Confessions of a Masquerading Writer

I’ve been writing for over 20 years.

Yet I still feel like I’m a masquerading writer—never good enough and always pretending that I belong. I pretended that I belonged in the group of all those professional writers who’ve been successful in their writing journeys.

Every time I read an article from a successful writer on how they achieved their success I felt conflicted emotions. I experienced hope that maybe if I followed their specific step-by-step instructions, I could succeed as well. Then I felt despair because I’d never achieve the same level of success.

I worked hard. Got my English degree. Trained as a creative writer. However, I’ve always been my own worst critic. Many times, I’d stare at the blank page, editing my thoughts before I’d even typed any words. Fear of failure had become my worst enemy—stopping me in my tracks before I’d even begun.

I’ve seen others succeed and that spurs me on to achieve my goals. Sometimes I wonder if I’ll ever get to that tipping point of success. Currently, it's been a long uphill climb.

Lessons I’ve learned in my writing journey

My time in the desert striving to overcome my own inadequacies as a writer has taught me some invaluable lessons.

1. Sift through all the noise

Many voices will converge around your work. Some will be appreciative. Others will be denigrating. Take a step back and sift through all those voices. Embrace the constructive criticisms. Put aside the negativity and insults.

2. Evolve consistently

Tap into your creativity every day. Stay open to the learning process. Write first and edit later. Accept that you’re as good as you can be today, but always work to become better.

3. Cultivate authenticity

Authentic content resonates with readers. I know this because as I’ve become more vulnerable in my writing, reader engagement has increased. Cultivate that authentic conversational tone and you’ll see a difference in how readers engage with your work as well.

4. Stay accountable

Without accountability your work will flounder. I’ve experienced this in my own masquerading writing journey. Before having accountability partners, I was all over the map. Now that I have accountability, I’ve started to see success in my writing career.

5. Embrace your uniqueness

There are millions of writers trying to stand out on their blogs, online writing platforms, and in magazine articles. Discover what makes you unique as a writer and use it to make your work stand out in a positive way to readers.

Stop Masquerading

That’s something I need to remind myself about every day. I’ve been masquerading as a writer for so long that it's hard sometimes to realize I actually have something to offer.

I no longer have to pretend. During this last year and a half since COVID-19 hit in 2020, I have seen immense growth in my writing.

That growth happened mainly because I ripped off the mask and decided to stop pretending. I actually opened my heart to become what I wanted to be—an authentic writer who had something valuable to offer readers.

I was no longer playacting at being a writer. I put in the hard work this year and a half and have become a more professional writer. Sure, I had the credentials from years ago. Yet, my writing lacked polish, substance, and heart.

If you’ve been masquerading at being a writer, I urge you to stop pretending. Put in the hard work to polish your writing. Educate the reader in a conversational way. Always leave them wanting more of your work because they can feel your heart and soul in it.