Quiz: What Kind of Imposter Syndrome Do You Have?

It’s irrelevant that you’ve been working in your field for years; you’re living in fear of being outed as a fraud. A fake. A phony.

It’s imposter syndrome.

Imposter syndrome is the inability to internalize your successes, coupled with the fear of being outed as an unqualified fraud.

This fear of being exposed as inadequate and unqualified literally keeps you from achieving your best professional self.

You are not alone. In fact, nearly everyone has experienced a case of it at some time in their lives. So what keeps some people operating in fear while others can let it go? According to Valerie Young, author of The Secret Thoughts of Successful Women: Why Capable People Suffer From the Imposter Syndrome and How to Thrive in Spite of It, part of the solution is understanding the category of imposter syndrome that you have. Young lists five categories:

1. Perfectionist
2. The Superwoman/man
3. The Natural Genius
4. The Rugged Individualist
5. The Expert

How Do I Know Which Imposter Syndrome I Have?

In her book, Young points out some identifying features of each kind of imposter syndrome. Though her book will give you a more accurate sense of where you stand, we crafted the following quiz around her descriptions in order to help you understand which form is your most dominant and how you can overcome imposter syndrome.

Four Types of Book Editing

Four Types of Book Editing

1. Developmental Editing

Any or all of the following:

• Working with the client and, usually, the author of a book or other document to develop a manuscript from initial concept, outline, or draft (or some combination of the three) through any number of subsequent drafts
• making suggestions about content, organization, and presentation, based on analysis of competing works, comments of expert reviewers, the client’s market analysis, and other appropriate references
• rewriting, writing, and researching, as needed, and sometimes suggesting topics or providing information about topics for consideration of authors and client.

2. Substantive Editing

Improving a manuscript in any or all of the following ways:

• identifying and solving problems of overall clarity or accuracy
• reorganizing paragraphs, sections, or chapters to improve the order in which the text is presented
• writing or rewriting segments of text to improve readability and flow of information
• revising any or all aspects of the text to improve its presentation
• consulting with others about issues of concern
• incorporating responses to queries and suggestions creating a new draft of the document

3. Copy Editing (sometimes called line editing).

Any or all of the following:

• correcting spelling, grammar, punctuation, syntax, and word usage while preserving the meaning and voice of the original text
• checking for or imposing a consistent style and format
• preparing a style sheet that documents style and format
• reading for overall clarity and sense on behalf of the prospective audience
• querying the appropriate party about apparent errors or inconsistencies
• noting permissions needed to publish copyrighted material
• preparing a manuscript for the next stage of the publication process
• cross-checking references, art, figures, tables, equations, and other features for consistency with their mentions in the text

4. Proofreading. Comparing the latest stage of text with the preceding stage, marking discrepancies in text, and, when appropriate, checking for problems in page makeup, layout, color separation, or type.

Proofreading may also include one or more of the following:

• checking proof against typesetting specifications
• querying or correcting errors or inconsistencies that may have escaped an editor or writer
• reading for typographical errors or for sense without reading against copy

Definitions from Freelance Editorial Association

From Writers Write

Comma with Nonrestrictive Clause

A nonrestrictive clause offers extra information about something you have mentioned in a sentence, but the information isn’t essential to identify the thing you’re talking about. Nonrestrictive clauses are usually introduced by which or who and should be set off by commas.

Posey’s Cafe, which Chester recommended, is a fantastic restaurant.

The clause “which Chester recommended” is nonrestrictive because “Posey’s Cafe” is already specific. Identifying it as the restaurant recommended by Chester doesn’t narrow it down any further.

My wife, whom I love dearly, is a brilliant physicist.

The clause “whom I love dearly” is nonrestrictive because you could remove it and it would still be clear that you’re talking about the same person—“my wife” is already specific.

What Does Lmk Mean?

• Lmk is an abbreviation of let me know.
• The abbreviation is used the same way the spelled-out phrase is used, but you should avoid it in formal communication.

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When you need people to get back to you with additional information about something, lmk is one of the phrases you can use to ask for it.

The Meaning of Lmk

Lmk is short for let me know. People have been using it for at least fifteen years. By now it’s a staple of electronic communication.

How to Use Lmk

Lmk is an abbreviation you might find in work-related communication. However, if the communication in question requires a formal tone, or if you think the person you’re emailing doesn’t know what lmk stands for, it might be best to avoid using it. In that case, just use the full form instead. If you do use it in formal communication, remember that consistency is key when it comes to capitalization. Consistency is also nice to see in informal communication, but it’s not as important.

Examples

I’ll go if you go, but lmk what time so I can prepare.

I think I’m coming down with something. Lmk, I can change the reservation.

Lmk when you get the newest report.