Impostor Syndrome

Impostor syndrome is really kicking my butt this week. If you don't know what Impostor syndrome is then here is a pop culture version. It is when you think you aren't good enough for whatever position or acclaim you receive. By day I'm a teacher and we are doing something new at school. It is scary but also very interesting. No one else has done something like this in the whole country and certainly not in our little town. And yet when we talk with parents we have to sound like we know what we are doing.

This isn't the only time I get impostor syndrome and if you are a writer you probably feel the same. You think I'm not very good as a writer. That it is only time when someone is going to jump up and point a finger at me and say, "She isn't really a writer. She is only self published." To all those who have those moments just know you aren't alone.

Thankfully I have an antidote for my writing impostor syndrome. Mostly it comes from writing groups. When I can talk to someone how to modify styles or explain that making something on a cover transparent isn't that big of a deal I can remind myself I might not be as good as that famous writer but at least I know 'this' (whatever I was discussing). I managed to get that expertise with a lot of work and study.

Now all I have to do is figure out an antidote for impostor syndrome when a parent sits down in front of me and I have to talk about something brand spanking new as if I know everything about it.