The chapter that I wrote for a collection with the famous contributors (the one that was freaking me out and causing me to experience my very first instance of the impostor syndrome) was not the only chapter for a collection that I wrote on my sabbatical. As if it weren’t enough just to write a whole damn book over the sabbatical, I had to undertake these (completely unrelated) projects, as well.
This second collection is also filled with famous people. And some of them are actually the same famous people as the ones who are contributing to the first collection. (Which means that the famous people and I are thinking in the same direction.)
So today I got the feedback on this second submission, and the reviews are glowing. The editors are still suggesting some changes but words like “wonderful” and “impressive” were used to describe my piece.
The impostor syndrome is receding. Thank you for the support, everybody!
Clarissa's Blog 
Way to go!
I have no doubt that these “famous contributors” would and will be delighted to be seen in your company.
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You are too kind. 🙂 Thank you.
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Congrats on entering this new phase. While stress is a constant in this life, this kind of approbation is liberating and enables the mind to function better (or such has been my experience).
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PS I am not at all surprised to read this. Not at all. You seem the real deal to me.
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Thank you. 🙂 I’m trying.
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“… which means that the famous people and I are thinking in the same direction …”
Not necessarily — it may mean that you and these people have a limited number of outlets for the kinds of things you’re creating, and that you’ll inevitably run into each other anyway.
Hence my comment about living in a place where you’ll run into famous (or infamous) people on a frequent basis — in fact, that might make this kind of collaboration easier.
By “limited” I do not necessarily mean “limiting”, BTW — being “limited” might work well to ensure that there’s significant benefit in creating those things, partly because there’s strength to be had from enhanced focus …
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Yeah, we all knew your syndrome would go away after the good reviews starting coming in — although it’s unusual to get the syndrome relatively late in a career, rather than at the beginning when you’re still unproven.
Glad to hear the news, anyway.
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I wouldn’t feel this way now if I had to go to the office several times a week. Staying at home messes with my head even though I love it.
By the time I get back to the office, I’ll probably be a wreck.
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I’d say don’t worry about that. Having impostor syndrome or not has nothing to do with your actual competence, which is ultimately what really matters. Have a look at what Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic writes about the issue of (self-) confidence.
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