In episode fifty-nine of the Life Writers Vlog, we delve into the insecurities of prolific writer Maya Angelou.
Even with seven memoirs, three essay collections, awards, honorary degrees, a Grammy, and more, Angelou doubted her abilities every time she began a new project.
But, the key to her success is she never allowed feeling like an imposter to stop her from writing.
Join the conversation and share your strategies for overcoming the inner critic in the comments section below.
But always remember, the only way to do this wrong is to not do it at all. Happy writing!
I loved the book, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou. Read it many years ago and would tell anyone interested in reading it that it is an impactful book. I do remember being emotionally impacted by the book. Though I must admit that I would have to reread to point out the intricate details that affected me. It’s been at least 20 years since I flipped its pages. I can breath just a little sigh of relief hearing that Maya felt like an imposter as a writer. I would never have thought with her calm demeanor… Read more »
Thanks for the inspiration, Patricia. I will also try your advice on not editing when I am writing. Just get my thoughts out there on paper.
This is Orah. I always feel like an imposter. It is rooted in my traumatic relationship with my mother. A friend was telling me recently that she got through her childhood by writing her feelings. I think I was always a writer, but I could not use writing as a tool for getting through childhood trauma because my mother was so intrusive. She wanted to know every little thing in my head. I could not allow that. She did not want to know because she cared. She wanted to know in order to tell me what was wrong with my… Read more »
I’m so glad you didn’t ultimately let your mother silence you, Orah, or to write your life for you. Your courage and truth are huge.
Thank you for your support. It means a lot.
At least I know I’m not alone in my misery.
I am combatting my imposter syndrome by showing my stories to people, and recently, even outside the supportive bubble of life writers.
Definitely not alone, David. I really like your stories.