Why am I writing a second volume to a book that I never meant to publish in the first place?

Why did I write a book about imposter syndrome?

A few years ago, I found myself writing a book about imposter syndrome that I never meant to.

In doing so, I ignored and broke nearly all the rules and guidance that you're supposed to follow as a writer of business books - but somehow the book still became a global best-seller, won an award, and got me uninvited from speaking at a conference.

And in never intending to have written it, I also didn't really have any specific goals or ambitions for what it might achieve.

What came after being published, and what drew me back to write a sequel?

In the years that followed it being released into the wild, lots of unexpected things happened:

- I got invited to guest on various podcast shows;

- I was interviewed by national sector bodies about the books' ideas;

- and most importantly, people started to share their own stories about being an imposter, and asking me questions about these feelings that my original researches had never identified or unearthed.

All of which led me to think that my journeys with imposter syndrome wasn't nearly as complete as I thought they were.

Same story, but different lead characters

The original book was written from the perspective of my wanting to understand why it was that what everyone says about imposter syndrome didn't quite feel right, but I could never put my finger on why. Trawling through 50 years of published medial journals and academic research papers helped me figure that out - and led to those I shared my notes with all seperately encouraging me to put it out there as a book. 

How people responded to that book has highlighted other perspectives and ideas about the feeling of being an imposter that my original research hadn't surfaced. So I went back to the archives and journals to dig deeper to help respond to their new questions and thoughts that they were now having.

And it's this deeper digging into additional and fresh perspectives about imposter syndrome that's led me to be writing a sequel - only this time it isn't about my journey exploring imposter syndrome, but acting as intentional and deliberate guide to others who were keen to start their own respective journeys into this land of self-doubt...

Probably still not the read you think it might be...

Without wanting to give away too many spoilers about this second volume, I can clarify that unlike in the first book, there are no appearances by Batman, Suzy Eddie Izzard, or toothbrushes. But Sherlock Holmes, Dr Who, and Monty Python are in the wings - and it's helpful if you have a passport to hand... 

And when will this return to the land of imposters be hitting the bookshelves?

As some may know, my approach to writing doesn't subscribe to any of the usual expected patterns or models. My hope is that it'll be out in time for Christmas (2026), but watch out for future occasional updates...#

(if you want to catch up with the original book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09V25N8G6)