We have a new segment on the blog which will be coming to you weekly called Writing Tips. These posts will be shared every Wednesday throughout 2022 and will feature writing tips from authors on a variety of subject that are there to help other authors and new writers.

Our tenth post is from author Rachael Alonzo on the subject ‘Imposter Syndrome‘. This post contains affiliate links.

Imposter Syndrome

Even as I am writing this piece, I am experiencing the topic I am about to delve into, Imposter Syndrome. If you have never suffered from it, then move along, ha! I am here only for hardened sufferers. The feeling of not being good enough. That you are a fraud. The creeping self-doubt and crippling anxiety that follows. Yep! That is the dreaded imposter syndrome.

I am not an expert in how to magically remove the cloak of doom, nor am I a proficient writer. I am still learning and making mistakes along the way. That is all part of the journey to help overcome imposter syndrome.

My rules are: Stop comparing yourself and your work to others. Every one of us who writes does so because we have an innate need. It is what drives us, so feed the passion, and find your voice.

Read as many books as you can. The more you read, the more you learn and gain confidence to study the flow of speech that experienced novelists use in their books and use it to your advantage.

Take note of your successes. And what you have so far achieved and congratulate yourself, you are a writer. Stop beating yourself up and learn to recognise the worry worm as, I call my self-doubt, face it head-on. If the little voice starts telling you that you don’t know what you are talking about, remind yourself you know more than you think you do.

Keep pushing forward, embrace the rejections you will get and see them as positives. It means your work is being seen. It does not mean you are not good enough. I have looked back on past submissions that I have sent to literary agents that got rejected and instead of feeling negative, I learned from it and improved myself. I researched, I reached out to people on Twitter, I spoke to people who know me to regain faith and rationalise the feelings of imposter syndrome.

Take time out for yourself, be kind to yourself and above all, love your work. It is something you have carefully crafted. It has come from within you, so even if others don’t feel as passionate about it as you, don’t let that stop you.

Write from the heart. Practice writing every day, even if you only manage a paragraph, but write for yourself. Don’t let your self-doubt stand in your way. Remind yourself that writing is just words, which can be expressed however you wish. There is no rule on what you should write, there is no right or wrong, but it must be your own words, your voice, let yourself shine through.

Be proud of yourself. You are a writer. It can be a lonely journey for me though I prefer solitude.

Attend writing courses, let others read your work, be brave as it helps, trust me because how else can you better yourself if you don’t trust and believe in yourself first.

Rachael Alonzo is a hopeful writer, looking to seek representation. She loves writing Children’s fiction, mainly picture books and early grade chapter books. Rachael also loves to illustrate, paint and quill in her spare time. Rachael draws her inspiration for her books from childhood memories and her love of nature and animals.

Her latest book, which has not yet been released is a picture book based on the Nutcracker, but in Racheal’s version it’s the Nut-Clucker and sees Cluckity Cluck the chicken get in a tailspin as the star of the show has fallen out of the coop and broken her foot. So with opening night only two days away she must find someone to fill the lead role of the sugar plum fairy.

Rachael has entered it into the Stratford Salariya Children’s picture book competition 2022. She nervously awaits the results announced in March.

Rupert is a chubby little Jack Russell who has lots of friends. Follow his antics in this illustrated book:- A Christmas Angel and see what mischief he gets up to, in this funny heart warming story.