When imposter syndrome strikes—be a sailor / Joyce Bingham

Photo: Joyce Bingham

All writers talk of imposter syndrome. Even when you have a few publications behind you, there is still that nagging feeling that you are somehow not worthy. 

Do I suffer because I’m not a best-selling author brandishing a new novel with film rights being bandied around? Is it because there are so many rejections heading my way on a daily basis?

I asked a sailor if he gets imposter syndrome. Once I’d explained what it was, he laughed. “Sailors don’t get this, we are too busy sailing,” he said.

“What about when you are not sailing? Perhaps the weather is bad or your boat needs repaired.”

He frowned.  I was going to find they have imposter syndrome, but they know it as something else.

“Well, if we are not actually sailing, we are talking about sailing, looking at boats in the water and off the water, on a course about sailing, training others to sail, or even drinking tea.”

“Don’t you feel guilty about not sailing and doing something else?”

He raised his eyebrows and disappeared to the kitchen. On his return with two mugs of tea, he sat and pondered the issue with me.

“Never feel guilty for enjoying yourself doing what you love. I might not be at the Olympics winning gold medals, but I have a great time. Often, I might capsize and come in last in a competition, but I’ve made my heart race and challenged the wind. I’m partial to waterproof watches, and you can never have enough rope if you are a sailor. They make splendid gifts,” he muttered into his tea.

So, when imposter syndrome strikes, be a sailor. Enjoy your writing, peruse stories, talk to others about the fun you had chasing a comma over a page of work. Have a mug of tea.

Writers can never have enough notebooks, if you are thinking of a gift.