The Bane of the Creative Person: Part 1

    Likely as not, if you know any creative person, they’ve run into what we call Imposter Syndrome. No, this isn’t where an imposter has taken over our body or our life. Quite the opposite. We feel that we’re the imposter, that just because we’ve drawn a picture, created Digital Art, Written, or Published something that it doesn’t make us an artist or an author, or worse, that we are unworthy of such a title because of others who are better or we think are better than us.

    Non-creative people might look at that and think we’re being irrational, and we very well may be, but this is what our brain is telling us, and sometimes its impossible for us to override that ourselves. We see other amazing art or read an amazing book, or for me, see other authors who have been at it longer, have a larger fan base with people like myself who are right there for pre-orders and gobbling up everything as it comes out, and we think, “I’m not an author/artist” or “I’m not succeeding so why should I keep putting myself through this?”

So, how do we fix it?

    One way is to fix the thinking: Instead of I'm not because we need to be saying, “I’m not there yet. I am an author/artist, but they’ve been a) doing this longer, b) had a different start c) or more support d) or (fill in the blank) than me, but one day I will get there if I keep at it.” It can feel utterly impossible sometimes, especially when you’re an independent Author/Artist doing everything yourself, putting yourself out there in more than one way, and seeing little to no results.

   One thing you can do is just create. Don't think about posting, don't think about sharing it, just make something. Whatever your chosen form of creativity, sit down and do it. Do it for you. Draw/create/write something you've wanted to without limit or thought of who will see this, who wants to see it, because that person is YOU!

personal Application:

   For me, my Imposter syndrome hit after posting these two images side by side on Instagram and Facebook. I felt unworthy of being beside these authors because they've been publishing for years and they have so many people eating up their books, and I'M ONE OF THEM!

How did I get passed it?

    Well, it took me two days, but a) sharing how I was feeling with those who support me to help me understand what I was feeling and why, before b) getting my butt to the computer and working on the covers of Haunted Angel and Discord's Nightmare. Then sitting down and editing something that had been stirring in my brain, Kalista book 5...

Side note:  

    I am thankful and grateful for everyone that is here reading and supporting me by buying books, reading the blogs, talking with me about the books, and telling me (and everyone else) that you can’t get enough of the books, or the art, or both.

    My brain is simply not a nice place sometimes and it tells me that I am failing because I thought that if I gave people enough time they'd be ready to pre-order the first week, even though the book comes out in April, and they still have 25 days to pre-order… I am more than a little anxious and full of nerves, more for the next book than this one, but we'll get to that reason in the weekly updates or better yet a random personal blog...

    Anyhow, thank you for reading this rambling blog from this independent Artist and Author who suffers from imposter syndrome alongside anxiety and bouts of depression.

~ Jenn, aka @BornAngelAuthor