5 Ways to “Fake It Till You Make It” — Novelist Edition
Yesterday I posted the following status on my novelist fan page (like me, please…)
“The more time I spend writing novels, the more I realize I have NO idea what I’m doing. Isn’t that hilarious?”
So, I thought I’d let you in on 5 ways to “Fake It”. How to make other people think you know what you’re doing, if you don’t. (By the way, these work for just about any profession).
1. Wear Glasses: We all know that the smarter you are, the weaker your eyes. If you wear glasses, people will automatically assume you’re a genius. I think that’s the lesson that Steve Urkle taught all of us.
2. Read hard books. Or at least pretend to: Everyone knows that writers have to be voracious readers…if not just so we know what voracious means. So, read it up, my friends. Or at least pretend to.
3. Instagram: Everything we post online is the best good perception of ourselves, right? Then use social media to fake it! Instagram pics of you writing at Starbucks (I totally do that once a week, myself). Even if you spend the whole time on Facebook waiting for people to “like” said picture.
4. Collect Notebooks: We are all aware that inspiration hits at the craziest times. So, most writers I know carry around a stack of notebooks or journals everywhere they go. If you want to look like a writer, you need to have one. Make sure it reflects your style. And, periodically, pull it out of your pocket/purse/briefcase and jot furiously…even if they are just scribbles. People will think you’re deep in the muse.
5. Post pictures of editing: Anybody can take a picture of blurry text with a pen resting gently on top. But, if you say something about editing, people will think you’re in agony, killing your darlings, marking up your masterpiece. Really, it could just be the report you wrote in ninth grade about polar bears. No one would ever know. But they would still think you’re pretty awesome.
Or…
And this is a crazy idea…
But it might be a good one, too…
You
Could
Just
WRITE!
Or paint. Or take pictures. Or homeschool. Or clean the kitchen. Or do your job.
This whole faking thing is kind of fun and it makes us look good. But. Dare I say. It’s kind of a big distraction from what we really need to be doing.
I know you can do it. You’re fabulous without having to fake it!
susiefinkbeiner.com 
I love you! I just love you!!! I think it was Beth Moore who said fake it till you BECOME it. We are all gifted with something. Be IT. BE it. Ya know? And yeah, I love you ☺️☺️☺️
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Oh, I love you, too, Annette! I was hoping to give somebody a little giggle today.
Yup. And let God be the one to fill in what’s missing! 🙂
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So instead of “fake ’til you make it,” it becomes “write it ’til you make it.”
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Exactly!
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