A simple mantra has echoed in my mind for weeks: I’m not new to this. I’m true to this.
As I dive deeper into memoir writing and establishing my brand, Brittany Brown Writes, imposter syndrome lurks in the background, whispering: You won’t get this done. You’re not good enough. Nobody cares.
My rational part knows that these are just doubts trying to break me down. However, tangible reminders throughout my life have shown me that writing has always been my purpose.
My Writing Roots: From Childhood Stories to Fan Fiction Fame and Reviews That Paid
I’ve been writing since I was five. I still remember my first “story”—bare bones and barely coherent, but I was proud. Writing became my lifeline, something I’ll share more about in Extraordinary Machine, where I’ll dive deeper into how writing saved me and shaped my life.
As a teenager, I started writing beyond the pages of my diary or Nana’s old Windows 95 programs like Word and MS Publisher (oh, I made so many fake newspapers for our amusement). I discovered Epinions, a site where I wrote music reviews and earned enough to fund my CD obsession. Over a decade, I wrote over 400 reviews there.
I also have an embarrassingly extensive career as a Harry Potter fan fiction writer. I would downplay it, but I looked at the site the other night, and it still lives online. My longest story (71k words) has over 120,000 views, a solid 5-star rating amongst 172 readers, and fan art! I still get emails from people asking if I’ll update fics I abandoned in 2009. I won’t share the URL, but if you’re clever, you’ll find it.
When Epinions shut down, I pivoted to writing about video games on Hubpages, earning up to $900 USD monthly at one point. Laziness—and that relentless imposter—made me slow down, but I still earn residuals today. A few weeks ago, I got a $90 payment for articles I wrote years ago. That’s not bad, especially when that money goes into my publishing fund.
My Journey to Memoir Writing and Establishing Brittany Brown Writes
I’ve always dreamed of being a published author but never thought I could sit down and actually do it. I always thought that fiction wasn’t my strength (though now that I’ve embraced my calling as a writer, my creativity has flourished, and I now have two children’s book ideas).
Sure, E.L. James made it big off what was essentially Twilight fan fiction with the Fifty Shades series. Still, I wasn’t going to try and publish my Harry Potter fics (though, if we get down to it, isn’t The Cursed Child just a glorified fan fic, too?).
However, I’ve leaned into my talent—write what you know. I’ve always expressed my life, experiences, and flaws through writing. Journaling about my desire to write a memoir started over a decade ago, and even my therapist at the time encouraged me.
At 24, I knew I could write a memoir about my crazy dating life. Thank goodness I waited and didn’t write it then because not long after, I met and fell in love with Phil. That’s the most epic love story of all time! I’m glad people will have to pay for that chapter.
Writing Extraordinary Machine while my mom was alive wouldn’t have been possible. I needed time and distance to reflect on our complicated relationship. Now, nine years after her passing, I’m ready to share my truth.
This past weekend, an indie singer-songwriter messaged me on Instagram and asked me to review his new single after reading my old music reviews on Snippets, my side blog. Snippets, my forgotten archive with 400+ reviews, still draws organic traffic. This reminded me that I already have a brand built over years of writing—Epinions, where I was a lead reviewer, video game articles, fan fiction, and more. Writing has always been my constant.
I’ve been writing online since I was 14 (yes, NSYNC fan fiction counts). Now, I’m refining Brittany Brown Writes.
Building My Writing Legacy
This week, I’ve made more progress: my dream illustrator is designing the Extraordinary Machine book cover with my mockup in mind, I’m getting a custom logo created for my brand, I’ve registered for an ABN, and I’m applying for a grant (I didn’t know I could get money to fund my dream career! Still seems surreal). Phil’s Valentine’s Day gift—two beautiful journals for my ‘new career’—was the sweetest reminder that I’m embracing who I’ve always been.
I’m ready. When someone asks what I do, I’ll hand them my business card with a QR code linking to my website, where my books, reviews, and blogs will live. By day, I handle complaints. By night, I am Brittany Brown Writes—a writer—true to this from the start. ✨
🗨️ I’d love to hear from you! Drop a comment below if you’ve ever battled imposter syndrome or have dreams you’re finally pursuing. Let’s inspire each other!
Wow! Time to no longer keep those talents under cover. You are most definitely a writer . Just learned lots of interesting things about you. Imposter syndrome is a thing and often keeps truely talented people from realising their dreams. Glad you are seeing beyond it. Can’t wait to take the journey with you.
Thank you so much, Roz! I really appreciate the kind words and motivation! Imposter syndrome is terrible. It sneaks up on me a lot, but I’m trying my best not to let it win! 💪🏾✍️