Seeking approval, but that approval is never accepted as genuine.
- Self-sabotage to avoid success because along with success lies fear of criticism and rejection.
Can you relate to any of the above? The reality is that there is a certain phoniness about imposter syndrome; it has nothing to do with intellectual ability or writing ability; it is present in cover-up, intellectual flattery, approval seeking and self-sabotaging behaviours.
So, if that’s not an effective way to deal with imposter syndrome, what is?
Moving towards Self-Efficacy
Bandura (1977) defines self-efficacy as an individual’s belief in their own capacity to meet their goals. This isn’t exclusively about the end result; this is the capacity to do everything necessary to produce a specific attainment. For writers, this may mean writing a book, editing that book, getting published, writing articles, courses, journals or screenplays. You are a writer at all stages of the process.
Anita Woolfolk, author of Education Psychology, highlights the importance of self-efficacy above self-esteem. Self-efficacy beliefs predict behaviour. In its simplest form, if you believe you can, you can; if you believe you can’t, you won’t.
If you want to conquer imposter syndrome, then it’s important to build self-efficacy. But how do you do that?
- Mastery experiences.
This is based on authentic accomplishments, not easy successes. True mastery is difficult; it’s challenging, but it’s also rewarding. Instead of focusing on the mistakes you need to correct, focus on the skills you have acquired that allowed you to identify and fix the errors. Ravidan (2022) quotes Young, “ Writers can be overly self-critical because they see every flawed draft of their own articles, and these suffer in comparison to everyone else’s polished, published pieces.” So, if you’re still at the polishing stage, don’t despise the work in progress. - Vicarious experiences.
Follow other’s stories of success. Neil Gaiman, who publicly acknowledged his imposter feelings, might be a good starting point. You are looking for the ‘if they can, I can’ stories that inspire you to keep going even on the worst writing days. - Social persuasion.
Surround yourself with people who can give you a pep talk when you want to give up. I listen most to people who will encourage me but also be honest with me. You won’t feel authentic if you only have cheerleaders but no challengers. As Anita Woolfolk explains, ‘The potency of the persuasion depends on how credible the source is’, so make sure you surround yourself with credible people. - Emotional and psychological arousal.
You know that raised heart rate before you submit an article; how do you interpret that? Do you put it down to worry or excitement? Both have similar physiological responses, but it’s the interpretation of those responses that have been scientifically proven to make the difference. Next time your heart rate starts to elevate, try telling yourself a different story, one of success!
I often find myself overwhelmed when I need to make a change. A long to-do list is intimidating and not practical. When I feel like that I choose one thing that I can do, something I can implement straight away. It might be a one-time thing or a habit that I need to establish.
Review the four steps towards self-efficacy, and identify an area you know you are particularly weak in. In that one area, choose one thing that you can do to bring positive change and make an implementation plan. Don’t procrastinate; follow through and put it into action.
You can do this; you can write. You are not an imposter!
Author Bio
Lainey Hitchman is an international speaker and relationship coach. She has been working in the area of relationships alongside her husband, Roy, for more than 30 years, and together, they have invested in thousands of marriages worldwide. Lainey brings humour and insight into the challenges that relationships face with colourful stories and hard-hitting facts. Her books and courses are designed to enable the reader to make practical changes to help them do relationships well.
References
Bandura, A. (1977). Self-efficacy: Toward a unifying theory of behavioral change. Psychological Review, 84(2), 191–215. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-295X.84.2.191
Clance, P. R., & Imes, S. (1978). The imposter phenomenon in high achieving women: Dynamics and therapeutic intervention. Psychotherapy, 15(3), 241–247. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0086006
Ravindran, S. (2022, November 7). Feeling like a fraud: The impostor phenomenon in science writing. The Open Notebook. https://www.theopennotebook.com/2016/11/15/feeling-like-a-fraud-the-impostor-phenomenon-in-science-writing/
Woolfolk, A., Educational Psychology (14th Edition), Pearson Publishers
