Dear writer, do you have a story that simply won’t leave your head and heart alone? Yet… something stops you from making the kind of progress you’d like: Imposter syndrome.
How do you know if you have imposter syndrome?
Imposter syndrome can feel like any of the following, or a mixture of them:
An unwillingness to market your work/talk about it in a professional setting
A difficulty accepting praise for your work
Excitement to create which quickly dwindles as soon as you’re before the page
Shiny object syndrome — following one idea after another and struggling to work with one idea consistently
Feeling like a kid in a room full of adults
Imposter syndrome and perfectionism exist on the same continuum of creative fears. Imposter syndrome is a fear of success. Writers can experience both together, or either of these individually.
I myself have experienced both. I had imposter syndrome for over 20 years, and it slowed/stopped my creative growth and progress until I learned about it, learned how to work through it, and said goodbye to it for good. Now, I help writers do the same. (I can also help with perfectionism but I specialize in assisting writers who feel most plagued by imposter syndrome.)
Author, Coach, Teacher
I have taught writing for years at the university level, I am a coach and mentor for writers, with over three years’ experience teaching book coaches as well, and I have published my own critically acclaimed novels. My short fiction has brought home honors as well.
I believe that anyone can tell a story, but sometimes they need a companion. Someone to shine the light on their path. Someone with whom to open the chambers of the heart of their stories. A storytelling companion.
And, as an author who worked through and overcame imposter syndrome, I know how hard it can be to put yourself and your work out there.
That, dearest writer, is where I come in.
How do I help writers like you write in spite of imposter syndrome?
I believe we can write through imposter syndrome and even get rid of it entirely.
I help writers tap into their deepest motivations for writing while building craft confidence and understanding reader response. By working together, writers gain time and experience before the page.
In this way, you can build a steady foundation that can help you work through imposter syndrome until you’re ready to say goodbye to it for good.*
*Saying goodbye to imposter syndrome for good can be a long process, or a quick one. Or something in between. I have learned it is different for everyone, and everyone’s path is unique. I used to offer a mini course to guide people through getting rid of it the way I did, and through that, realized that everyone’s path is their own. Now I support writers in doing their creative work while working through that.
How can I help you?
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One-off Coaching
We’ll meet for an hour over Zoom to discuss any story/writing/mindset questions you have. We might work on exercises together, look at pages for some live coaching, chat, but whatever the method (and it will be the right one!), we will cover your writing question(s) for an hour, and you’ll leave with actionable next steps you can take to move forward in your writing.
Investment: $75
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Plan Your Novel
We’ll use Author Accelerator’s Blueprint for a Book to look at everything from marketplace placement to the heart and structure of your story. Each part (four total) begins with a 30-minute call to set you up to complete the exercises, then you’ll get in-line feedback and an editorial letter, and we’ll have a 60-minute call to discuss feedback and next steps.
Investment: $1,750 (payment plans available)
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Manuscript Evaluation
Have you written a story? Congratulations! Before you start revising, a manuscript evaluation can prepare you to prepare your story for entering the marketplace. In-line feedback, an editorial letter complete with next steps, and a 60-minute coaching session can make all the difference between a draft that sits on your computer and a book that makes it into the hands of readers.
Investment: $0.03/word (payment plans available)
A few kind words from fellow travelers of the writing path…
“Margaret is a true educator and worth every cent of the investment!”
“Margaret was also quite helpful in explaining, in detail, what agents expect and why, both for the synopsis and the query. The process helped me gain confidence in querying agents. ...I cannot recommend her more!”
“Margaret was patient and supportive, but also asked poignant, thorough questions and pushed me to further develop aspects that needed work...I’m thrilled.”
“Margaret is knowledgeable, generous and gracious, and someone you want at your side while writing your novel and in your life in general.”
“With a light touch and an abundance of empathy, Margaret helped me improve my writing, but perhaps more importantly, she bolstered my confidence and made me excited to write again.”
“Margaret has a big heart and a big bag of wisdom and education to offer to those who are willing to explore their writing in ways that feel nothing less than pure magic!”
“Thanks to Margaret I have found a new way forward. She was a joy to work with. I highly recommend her.”
“Margaret helped talk through some of my blocks & offer valueable resources to help me get started. It was definitely the motivation I needed during that time.”
Common Questions
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I help beginner and experienced writers alike. I specialize in working with writers who have imposter syndrome because I do not believe that it is something we need to live and create with forever… because I myself have freed myself from its grip. But even if you don’t have imposter syndrome and you want to work together, we’d have plenty to talk about regarding your story that we can still work together.
I’m happy to work with writers in any fiction genre except erotica. I have nothing against it, but it’s not a genre I feel comfortable coaching.
I do not coach nonfiction, memoir, poetry, or children’s books. If you’re writing short fiction and would like coaching, feel free to reach out. I’ve coached short fiction writers in the past and loved it, but it’s not the type of work that comes across my plate frequently enough to have a set service, though I’m happy to work with short fiction writers.
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Let’s talk about it. We’re all human and life happens. We can both be understanding with one another and give each other as much advanced notice as possible.
I want you attending coaching sessions ready and well so that you feel like you can make progress.
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I’ve priced my services across a wide range so that hopefully, I can help any writers who seek my coaching. I do offer payment plans for monthly coaching so that you don’t need to pay it all in advance; we can talk about this on our discovery call before we work together if you like.
In the meantime, feel free to stay connected. I try to share advice and resources when I can, or stories from my own creative writing journey in hopes of helping writers for absolutely no monetary investment at all.
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It all starts with you reaching out. Just choose a time for a free discovery call below. You can expect the discovery call to last about 15-30 minutes. During that call, we’ll talk about your needs, which of my services interest you, and I’ll answer any questions about working together that you may have. If you decide to work together, we’ll go ahead and get you signed up.
Depending on the service you’re choosing, what happens next will vary a little, but I have an onboarding process so that regardless of how we work together, you can feel gently led the entire time.
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Of course! It’s not a requirement, but I do talk about it a lot because not only did I have it and not realize it for a long time, but for a while, I also succumbed to what others said about how it never goes away. I don’t subscribe to that belief.
But if you’ve already worked through imposter syndrome and kissed it goodbye, or if you never had it to begin with (you lucky duck!), then I’d still love to talk to you about your book.