Submissions and the Imposter Syndrome

This week I've been coming across lots of references to the imposter syndrome.  One definition I found  defines it as "a collection of feelings of inadequacy that persist even in the face of information that indicates the opposite is true."  It's associated with high-achieving people, who don't believe they're as good as they are, and especially with women.

I wish I'd researched this fully years ago.  I'm beginning to realise that the imposter syndrome has worked its way into my writing world.  I'm always berating myself for  not having enough richness of description in my work, or enough emotional depth to my characters.  Who am I to put myself up against all the published authors I admire?

I'm still struggling with imposter syndrome in relation to magazine short story submissions.  The  syndrome goes into full throttle when I read phrases like "fresh voices", "stories that push the boundaries", "intricate storytelling" in submissions guidelines.  I've already blogged about how meaningless these phrases are, but they still act to shut me out.  But it isn't the magazines who are stopping me, it's my imposter syndrome. 

I'm cutting off possible story markets because my imposter syndrome tells me there's no point in submitting to these magazines, as my story isn't fresh enough, intricate enough...  blah, blah, blah.  And it tells me that on absolutely no evidence.  Some of those magazInes I've never submitted to, so how can I know whether my story is what they want or not?  This makes me wonder if the imposter syndrome is partly to blame for the low level of submissions by women writers.  If it's causing others to self-select, not sending stories to some magazines, just like I am.  

I recall from my corporate days that men will apply for jobs they only have 80% of the skills for, women generally won't.  That's happened to me too.  The old imposter syndrome has always been part of my life, I just haven't realised until now how much it was shaping my writing actions.  But no more.  I'm now making it my mission to submit to those "leading-edge" "intricate" "fresh voices" magazines.  It's  time to kick out the imposter syndrome and get some real evidence in its place.

Wendy Metcalfe is the author of Panthera : Death Spiral, Panthera : death Song and the short story collection Otherlives.  Find out more at www.wendymetcalfe.com