Do you ever feel like you don’t know what you’re doing? Imposter syndrome is when you feel like you’re faking it—that you’re a charlatan—and that everyone might find out you have no idea what you’re talking about. It’s something many authors face.
Here’s the crazy part: there’s a chance it’s true. You might be an imposter. Often when people talk about imposter syndrome, they’re quick to say you’re not one. But maybe you are, and maybe you’re not.
We’re going to talk about how to find out if you’re an imposter and what to do about it. There’s even some scientific research on this topic.
What is the Dunning-Kruger effect?
A study known as the Dunning-Kruger Effect helps explain imposter syndrome. It can be illustrated with a famous story about a man named MacArthur Wheeler, who robbed banks with his face covered in lemon juice. When he was arrested, he asked, “How can you see me?”
He believed that because lemon juice can be used as invisible ink, putting it on his face would make him invisible to cameras. He didn’t know what he didn’t know. He thought he was brilliant, but he was very wrong.
The Dunning-Kruger Effect is a cognitive bias where people think they know more than they really do. It’s a reproducible effect shown in laboratories and classrooms. The scientists who discovered it, Dunning and Kruger, even won a Nobel Prize for their work.
Why do people overestimate their knowledge?
Most of us think we have above-average intelligence. But the Dunning-Kruger Effect reveals that it’s usually the least knowledgeable people who overestimate what they know.
As people learn more, they realize how much they don’t know. This is like the story of Socrates and the Oracle of Delphi. When the Oracle called him the wisest man in Athens, Socrates replied, “How can that be? I know nothing.” The Oracle answered, “That’s one thing more than everyone else knows.”
The effect can be graphed. On one axis is confidence, and as people learn a little, their confidence shoots up to the “Peak of Mount Stupid.” As they learn more, confidence drops into the “Valley of Despair.” If they keep learning, they gradually rise along what’s called the “Path to Enlightenment.”
What is true humility?
Christian humility means having an honest assessment of yourself. Pretending to know more than you do is pride and lying. But pretending to know less than you do is also pride; it’s a false humility.
As Christians, we must be honest with others and with ourselves about our true abilities. Lying in a self-deprecating way can mute your influence and silence the change you could bring to the world.
Speak the truth about yourself. Don’t pretend to be more than you are, but don’t pretend to be less either.
What are bozos, and how can you avoid becoming one?
Steve Jobs used the term “bozo” to describe people who didn’t know that they didn’t know what they were talking about. He was known for firing such people publicly because he feared that if they stayed, they’d hire more bozos, and the company would be filled with them.
Here are some “bozo warning signs”:
- Bozos can’t see past their own story.
- Bozos rarely question their competence.
- Bozos think divine calling replaces learning craft.
- Bozos think reading isn’t necessary.
- Bozos see everything in black and white.
As an author, remember that your story makes you an expert on you, but it doesn’t necessarily make you an expert on your topic. Everyone’s story is different.
When I was writing a book about dating and relationships, I blogged as I wrote. People would disagree with me using only their personal experiences as evidence. Each story contradicted the next. To see beyond my own experience, I surveyed over 500 readers. Their stories filled more than 300 pages, which helped me understand the broader picture.
Don’t just tell your story. Tell a bigger story that connects with your readers.
How do you keep growing as a writer?
No one is born an expert. You may not be one yet, and that’s okay. You can always learn more.
Even Paul, who had spent his life studying Scripture, didn’t start writing epistles immediately after his conversion. He spent years in obscurity while God molded and prepared him. Don’t assume your path will be easier or faster than his.
What if you’re already an expert but feel inadequate?
If you truly are an expert but keep telling yourself lies about your inadequacy, stop. That trap will hold you forever. If you already know the truth but keep believing lies, no amount of new knowledge will fix that. You must speak the truth about yourself.
How can you assess your competence honestly?
Here are a few questions to help you evaluate yourself. It’s even better to ask a trusted friend for their thoughts:
How many books have you read on your topic? Keep reading until you pick up a book and already know everything in it. Then, start reading books adjacent to your topic.
Have you read the academic research and the Bible itself? Don’t just read commentaries; read Scripture directly. But also realize you can learn from those who came before you.
Completely new doctrines are usually viewed with suspicion in Christian circles, and rightly so. If you believe God has revealed something that no one in the last 2,000 years has yet discovered, you should proceed with caution. That’s how cults begin.
Be aware of the ongoing conversation in theology and scholarship. Many ideas have been carefully considered for centuries. That doesn’t mean you have nothing new to offer, but humility requires listening before speaking.
If you expect to show up to a centuries-long conversation without studying those who came before you and believing you already have all the answers, you are harboring a dangerous form of pride. If you succeed while in that state, the worst outcome would be leading others astray.
How can feedback help you grow as an expert?
Listen to the feedback of people you’ve helped.
- Do you have examples of people who’ve benefited from your message?
- Are you measuring the results?
- Are people who are living according to your message actually living better lives?
- Are they more fruitful or more fulfilled in the area your topic addresses?
- Do people tell others about your expertise?
If you’re writing fiction, what do people say about your stories behind your back? Social media allows you to eavesdrop, and this can be very revealing.
It’s important to accept that you may be an imposter now, but you can still become an expert. Imposter syndrome is something you can overcome.
How to Overcome Imposter Syndrome and Become an Expert
Read Books
Once you’ve read all the books on your topic, you’ll know more than nearly everyone else in that area. Most people give up after reading only a few. I encourage you to read a dozen books on your topic, then another dozen. If you’ve only read two books on craft, you need to read more.
For nonfiction, read books written by people who agree with you and by those who disagree. True masters, like C. S. Lewis, often respond to others who were writing on the same topic. He offered rebuttals, built upon ideas, and acknowledged when he agreed with others. His wide reading informed his writing.
Don’t think you’re the one exception who doesn’t need to read.
Start a Blog
To become an expert, you can start blogging.
Do people find your posts helpful? Are your articles showing up on Google when people search for answers? If so, that’s a sign you’re becoming an expert.
Blogging also gives you a place to work through your thinking in a semi-public way. You may not get many readers at first, but over time, as your audience grows, you’ll receive feedback that will refine your writing.
I recently received a negative comment on a podcast episode, and it was valid. I updated the show notes because the critique was right. Even after recording more than 400 podcast episodes, I still need feedback. I’m still learning and being refined.
Listen to Podcasts
Podcasts complement books because they let you learn from experts who may not have written books yet. They also keep you current with today’s conversations.
Books allow you to tap into centuries of discussion, but podcasts are often more immediate. They release quickly, giving you access to the most recent thinking on your topic.
Starting your own podcast is another effective way to build expertise. Hosting your own show gives you access to experts you might not otherwise meet. Someone who wouldn’t agree to a 30-minute phone call might happily appear for a 30-minute interview on your show.
Through podcasting, you gain insights that may not appear in books, and you connect directly with thought leaders in your field.
Learn more, check out my Author Podcast Academy course.
Consulting and Coaching
If you can help others achieve the results you’ve experienced, you’re developing real credibility and authority.
For example, if your book advocates a particular life transformation, can you point to people you’ve coached who have experienced that transformation, too? That evidence reinforces your credibility.
This is one reason pastors are often successful in Christian publishing. Many best-selling nonfiction books are written by pastors because they counsel people directly. They see what works and what doesn’t, which helps them learn faster and write with greater insight.
Pastors can move beyond their own story to tell a broader one, which is the story of the body of Christ, not just one individual.
Understand Who Needs You (and Who Doesn’t)
You don’t know everything, and you can’t help everyone. Knowing who you’re an expert for makes your teaching more effective.
My wife and I often talk about “best practices” when teaching our toddler. Recently, our daughter was holding her fork backward. She sees us use forks effortlessly, but when she tries, it’s a mess. She twists her body into impossible positions to get food into her mouth, and by the time she does, the food is gone.
My wife gently takes the fork, flips it around, and says, “Mercy, that’s not a best practice.” The moment our daughter holds it correctly, it’s like enlightenment! She goes from getting zero percent of the food in her mouth to about ten percent. That’s progress.
We take holding a fork for granted, but for her, it’s a breakthrough, and she seems to view my wife as having divine knowledge.
In the same way, there’s a community out there that looks at what you know with that same sense of wonder. Being an expert is often about recognizing who needs what you already understand and who doesn’t.
Consider the specific call of the apostle Paul. He was uniquely prepared to reach the Gentiles. He grew up in a Gentile city, held Roman citizenship, and was familiar with Gentile culture. He could even quote their sacred texts.
Jesus, by contrast, spent little time with Gentiles. He kept kosher and lived as a faithful Jew. Yet Jesus trusted that God would someday raise up Paul to reach the people He Himself hadn’t gone to.
Over the centuries, others have followed that same pattern, bringing the gospel to new places and cultures. No single person can reach everyone.
How can you be seen as an expert?
We’ve talked about how to become an expert, but being an expert and being seen as one are two different things. As King Solomon said, “Some who are poor pretend to be rich; others who are rich pretend to be poor.” The same is true for knowledge.
Admit what you don’t know.
Be honest about what you do and don’t know, and who you can and can’t help. This isn’t just Christian humility; it’s professional best practice.
Doctors and lawyers, for example, always clarify their area of specialty. A criminal lawyer won’t give copyright advice. A cardiologist won’t diagnose a foot problem. This honesty builds trust. When they do speak within their expertise, people believe them.
Let other experts vouch for you.
Trust can be transferred from one person to another. If my pastor speaks well of you, I’ll be more inclined to trust you.
The woman at the well introduced her community to Jesus by saying, “Come see a man who told me everything I ever did.” Her trust made others curious.
Build real relationships.
So how do you get other experts to speak well of you? Spend time with them in real life. Let them get to know you. Writers’ conferences are so valuable because they help you form real connections.
People rarely endorse books from strangers. Well-known experts don’t have time to read dozens of manuscripts from unfamiliar authors. Endorsements come through relationships.
If an expert knows and trusts you, they’ll likely agree to read your work and, if it’s good, endorse it. Those relationships don’t have to start at conferences, but they do need to start somewhere—through genuine, human connection.
Go on a podcast tour.
Another great way to be seen as an expert is to be a guest on podcasts. It raises your visibility, builds credibility, and helps you share your message with new audiences.
Guesting is an excellent way to spread the word about your book or project while establishing yourself as a trusted voice and connecting with other trusted people in your field.
Write a good bio.
Another way to build credibility is to write a good bio. Describe yourself in a compelling and interesting way.
To learn more excellent insights on how to craft an engaging bio that captures who you are and why your work matters, listen to our episode on How to Write a Crazy Cool Author Bio.
A well-written bio helps people connect with you. It positions you as someone worth listening to and gives context to your expertise.
Write a book.
You probably already know this, but publishing a book on your topic is one of the strongest ways to establish authority.
However, this should come after the earlier steps of building relationships, helping people, and developing your expertise. The book should be the culmination of a fruitful ministry, not the beginning of one.
If you think you have to finish your book before God will give you a ministry, you’re misunderstanding how ministry works. You need to minister to the people right in front of you right now.
Think of Paul. He didn’t wait until he started writing epistles to begin preaching. In fact, the day after his conversion, while he was still recovering from blindness, he was already proclaiming the gospel in public.
You can do the same. Don’t wait for an agent or an editor to give you permission to serve God. That’s not their job, and you shouldn’t give them that authority over your calling. If God has called you to minister to a specific group of people about a specific topic, then do it. Be obedient to that mission, and don’t let anyone stand in your way.
Remember who you are.
Don’t forget who you are. God formed you in your mother’s womb. He made you in His image and gave you your passions and desires for a reason. His Holy Spirit is shaping you to become more like Him.
Where you are weak, He will show Himself strong. God is making you into who you need to be so you can do what He has called you to do.
Don’t throw mud on His masterpiece by pretending to be something other than what you are. If you’re an eye, celebrate your sight. If you’re a foot, rejoice in your speed.
Remember who God is.
Don’t forget who God is. He will give you everything you need to accomplish what He’s called you to do.
If there are giants in the land, He may not remove them, but He will give you the courage to face and defeat them. If there’s knowledge you need, He’ll provide opportunities to learn it.
God is a good Father. He knows what He’s doing, and He knows how to fill our fragile jars of clay with His Spirit so that His strength is made perfect in our weakness.
Sponsor: Christian Writers Institute
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