There is a common feeling amongst artists when they start a project that it's all been said before, so why bother saying it again?
My answer to that it, it's not been said by you! Imagine if the Amy Heckerling said that she couldn't write Clueless because Jane Austen had written it already with her novel Emma? AS IF!
The fabulous thing about being you is that we haven't seen an event through your eyes and experience. This is what makes it unique and special. And this is what can put your imposter syndrome to rest.
I often talk about ignoring the inner critic, but it's also important to ignore the inner imposter. Neither of these voices deserve time or space, and if you can learn to acknowledge them but ignore their content, then your work will fly along at a more confident pace. Just because the inner voice says something negative doesn't mean that it's true.
The inner imposter is just as insidious as the inner critic, and both need to be shown the door. Think about it – if we all listened to that nagging voice telling us we're not original enough, we'd be living in a world devoid of fresh perspectives and artistic growth.
Let's take a moment to appreciate the beauty of remixes, retellings, and reimaginings. Shakespeare borrowed plots left and right, and we're still obsessed with his work centuries later. Why? Because he put his unique spin on those stories, infusing them with his wit, language, and understanding of human nature.
Your experiences, your voice, your quirks – they're the secret sauce that makes your art uniquely yours. Maybe you're writing about love for the millionth time, but guess what? Your love story is different from everyone else's. Your heartbreak, your joy, your confusion – it's all fodder for creating something that resonates with others in a way no one else can.
And here's a little secret: even the most successful artists doubt themselves sometimes. But they push through it. They recognise that the imposter syndrome is just a pesky gremlin trying to hold them back, not a prophet of doom.
So the next time you're tempted to shelve a project because "it's all been done before," take a deep breath and remind yourself: "Yeah, but it hasn't been done by ME yet." Your perspective matters. Your voice counts. And who knows? Your take on an old theme might be exactly what someone out there needs to hear.
