More Sausage Making

Writers often mention “Impostor Syndrome,” that unpleasant and sometimes crippling fear that you have no genuine talent and might be unmasked as a fraud at any moment. It’s a psychological phenomenon that it both entirely real and entirely made-up. Often it is self-owned in the form of a humble-brag: “I guess I got lucky.”

The flip side of “Impostor Syndrome” is “God Syndrome,” an equally common (but more useful) visitation. God Syndrome is the thing that allows writers to overcome Impostor Syndrome long enough to actually, you know, write something.

God Syndrome allows me to believe that the book I am writing will be the best book I have ever written—maybe the best book of its kind ever written by anyone.

I have never written a book without believing that it would be loved. With every new manuscript I send to my agent and my editor, I am certain that they will be astonished by its concept, execution, and overall quality.

Am I deluded? Of course! It never happens that way. Maybe my work will produce a few hints of astonished admiration—things I can grab onto and clutch to my godheart.* Enough to keep my God Syndrome alive for the next book—the book that will be even MORE amazing.

Anyway, thanks to God Syndrome, The Rat Queen will be available "everywhere" on Tuesday, October 11th.

*That’s another humble-brag. Sorry.**
**Not really sorry. (That's yet another humble-brag.)