 It doesn’t matter how many books you’ve written or how much you’ve achieved—at some point, you’re going to deal with imposter syndrome. Even Maya Angelou said, “I have written 11 books, but each time I think, ‘Uh oh, they’re going to find out now. I’ve run a game on everybody, and they’re going to find me out.’” And here’s what John Steinbeck wrote in his journals while working on The Grapes of Wrath: “I’m not a writer. I’ve been fooling myself and other people. I wish I were.” Even Agatha Christie struggled with these thoughts. She said, “I don’t know whether every author feels it, but I think quite a lot do—that I am pretending to be something I am not, because, even nowadays, I do not quite feel as though I am an author.”  Cheryl Strayed, the author of Wild, normalized self-doubt as part of the process. She noted it was intense with her first book but became more “familiar” with the later ones. Eventually, she commented, “This is how it feels to write a book.” What if we took Cheryl’s advice to heart and embraced imposter syndrome as part of the process rather than a place of paralyzation? Perhaps the next time you’re hit with imposter syndrome, you can flip your narrative. These feelings don’t mean that you’re doing it wrong—just that you’re doing it! Yes, being brave is scary, but take a moment and be proud of yourself. Writing is a deeply personal thing, and sometimes these feelings get stronger as you achieve deeper levels of vulnerability. Imposter syndrome can be an internal thermometer that you’re on the right track.  Learn secrets and proven paths to finding an agent with the book GET A LITERARY AGENT. The guide explains query letter writing, submission dos and don'ts, how to craft engaging opening pages, synopsis FAQs, nonfiction proposal tips, literary agent pet peeves, and much more. Arianna Huffington, syndicated columnist, co-founder of The Huffington Post, founder and CEO of Thrive Global, and author of fifteen books, described her inner critic this way: “The greatest obstacle for me has been the voice in my head that I call my obnoxious roommate. I wish someone would invent a tape recorder that we could attach to our brains to record everything we tell ourselves. We would realize how important it is to stop this negative self-talk. It means pushing back against our obnoxious roommate with a dose of wisdom.” Part of breaking the cycle is realizing that we all deal with this. You are not alone. Annie Dillard weighs in powerfully on this subject: “The impulse to keep to yourself what you have learned is not only shameful, it is destructive. Anything you do not give freely and abundantly becomes lost to you. You open your safe and find ashes.” That puts it into perspective, doesn’t it? When these feelings come, share your work anyway. Withholding it only feeds the syndrome and your fears grow. Sometimes imposter syndrome is just perfectionism in disguise. And sometimes that perfectionism stems from old wounds. It’s important to gently look inward when these feelings come. Are you afraid of failure? Sometimes we’re afraid of success. Sometimes the old messages we received as children are rearing their ugly heads. Sometimes we're just playing a tape back from a person who didn't believe in us or made us feel less than.
Here’s an experiment for you. When the feelings of imposter syndrome come up, take a deep breath. Try to step outside of yourself and put on your “grace hat.” See yourself as a person who is worthy of love and someone who has a story to tell. No one has had the experiences that you have had. You were born into a certain time period, culture, and region of the world. Your memories and perspectives are valuable. There are people who need to know what you know. After years of rejections, I know this can be hard to believe. But I bet you’d believe this for one of your writer friends, right? So just give yourself the liberty to extend that favor to yourself. First, start with a question: What triggered this? Many times we get triggered because we’re comparing ourselves to someone else. Maybe we saw someone else get a publishing contract and we’ve been waiting for one for so long. Ask these questions:
What if you just read some amazing writing? Sometimes that can cause imposter syndrome to flare. Again: It’s time to ask some questions.
Continue on with more questions. Peel back the layers. Keep exposing the lies you might be believing. One of the best ways to beat imposter syndrome is to find your writing tribe. Be sure to join a healthy critique group, writer’s group, or writing organization. And be sure to go to conferences! It’s hard to walk the writing road alone. You’ll need others who can see your gifts and remind you of the gold along the way. Even though you might not believe it right now, there’s so much gold in you, and so many stories that need to be told. As you ask yourself the hard questions and build resilience for this journey, you’ll be surprised at what’s revealed. Layer by layer, and one brave act at a time, a stronger, truer version of you will emerge. As you grow, your writing will deepen. This inner work is necessary. Sometimes the journey to publication is also a journey of becoming. And you're worth it. Your writing deserves it. And your future readers will thank you. I’m cheering you on.  This post was by Brandy Vallance, a literary agent with Barbara Bova Literary Agency, an award-winning author, and Executive Aide for Writing Day Workshops. Brandy is the winner of two national writing awards, one of which included a $20,000 prize. Her novel, THE COVERED DEEP, has been featured in USA Today & Writer’s Digest. WITHIN THE VEIL has been called “passionate and riveting” and Publisher’s Weekly encourages those who like sweeping Scottish sagas to dive in because “the journey is wonderful.” Brandy loves helping writers break the chains of fear and self-doubt. You can find out more at brandyvallance.com.  Pitch Agents at a Writers Conference in 2026:
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