SAN FRANCISCO SCHOOL OF COPYWRITING
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  • BLOG
    • Copywriting Lessons from David Ogilvy
    • 9 Copywriting Lessons from Robert Collier
    • 9 Copywriting Lessons From John Caples
    • 8 Copywriting Lessons from John Powers
    • Scientific Advertising: 10 Copywriting Lessons from Claude Hopkins
    • A Review of Current AI Copywriting Tools
    • Top San Francisco Ad Agencies
    • Learn How To Write Conversationally To Engage Your Audience
    • Top Skills for a Copywriter
    • Launch A Career In Advertising With These Top Portfolio Schools
    • UX Copywriting and Short Copy ​
    • Discover How To Write Killer Copy That Converts
    • What is Copywriting? >
      • What Alternative
    • 10 Great Headlines from Classic Ads
    • Why Tone Can Make or Break Your Copy
    • How to Use Statistics, Facts and Quotes to Craft Compelling Copy
    • Great Copywriters Use Verbal Imagery to Tell a Story
    • Master the Art of Headline Writing!
    • Here’s How to Get Portfolio-Building Copywriting Gigs
    • What Volkswagen’s ’Think Small’ Teaches Copywriters
    • 5 Brands with Amazing Copywriting Teams
    • Master Hard and Soft CTAs for Superior Sales Writing
    • The Ultimate Checklist for Blog Copywriters
    • 10 Mistakes Even Experienced Copywriters Make
    • Read These 4 Books to Become a Better Copywriter
    • Sales Writing: How to Create Attention Grabbing Headlines
    • How to Create Persuasive Sales Copy
    • Proven Copywriting Methods Emotional Advertising
    • How to Write Good Copy : Preparation Techniques
    • Copywriting Secrets: 8 Powerful Ways to Add Proof and Credibility
    • Copywriting Cheat Sheet: Write Powerful Copy Quickly and Easily
    • Copywriting Insights: How to Test Ad Copy for Best Results
    • Write Effective Ad Copy: No Fail Secrets and Tips
    • What Never to Do When Writing Compelling Copy for Sales
    • How to Write Copy That Sells – Use Benefits
    • 7 Ways to Improve Your Copy Immediately
    • A Day in the Life of a Copywriter
    • Coffee, Copywriting, and Freedom
    • Copy is Everywhere
    • Direct Response Copy Sells
    • The Pros and Cons of Copywriting Part–Time
    • Three Tips to Write Copy that Converts
    • Two of the Biggest Mistakes Beginning Copywriters Make
    • Why Copywriting Makes a Great Second Career
    • Why I Love Being a Copywriter
    • Landing Pages that Work - Copy that Converts
    • The Next Big Idea: Creative Advertising Ideation
    • Copywriting Certificates: Online Copywriting Classes
    • The Advertising Museum Tokyo: Copywriting Fun
    • How to Tell a Great Brand Story
    • 20 Great Headlines from Classic Ads
    • Top London Ad Agencies
    • The Top 10 Best Copywriting Books
    • Copywriting Courses & Resources
    • Copywriting Formulas to Write Faster: AIDA, Problem Solution and More
    • Sales Letters: Broken Down by Parts
    • Copywriting Research Tips, Tricks and Secrets
    • How to Grow Your Email List
    • What is Creative Advertising
    • Ideation and How to Find the Next Big Idea
    • Creative Advertising Methods and Madness
    • Paths to Becoming a Copywriter
    • Great Print Ads - Creative Advertising That Rocks
    • Great Outdoor Ads - Creative Advertising That Works
    • Underground Ads - Creative Advertising in England
    • 10 Great Email Subject Lines
    • Email Marketing Types: Long, Short, Creative and More
    • Email Copywriting Tactics
    • How to Grow Your Email List
    • Autoresponder Copywriting: How to Do It Write
    • Copywriting Examples: Social Media
    • 6 Free Copywriting Courses
    • Where You Can Get a Copywriting Certificate Online: Copywriting Training
    • Top American Ad Schools
    • 10 Ad Schools for College Graduates
    • These Direct Response Letters And Campaigns Delivered Great Results - Yours Can Too
    • How To Break Into Advertising
    • The Creative Advertising Bible: The Value Of Great Guerrilla Ad Campaigns (With Examples)
    • Content Writing Vs. Copywriting: What's the Difference?
    • SEO Copywriting: How Does Search Engine Optimization Factor Into Copywriting?
    • Show and Tell: 7 Ways to Write Strong Video Copy
    • Short, Sweet, and It Sells: How to Trim the Fat From Your Sales Copy
    • Digital VS Print Ad Copy: How to Write the Difference
    • How to Craft the Ultimate Product Description
    • B2B VS B2C Sales Copy: 6 Crucial Differences You Should Know About
    • The Next Big Idea: Creative Advertising Ideation
    • Email Marketing: 12 Tips for Getting It Right
    • Landing Pages and Lead Magnets: Everything You Need to Know
    • How to Do Better Creative Advertising: Why and How It Works
    • Where to Take Copywriting Classes in the San Francisco Bay Area
    • Why San Francisco Business Owners Need to Know Copywriting
    • How to Break Into the Copywriting Industry
    • What Everybody Should Know About Online Advertising Portfolio
    • Copywriting for Beginners: 10 Quick Tips
    • Don’t Let Imposter Syndrome Keep You from Writing Great Copy
    • How to Design Great Digital Ads
    • Ad Campaigns: Nike Just Do It
    • Copywriting Examples: Google Ads
    • Best Copywriting Resources: Magazines, Organizations and More
    • How to Practice Copywriting
    • How to Build a Brand With Copywriting
    • Copywriting Grammar Review: 10 Common Grammar Mistakes
    • Copywriting Grammar Review: When to Use Commas
    • Our Top 10 Conversion Rate Optimization Copywriting Tips
    • Urgent, Useful, Unique, Ultra-Specific: How to Boost Your Copywriting with the Four U’s
    • Great Ad Campaigns: Apple 1984
    • Great Ad Campaigns: “Mikey Likes It”
    • Great Ad Campaigns: "When EF Hutton Talks"
    • Great Ad Campaigns: "We Make Money the Old Fashioned Way"
    • Great Ad Campaigns: Daisy
    • Great Ad Campaigns: Absolut Vodka
    • Top San Francisco Ad Agencies
    • Top 6 1960s Ad Campaigns and What You Can Learn From Them
    • Top 10 1970s Ad Campaigns and What You Can Learn From Them
    • Top 7 1980s Ad Campaigns and What You Can Learn From Them
    • Top 10 1990s Ad Campaigns and What You Can Learn From Them
    • Why Does Creative Advertising Matter?
    • How Can AI Copywriting Tools Make Me a Better Copywriter?
    • Why Should You Enter Advertising Contests as a Copywriter?
    • 10 Tips for Writing Captivating Social Media Copy
    • Tips for Improved Direct Response Copywriting
    • Copywriting Pro-Tip: Highlighting Benefits Over Feature
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Don’t Let Imposter Syndrome Keep You from Writing Great Copy

Quick question: what’s the difference between a copywriter and a fraud?

If you have imposter syndrome, there isn’t a difference.
The good news is you’re not alone.

Imposter syndrome is real, and it affects copywriters too. Even skilled copywriters feel imposter syndrome.

But what is it? And how can you fight imposter syndrome with your copywriting skills? 
​
Here’s how you can prevent imposter syndrome from keeping you from writing great copy.

What Is Imposter Syndrome?

It’s the feeling of fraud. It’s the feeling of doubting yourself and your abilities. 

Imposter syndrome is the experience of feeling like you are a fraud, unqualified for a position despite your skills and experience.

Despite your previous successes and education, you feel like you “can’t cut it.” Someone experiencing imposter syndrome can’t internalize their success.

There’s an anxiety associated with it too. It’s the fear of being found out.

​Those who experience imposter syndrome are worried they will be exposed as the fraud their brain tells them that they are.

What Imposter Syndrome Is Not

Imposter syndrome is a real phenomenon. It’s not a fictional diagnosis.

However, imposter syndrome by itself is not a mental illness. It isn’t recognized as one in the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders), the publication used by the APA (American Psychiatric Association).
​
But that’s not to say that imposter syndrome isn’t associated with mental illness. Issues like anxiety and depression are often associated with imposter syndrome. 
​

Imposter Syndrome Can Happen to Anyone

Anyone can be affected by imposter syndrome. No really. Think of someone you know who is successful, famous or not, and odds are they have felt imposter syndrome at least once in their lives. 

Originally it was thought that women experienced it more than men, but that may not be the case. Men are less likely to externalize their feelings, which may have skewed the initial research into imposter syndrome.

Everyone can experience imposter syndrome. If you haven’t experienced it yet, you probably will. 

Even celebrities experience imposter syndrome. Actress and comedian Tina Fey admitted that she felt like a fraud.

​So did author Maya Angelou, who won prestigious awards such as the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian award in the U.S. 

Tom Hanks and Emma Watson have also experienced imposter syndrome. Despite receiving critical acclaim for their work, even they aren't immune from imposter syndrome.

What Causes Imposter Syndrome?

A few different factors can cause imposter syndrome. 
If you have a condition like social anxiety disorder (SAD) there may be an overlap between that and imposter syndrome.

Perhaps you feel like you don’t belong in social or work situations. Maybe you feel unable to meet the challenges set before you. 

Even if you don’t have a social anxiety disorder, imposter syndrome can still affect you. It is often triggered by entering a new role or life change, such as starting college or entering a new career or job position.

Your background may also play a role. If you were raised by parents who were highly critical or pushed for lofty achievements, you may feel like you don’t deserve your career. 
​
In many cases, imposter syndrome is the result of multiple factors. Your imposter syndrome was likely triggered by more than one cause. ​

How Do You Know if You Have It?

There are a few ways of identifying if you suffer from imposter syndrome. 

Do you attribute your successes to external factors such as luck? Are you afraid you will be found out as a phony? Are you sensitive to constructive criticism or small mistakes in your work?
​
If you answered yes to these questions you probably have imposter syndrome.

General Tips for Overcoming Imposter Syndrome

There are some general rules anyone should follow to combat imposter syndrome.

The first is that you have to acknowledge it. Question why you feel like a fraud. 

Rewrite the script in your head. What is your internal dialogue saying to you? How can you rewrite it to a more realistic view of yourself?

It’s important to visualize your success. Visualization is a technique used by many successful persons, such as athletes. Picture yourself succeeding in a specific task. 
How does it look if you succeed? What’s the worst-case scenario look like? How do you handle that? 

Another important way of fighting imposter syndrome is to talk about it. It’s something that affects many people.

Knowing you are not alone and talking about your feelings can be freeing. 
​
Find out what type of imposter syndrome you have and deal with it.

Overcoming Imposter Syndrome as a Copywriter

Now let’s delve deeper into how you can fight imposter syndrome when writing copy. Let’s face it, for many people copywriting is a nebulous term.

Many have no idea what a copywriter does, or why they would ever need one. 

But as a copywriter (or future copywriter, if you’re not one already), you have a powerful way with words. You write to sell and to deliver results.

When you write copy like a pro, imposter syndrome doesn’t stand a chance. 
​
Here are a few tips for copywriters to fight the feeling of fraud.

Research Your Clients

Inexperienced copywriters don’t do their research. Good copywriting isn’t sitting down and dumping words on a page. 

It’s researching your client and what they do. It’s finding out how they sell and market their services, and to whom.

Know what questions good copywriters ask. That way when you do sit down to write, you’re already starting with a solid foundation of knowledge.

​That will help you push through doubt and insecurity. 

Focus On the Benefits and Build Trust

When writing copy, you need to focus on the benefit of the product or service you are writing about. What are the customers’ problems? How will the product solve them and make their life easier or better? 

You want to engage your customers. Write in a way that speaks to them. Make your content conversational, and speak directly to your customer. 

Imposter syndrome may lead you to believe that you have to speak with authority to prove yourself as an expert. However, that can come across as talking down to your audience. 

If you have researched your client’s business and understand the unique selling point of their product, you won’t have to talk down to your audience.

Your copywriting will be believable, authentic, and trustworthy. You will be just as familiar with the company as the CEO.

When you build a rapport with your client and their customers, there’s little room for imposter syndrome.

​You’re focused on solving problems and connecting with an audience, not doubting yourself.

Write Regularly

If you can write and publish copy regularly, then by all means do it. If you can’t, keep writing anyway.

Personal websites and blogs are easy and inexpensive enough to set up. Get into the habit of outputting content regularly. 

It’s like exercise. Over time, working out will increase your muscle strength. Your writing skills will improve over time too, so flex those writing muscles.

The feelings of imposter syndrome will come and go, but once you have written tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of words, you will have more ammo against those feelings of inadequacy.

If all else fails and you don’t know what to write, write down your accomplishments and achievements.

​Don’t worry about what other people think of them, these are your accomplishments. You may be surprised at how successful you have been with your writing.

Grow Your Skills and Confidence

Expanding your copywriting skills and experience is one of the greatest ways to gain confidence.

Having a confident inner voice allows you to rethink and frame the negative emotions associated with imposter syndrome. 

With more skills and experience, your confidence will naturally increase. As the old saying goes, “Practice makes perfect.” 

A seasoned copywriter is naturally more confident than someone new to the role.

But sometimes even veteran copywriters have their doubts about their achievements. 
​
However, if you follow these copywriting tips you can reduce the effects of imposter syndrome. It’s time to talk back to your inner negative voice and reduce your anxiety.

Are You Ready to Perform Copywriting With Confidence?

You can get started in copywriting for free with our Copywriting to Go course. This complimentary course is a great way to explore copywriting as a career and see if it is for you. 

Over a 10 day period, we’ll give you a simple, easy video tip each day. Each video takes less than two minutes to watch.

These tips can immediately apply to your writing. 

The course is by Amanda Caswell, one of Ad Ages’ Top Freelance Copywriters. 

The Copywriting to Go course is your stepping stone into our Copywriting 101 and other courses.

​Your future career in copywriting is closer than you think, and you can get started in only 10 days.
FREE COURSE
  • Home
  • Courses
    • Copywriting 101
    • How to Create an Advertising Portfolio From Scratch
    • Direct Response Copywriting
    • 360 Copywriting Online
  • ABOUT
  • CONTACT
  • BLOG
    • Copywriting Lessons from David Ogilvy
    • 9 Copywriting Lessons from Robert Collier
    • 9 Copywriting Lessons From John Caples
    • 8 Copywriting Lessons from John Powers
    • Scientific Advertising: 10 Copywriting Lessons from Claude Hopkins
    • A Review of Current AI Copywriting Tools
    • Top San Francisco Ad Agencies
    • Learn How To Write Conversationally To Engage Your Audience
    • Top Skills for a Copywriter
    • Launch A Career In Advertising With These Top Portfolio Schools
    • UX Copywriting and Short Copy ​
    • Discover How To Write Killer Copy That Converts
    • What is Copywriting? >
      • What Alternative
    • 10 Great Headlines from Classic Ads
    • Why Tone Can Make or Break Your Copy
    • How to Use Statistics, Facts and Quotes to Craft Compelling Copy
    • Great Copywriters Use Verbal Imagery to Tell a Story
    • Master the Art of Headline Writing!
    • Here’s How to Get Portfolio-Building Copywriting Gigs
    • What Volkswagen’s ’Think Small’ Teaches Copywriters
    • 5 Brands with Amazing Copywriting Teams
    • Master Hard and Soft CTAs for Superior Sales Writing
    • The Ultimate Checklist for Blog Copywriters
    • 10 Mistakes Even Experienced Copywriters Make
    • Read These 4 Books to Become a Better Copywriter
    • Sales Writing: How to Create Attention Grabbing Headlines
    • How to Create Persuasive Sales Copy
    • Proven Copywriting Methods Emotional Advertising
    • How to Write Good Copy : Preparation Techniques
    • Copywriting Secrets: 8 Powerful Ways to Add Proof and Credibility
    • Copywriting Cheat Sheet: Write Powerful Copy Quickly and Easily
    • Copywriting Insights: How to Test Ad Copy for Best Results
    • Write Effective Ad Copy: No Fail Secrets and Tips
    • What Never to Do When Writing Compelling Copy for Sales
    • How to Write Copy That Sells – Use Benefits
    • 7 Ways to Improve Your Copy Immediately
    • A Day in the Life of a Copywriter
    • Coffee, Copywriting, and Freedom
    • Copy is Everywhere
    • Direct Response Copy Sells
    • The Pros and Cons of Copywriting Part–Time
    • Three Tips to Write Copy that Converts
    • Two of the Biggest Mistakes Beginning Copywriters Make
    • Why Copywriting Makes a Great Second Career
    • Why I Love Being a Copywriter
    • Landing Pages that Work - Copy that Converts
    • The Next Big Idea: Creative Advertising Ideation
    • Copywriting Certificates: Online Copywriting Classes
    • The Advertising Museum Tokyo: Copywriting Fun
    • How to Tell a Great Brand Story
    • 20 Great Headlines from Classic Ads
    • Top London Ad Agencies
    • The Top 10 Best Copywriting Books
    • Copywriting Courses & Resources
    • Copywriting Formulas to Write Faster: AIDA, Problem Solution and More
    • Sales Letters: Broken Down by Parts
    • Copywriting Research Tips, Tricks and Secrets
    • How to Grow Your Email List
    • What is Creative Advertising
    • Ideation and How to Find the Next Big Idea
    • Creative Advertising Methods and Madness
    • Paths to Becoming a Copywriter
    • Great Print Ads - Creative Advertising That Rocks
    • Great Outdoor Ads - Creative Advertising That Works
    • Underground Ads - Creative Advertising in England
    • 10 Great Email Subject Lines
    • Email Marketing Types: Long, Short, Creative and More
    • Email Copywriting Tactics
    • How to Grow Your Email List
    • Autoresponder Copywriting: How to Do It Write
    • Copywriting Examples: Social Media
    • 6 Free Copywriting Courses
    • Where You Can Get a Copywriting Certificate Online: Copywriting Training
    • Top American Ad Schools
    • 10 Ad Schools for College Graduates
    • These Direct Response Letters And Campaigns Delivered Great Results - Yours Can Too
    • How To Break Into Advertising
    • The Creative Advertising Bible: The Value Of Great Guerrilla Ad Campaigns (With Examples)
    • Content Writing Vs. Copywriting: What's the Difference?
    • SEO Copywriting: How Does Search Engine Optimization Factor Into Copywriting?
    • Show and Tell: 7 Ways to Write Strong Video Copy
    • Short, Sweet, and It Sells: How to Trim the Fat From Your Sales Copy
    • Digital VS Print Ad Copy: How to Write the Difference
    • How to Craft the Ultimate Product Description
    • B2B VS B2C Sales Copy: 6 Crucial Differences You Should Know About
    • The Next Big Idea: Creative Advertising Ideation
    • Email Marketing: 12 Tips for Getting It Right
    • Landing Pages and Lead Magnets: Everything You Need to Know
    • How to Do Better Creative Advertising: Why and How It Works
    • Where to Take Copywriting Classes in the San Francisco Bay Area
    • Why San Francisco Business Owners Need to Know Copywriting
    • How to Break Into the Copywriting Industry
    • What Everybody Should Know About Online Advertising Portfolio
    • Copywriting for Beginners: 10 Quick Tips
    • Don’t Let Imposter Syndrome Keep You from Writing Great Copy
    • How to Design Great Digital Ads
    • Ad Campaigns: Nike Just Do It
    • Copywriting Examples: Google Ads
    • Best Copywriting Resources: Magazines, Organizations and More
    • How to Practice Copywriting
    • How to Build a Brand With Copywriting
    • Copywriting Grammar Review: 10 Common Grammar Mistakes
    • Copywriting Grammar Review: When to Use Commas
    • Our Top 10 Conversion Rate Optimization Copywriting Tips
    • Urgent, Useful, Unique, Ultra-Specific: How to Boost Your Copywriting with the Four U’s
    • Great Ad Campaigns: Apple 1984
    • Great Ad Campaigns: “Mikey Likes It”
    • Great Ad Campaigns: "When EF Hutton Talks"
    • Great Ad Campaigns: "We Make Money the Old Fashioned Way"
    • Great Ad Campaigns: Daisy
    • Great Ad Campaigns: Absolut Vodka
    • Top San Francisco Ad Agencies
    • Top 6 1960s Ad Campaigns and What You Can Learn From Them
    • Top 10 1970s Ad Campaigns and What You Can Learn From Them
    • Top 7 1980s Ad Campaigns and What You Can Learn From Them
    • Top 10 1990s Ad Campaigns and What You Can Learn From Them
    • Why Does Creative Advertising Matter?
    • How Can AI Copywriting Tools Make Me a Better Copywriter?
    • Why Should You Enter Advertising Contests as a Copywriter?
    • 10 Tips for Writing Captivating Social Media Copy
    • Tips for Improved Direct Response Copywriting
    • Copywriting Pro-Tip: Highlighting Benefits Over Feature