Dear Writer, You Are Worthy
by Jennifer Moffatt
Editor’s note: Jennifer was a finalist in the Blank Spaces 2021 Fiction Anthology Contest. The story she refers to in this article is published in The Things We Leave Behind, released by Chicken House Press on April 30, 2022.
When Alanna asked if any of us wanted to write a blog article for her about our writing contest strategy, I told her that I would love to help. The problem was, I didn’t really have a strategy to share, beyond writing the best story I could. So she suggested I write something about overcoming imposter syndrome. Great idea! I struggled with imposter syndrome the whole way through, so I knew I’d have a lot to say. I started writing.
Well. I was up to 617 words when I realized all I had so far was a list of all the times throughout the process—from submitting my story in the first place right through to having the book in my hands—where I felt embarrassed to be included, because my story was clearly the weakest.
Here’s the short version of the list I came up with: all of them. All of the times.
Here’s a longer version:
When my story made the longlist, when my story made the shortlist, when I joined the Zoom for announcing the winner (I almost said no to this in the first place, because I didn’t want anyone to think I was under the illusion that I might win), when Alanna read our bios out loud (I almost clicked “Leave” when I realized the rest of them were all Real Writers and I was just me, with nothing to put in a bio)... of course I was embarrassed all over again when I read the other seven stories, and, let’s see, what am I forgetting—oh yes, every single other moment in between.
Turns out it’s difficult to write an article about overcoming imposter syndrome when you are still very much in its clutches. I still feel the need to express the sentiment “I know my story isn’t very good compared to the rest” any chance I get, because I don’t want anyone to think that I imagine myself on the same level as the other seven!
So when I made such a comment to Cheryl Skory Suma, another author in the anthology, she said to me: “Every story is worth telling, and every story has an audience—you just need to find them.”
These words feel very true to me, and have begun to beat back the self-doubt. Because, when it comes to writing, what is “the best” story anyway? We all have different tastes and preferences and like different things. Twenty people could pick twenty different stories as their favourite. Choose any book, no matter how perfect you think it is, and you’ll find someone who thinks it’s terrible.
So, while I still can’t really believe I was included with these other seven authors (seriously, have you read their stories??), I know that my work has its place, many people will enjoy it, and some of them might even feel that warm falling-in-love glow because of my words. That’s all that matters, really. That alone means my story is worthy of being included.
Ultimately, what I want you to know is that if I can end up on the shortlist, and published in a beautiful book courtesy of Chicken House Press, then you can too. When you hear that niggling voice in your head, the one that says you are not good enough, I encourage you to tell it to hush up, and share your work anyway. You never know who will find it, who will connect with it, and who will remember it. Your story is worth telling and your audience is out there. This contest may help you find them.
To support Jennifer’s writing and to read the rest of her story — “Love Comes Into Our Sight” — purchase your copy of The Things We Leave Behind from the CHP bookstore. A Kindle version is available through Amazon and a KOBO version is available through the Kobo store.
Interested in the 2022 Anthology Contest? Learn more HERE.
*this post contains Amazon links - any purchases made through these links returns ad dollars to Chicken House Press
You can listen to Jenn sharing a little excerpt from her worthy story in this clip from the winner reveal event. (Beginning at 29:43)
