Silver's Helpful Writing Tips

I'm an Imposter

And I'm okay with it.

Yes, I am an imposter. 

I'm not exactly sure when it happened, it just did. Somewhere along the way, I found myself looking back at someone I didn't recognize and wondering who it was that I was becoming.

Imposter Syndrome, as it were.

A Step Back

When I was 16, I was given an assignment from my teacher to write a poem about an object, describing what it was without saying what it was. It was a bit more challenging than I had expected, but in the end, I had created my favorite poem (which, sadly, is lost) from the perspective of a sword being forged in the fires.

From that point on, I was hooked. I started writing poems here and there when the muse would hit me, and then I began to write stories, starting with a Chronicles of Narnia/Lord of the Rings crossover. I worked on that for several months as part of my writing class (yay homeschool) and learned to develop my writing skills (which were awful).

I think I made it about twenty chapters into that before I realized that I could never publish it, and decided right then and there that I wanted to create something of my own that I could sell. I dreamed of becoming an author.

So it began

I started coming up with a fantasy world of my own. I drew several maps, figured out the plot, and dove into writing. I made it into ten or twelve chapters and then life got busy. I started working at seventeen, so writing took a backseat for a while.

I would work on it now and then, but not making any big leaps. Still, I wanted to write and become an author. It was the single thing that I dreamed of becoming.

My dreams seemed to keep getting stepped on, and self-doubt was an ever-present companion. Always whispering that I couldn't do it, that I should give it up and resign myself to the 9–5 and be done with it. I couldn't, though. It was my dream.

I Have A Dream

In October of 2017, I realized that I was not the author I needed to be to write my fantasy novel, which was a massive blow to my pride. I mean, this thing is my baby! It's what I've been working on for twelve years! After a time of grumbling and feeling sorry for myself, I committed to becoming that author. I decided to go back to fanfiction to help grow me as an author, and I knew right where to start.

Thus Tales of the Fourth Age came into being. What started as a series of one-shots suddenly turned into a series that will span six books and has been so much fun to write. Two of my books have taken first place (several times), and my readers (you awesome people ;D ) cannot get enough, despite the emotional turmoil I put them through. #sorrynotsorry

Not only has it been validating, encouraging, and challenging, it has taught me that I am capable of doing excellent work! Something that I wasn't sure I was able to do only a year ago. Now, it's becoming a reality.

Dream is Reality

While my fiction work is still in the pipeline, I've been working on worksheets for writers and authors to help them with their stories, and have published them on my site. I've had three sales so far for a total of about $5. I'm living the dream. I'm not concerned with the sales, though, it is exhilarating every time I see that someone has purchased one of the worksheets. 

It is more about what it represents: my growth as an author. 

I have self-published my work for the world to see (and use) and it's scary. Those whispers of self-doubt come sneaking back in, telling me that no one wants to buy my stuff, let alone read my blogs. The reality is, however, very different.

My goal as an author is to help other writers and authors grow and learn to pursue their dream and to showcase God's goodness through my writing. Honestly, He's the reason I am where I am today. He's given me the desire to write, the talent to write, and platforms to write on. He's not some magic genie that gave me my three wishes and made them come true. Though, I admit I treat Him that way more often than not. But as I continue to follow Him, He's promised to give me the desires of my heart, even if it doesn't come the way I would expect or look how I thought it should look.

I'm an imposter because I'm not the same person I was last year, and certainly not the same author. I have less fear, more confidence in my work, and a passion for helping others more than myself — something I couldn't say last year.

I'd much rather be an imposter who is always growing, than staying comfortable and stagnant.

My advice to you, dear reader, is this: Embrace the imposter.

Having trouble getting your story going? Check out the worksheets I've created on my site, The Editing Bard. If you signup for email you will get the first 3 FOR FREE.

 God Bless!