Host: Jaime Buckley 💎
Guest: Jon Howski
Topic: Why “imposter syndrome” often isn’t the root issue…identity is
Music: “Feel Good” by raspberrymusic
Stop Treating It Like a Confidence Problem.
Most writers don’t freeze because they’re lazy or unskilled.
They freeze because the identity they’re carrying makes every sentence feel like a verdict.
In this conversation with Jon Howski, we take a hard look at what’s underneath the phrase “I feel like a fraud.” We talk about identity, fear, comfort zones, and why calling yourself a storyteller (instead of “writer”) can change the way you create, publish, and endure.
This one goes deeper than writing.
Because your writing is never just writing.
Episode Overview
In this episode, I sit down with Jon Howski…software developer, storyteller, and all-around multi-interest troublemaker…to unpack the real mechanics behind imposter syndrome.
We talk about the difference between being “tested” and merely being talented, why wins matter more than pep talks, and how writers can build a long runway (readers + confidence + identity) before they ever need to “go full time.”
Along the way we hit multi-potentialites, the comfort zone trap, Pressfield’s Resistance, and the one thread that can unify a messy, brilliant life: storytelling.
This Episode Covers
• Why “I feel like a fraud” is usually fear in a costume
• The identity trap: when your goals become your worth
• “Writer” vs “Storyteller” (and why that shift matters)
• Multi-potentialites: why some creators can’t “niche down” without dying inside
• Comfort zones, courage, and what actually creates confidence
• Building an audience before you need money (a sane 3–5 year transition plan)
• Why wins don’t erase old damage…they overpower it
• Tools and rabbit holes: Notion for writers, AI as a teaching tool, solo RPGs as story engines
Highlights
• John’s 2-million-download app story—and the proof that “I can do this” changes everything
• Jaime’s blunt “I don’t suck” standard (and why that’s more useful than perfection)
• The moment John defines himself as a storyteller—not a writer—and everything clicks
• A brutal childhood teacher story that explains how a single moment can sabotage decades
• Why suffering isn’t required for success…but resilience changes what you can survive next
Key Quotes
“I don’t identify as a writer. I identify as a storyteller.” — Jon Howski
“Imposter syndrome is a facet…one of the things that keeps you inside the comfort zone.” — Jon Howski
Episode Goal
To help writers stop diagnosing themselves with “imposter syndrome” as if it’s the disease—when it’s often a symptom of a distorted identity.
Listeners should walk away with a cleaner internal foundation: you’re not a fraud…you’re in a growth phase, and the label you wear will either help you build or help you hide.
From Jaime
A lot of writers want confidence. Fine.
But confidence is usually the receipt, not the purchase.
You don’t think your way into courage. You act your way into proof.
And proof…real proof…changes identity.
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If this episode hit you in the brain, don’t stop here:
→ Free Article: How Can Fiction Authors Beat Imposter Syndrome by Rebuilding Their Identity?
→ Paid Deep Dive: How to Rebuild Your Writer Identity Without Needing External Validation
ABOUT THIS PODCAST
Nothing About This Is Safe is a weekly writing-truth podcast hosted by Jaime Buckley, featuring candid conversations with working authors.
We talk about craft, mindset, platforms, money, and the realities writers face once the writing itself is done.
No hype. No formulas. Just real conversations about what it takes to keep going.
