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In this episode, Leslie explore the surprising perspectives people only gain after leaving academia. After three years outside higher ed, I’ve noticed unexpected shifts in my own habits, mindset, and relationships—so I asked thousands of former academics what changed for them once they left, too. Nearly 100 people responded, sharing candid reflections about work, health, identity, and what they thought they’d miss…but didn’t.

Today, I walk you through the top themes that emerged from their stories—insights that are hard to recognize when you’re still on the inside. We’ll talk about how expectations around work, community, and purpose evolve, and why so many former academics say the same surprising thing about their post-academic lives.

If you’re considering leaving, already on the other side, or simply curious what life beyond the academy actually feels like, this episode offers honest, thought-provoking food for thought—without spoiling all the details.

Support the show

Check out Leslie's website at www.YourWordsUnleashed.com!

The three ways Leslie can help you with coaching & developmental editing:

#1: Six-month Your Words Unleashed signature book writing coaching program. Through 8 hour-long sessions tailored to your own needs and goals, we will pinpoint what’s keeping you stuck. We’ll figure out personalized solutions and strategies so you can create direction and lasting momentum with your book writing. I’ll also provide detailed feedback on your writing throughout

#2: Four-month Career Reset Program for Overwhelmed Academics who want to reconnect with purpose. Over the course of 6 hour-long sessions, we’ll clarify your personal career vision, create space for what matters, overcome internal obstacles to change, and define what success means on your own terms so you can work less and live more.

#3: Group Workshops that balance personal well-being with writing productivity. Topics include transforming your dissertation into a book; connecting to the deeper purpose of your work; as well as boundary setting.

Check everything out! If you're interested, shoot me an email at ...

Send us a text

What would you do if your inbox filled with threats, your home address was posted online, or your university launched an “investigation” after a viral tweet?
 In this episode, Dr. Heather Steffen, director of Faculty First Responders, joins Leslie to reveal how professors can protect themselves from doxxing, harassment, and politically motivated attacks.

Dr. Steffen shares:

• The anatomy of a smear campaign—and how they spread through right-wing media
• The essential digital safety steps every academic should take now
• Why collective action and peer networks are key to preserving academic freedom
• How to build a campus support system before you need one

If you’ve ever worried about speaking out, teaching controversial topics, or just being too visible online, this conversation will give you the tools—and hope—you need to stay safe, supported, and heard.

🎧 Listen now to learn how to safeguard your digital presence and your career.

Support the show

Check out Leslie's website at www.YourWordsUnleashed.com!

The three ways Leslie can help you with coaching & developmental editing:

#1: Six-month Your Words Unleashed signature book writing coaching program. Through 8 hour-long sessions tailored to your own needs and goals, we will pinpoint what’s keeping you stuck. We’ll figure out personalized solutions and strategies so you can create direction and lasting momentum with your book writing. I’ll also provide detailed feedback on your writing throughout

#2: Four-month Career Reset Program for Overwhelmed Academics who want to reconnect with purpose. Over the course of 6 hour-long sessions, we’ll clarify your personal career vision, create space for what matters, overcome internal obstacles to change, and define what success means on your own terms so you can work less and live more.

#3: Group Workshops that balance personal well-being with writing productivity. Topics include transforming your dissertation into a book; connecting to the deeper purpose of your work; as well as boundary setting.

Check everything out! If you're interested, shoot me an email at ...

Send us a text

In this episode, Leslie welcomes back book publishing expert Dr. Laura Portwood-Stacer, author of The Book Proposal Book and the new release Make Your Manuscript Work: A Guide to Developmental Editing for Scholarly Writers. Laura shares her practical, step-by-step approach to developmental editing and how she helps authors create manuscripts that truly resonate with presses and readers. She discusses the most common mistakes scholarly writers make, how to clarify your goals, and why thinking like an editor can empower your publishing journey.

We also talk about the realities of balancing writing with work, family, and life demands, and how authors can view their books as investments in their future careers. Whether you’re working on your first book or revising a manuscript after peer review, this episode offers invaluable guidance from one of the field's top developmental editors.

Support the show

Check out Leslie's website at www.YourWordsUnleashed.com!

The three ways Leslie can help you with coaching & developmental editing:

#1: Six-month Your Words Unleashed signature book writing coaching program. Through 8 hour-long sessions tailored to your own needs and goals, we will pinpoint what’s keeping you stuck. We’ll figure out personalized solutions and strategies so you can create direction and lasting momentum with your book writing. I’ll also provide detailed feedback on your writing throughout

#2: Four-month Career Reset Program for Overwhelmed Academics who want to reconnect with purpose. Over the course of 6 hour-long sessions, we’ll clarify your personal career vision, create space for what matters, overcome internal obstacles to change, and define what success means on your own terms so you can work less and live more.

#3: Group Workshops that balance personal well-being with writing productivity. Topics include transforming your dissertation into a book; connecting to the deeper purpose of your work; as well as boundary setting.

Check everything out! If you're interested, shoot me an email at ...

Send us a text

Feeling drained, scattered, or like your brain is running on fumes? You’re not alone—and you don’t have to give up on your writing. In this episode, Leslie shares what to do when your capacity is at rock bottom but you still want to keep your research alive.

This episode includes strategies for protecting your mental space, rethinking what “counts” as writing, and tracking small wins that actually build momentum.  Writing doesn’t have to be big or impressive to matter—it just needs to keep you connected to your ideas.

Along the way, Leslie invites you to reflect on what truly deserves your attention and rediscover writing as both resistance and renewal in challenging times.

If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed or guilty about not doing “enough,” this episode will help you find gentler ways to move forward. Remember that every little bit counts!

Support the show

Check out Leslie's website at www.YourWordsUnleashed.com!

The three ways Leslie can help you with coaching & developmental editing:

#1: Six-month Your Words Unleashed signature book writing coaching program. Through 8 hour-long sessions tailored to your own needs and goals, we will pinpoint what’s keeping you stuck. We’ll figure out personalized solutions and strategies so you can create direction and lasting momentum with your book writing. I’ll also provide detailed feedback on your writing throughout

#2: Four-month Career Reset Program for Overwhelmed Academics who want to reconnect with purpose. Over the course of 6 hour-long sessions, we’ll clarify your personal career vision, create space for what matters, overcome internal obstacles to change, and define what success means on your own terms so you can work less and live more.

#3: Group Workshops that balance personal well-being with writing productivity. Topics include transforming your dissertation into a book; connecting to the deeper purpose of your work; as well as boundary setting.

Check everything out! If you're interested, shoot me an email at ...

Send us a text

How do you keep teaching with integrity when the ground beneath higher education is constantly shifting? In this episode, I talk with Dr. Brielle Harbin—political scientist, award-winning educator, and founder of Your Cooperative Colleague. Brielle helps scholars, especially women and nonbinary faculty of color, create values-aligned academic lives that resist burnout and grind culture.

We get into what it takes to build classrooms rooted in trust, courage, and respect in these polarized times. Brielle shares the practices she uses to sustain her teaching, from reflection rituals to her “mission filter” for staying aligned with core values. We also talk about how teaching and research can actually strengthen each other, and how to find hope in a time when academia feels especially fraught.

If you’ve been looking for a way to reconnect with your purpose in the classroom, this conversation is for you.

Support the show

Check out Leslie's website at www.YourWordsUnleashed.com!

The three ways Leslie can help you with coaching & developmental editing:

#1: Six-month Your Words Unleashed signature book writing coaching program. Through 8 hour-long sessions tailored to your own needs and goals, we will pinpoint what’s keeping you stuck. We’ll figure out personalized solutions and strategies so you can create direction and lasting momentum with your book writing. I’ll also provide detailed feedback on your writing throughout

#2: Four-month Career Reset Program for Overwhelmed Academics who want to reconnect with purpose. Over the course of 6 hour-long sessions, we’ll clarify your personal career vision, create space for what matters, overcome internal obstacles to change, and define what success means on your own terms so you can work less and live more.

#3: Group Workshops that balance personal well-being with writing productivity. Topics include transforming your dissertation into a book; connecting to the deeper purpose of your work; as well as boundary setting.

Check everything out! If you're interested, shoot me an email at ...

Send us a text

In this episode of Your Words Unleashed, I’m getting back to basics—the kind of writing advice that makes the biggest difference for scholars who want their work to actually connect. Too often, academic writing gets stuck in old habits that make our ideas harder (and way less fun) to read.

So today, I’m sharing my top writing pet peeves: the little quirks I see over and over  that keep brilliant scholars from sounding like themselves. I’ll talk about why these habits show up, why they’re a problem, and most importantly, how to break them. This episode will give you a fresh perspective and some practical fixes. 

Give yourself permission to speak truth to power by writing words that actually sound like you!

Support the show

Check out Leslie's website at www.YourWordsUnleashed.com!

The three ways Leslie can help you with coaching & developmental editing:

#1: Six-month Your Words Unleashed signature book writing coaching program. Through 8 hour-long sessions tailored to your own needs and goals, we will pinpoint what’s keeping you stuck. We’ll figure out personalized solutions and strategies so you can create direction and lasting momentum with your book writing. I’ll also provide detailed feedback on your writing throughout

#2: Four-month Career Reset Program for Overwhelmed Academics who want to reconnect with purpose. Over the course of 6 hour-long sessions, we’ll clarify your personal career vision, create space for what matters, overcome internal obstacles to change, and define what success means on your own terms so you can work less and live more.

#3: Group Workshops that balance personal well-being with writing productivity. Topics include transforming your dissertation into a book; connecting to the deeper purpose of your work; as well as boundary setting.

Check everything out! If you're interested, shoot me an email at ...

Send us a text

Support the show

Check out Leslie's website at www.YourWordsUnleashed.com!

The three ways Leslie can help you with coaching & developmental editing:

#1: Six-month Your Words Unleashed signature book writing coaching program. Through 8 hour-long sessions tailored to your own needs and goals, we will pinpoint what’s keeping you stuck. We’ll figure out personalized solutions and strategies so you can create direction and lasting momentum with your book writing. I’ll also provide detailed feedback on your writing throughout

#2: Four-month Career Reset Program for Overwhelmed Academics who want to reconnect with purpose. Over the course of 6 hour-long sessions, we’ll clarify your personal career vision, create space for what matters, overcome internal obstacles to change, and define what success means on your own terms so you can work less and live more.

#3: Group Workshops that balance personal well-being with writing productivity. Topics include transforming your dissertation into a book; connecting to the deeper purpose of your work; as well as boundary setting.

Check everything out! If you're interested, shoot me an email at ...

Send us a text

Feeling the weight of the upcoming semester? You’re not alone. In this episode, I explore why so many academics head into fall already exhausted—and how you can change that. 

I share a simple but powerful three-step approach to reduce your teaching load without sacrificing student learning. You’ll hear why it’s essential to put your own priorities at the center of your semester planning and how a few intentional choices now can save you from burnout later. 

Whether you’re facing large classes, heavy grading, or endless course prep, these strategies will help you reclaim time for your own well-being. If you’ve ever wished you could teach less but still feel good about it, this conversation will show you that it’s not only possible—it’s necessary.

Support the show

Check out Leslie's website at www.YourWordsUnleashed.com!

The three ways Leslie can help you with coaching & developmental editing:

#1: Six-month Your Words Unleashed signature book writing coaching program. Through 8 hour-long sessions tailored to your own needs and goals, we will pinpoint what’s keeping you stuck. We’ll figure out personalized solutions and strategies so you can create direction and lasting momentum with your book writing. I’ll also provide detailed feedback on your writing throughout

#2: Four-month Career Reset Program for Overwhelmed Academics who want to reconnect with purpose. Over the course of 6 hour-long sessions, we’ll clarify your personal career vision, create space for what matters, overcome internal obstacles to change, and define what success means on your own terms so you can work less and live more.

#3: Group Workshops that balance personal well-being with writing productivity. Topics include transforming your dissertation into a book; connecting to the deeper purpose of your work; as well as boundary setting.

Check everything out! If you're interested, shoot me an email at ...

Send us a text

Acquisitions editors, developmental editors, copy editors... How many different kinds of editors are there? What do they even do? And what are they looking for in a project?

On this episode I chat with Alison Kalett, Editorial Director at Princeton University Press, where she supports a team of six science editors and acquires books in biology. She's been their science editor since 2007, and prior to this, she was editor for American History at Cornell University Press. 

In this episode, Alison gives us a behind-the-scenes look at the world of scholarly publishing. As a non-scientist who acquires science books, she lends a useful and unique perspective that will help all scholars figure out the academic publishing world.

Support the show

Check out Leslie's website at www.YourWordsUnleashed.com!

The three ways Leslie can help you with coaching & developmental editing:

#1: Six-month Your Words Unleashed signature book writing coaching program. Through 8 hour-long sessions tailored to your own needs and goals, we will pinpoint what’s keeping you stuck. We’ll figure out personalized solutions and strategies so you can create direction and lasting momentum with your book writing. I’ll also provide detailed feedback on your writing throughout

#2: Four-month Career Reset Program for Overwhelmed Academics who want to reconnect with purpose. Over the course of 6 hour-long sessions, we’ll clarify your personal career vision, create space for what matters, overcome internal obstacles to change, and define what success means on your own terms so you can work less and live more.

#3: Group Workshops that balance personal well-being with writing productivity. Topics include transforming your dissertation into a book; connecting to the deeper purpose of your work; as well as boundary setting.

Check everything out! If you're interested, shoot me an email at ...

Send us a text

Have you ever asked yourself, “How much time do I actually need to write in order to make progress?”  If so, then this episode is for you. Whether you’ve been struggling to find time to write this summer or gearing up for the fall semester, you’ll find practical insights and compassionate advice to help you move forward. 

Leslie explores the pros and cons of popular strategies and gives tips to help you protect your writing time, build momentum, and break tasks into manageable steps. You'll walk away with clarity on how to adjust your writing routine to fit your life, without guilt.

Support the show

Check out Leslie's website at www.YourWordsUnleashed.com!

The three ways Leslie can help you with coaching & developmental editing:

#1: Six-month Your Words Unleashed signature book writing coaching program. Through 8 hour-long sessions tailored to your own needs and goals, we will pinpoint what’s keeping you stuck. We’ll figure out personalized solutions and strategies so you can create direction and lasting momentum with your book writing. I’ll also provide detailed feedback on your writing throughout

#2: Four-month Career Reset Program for Overwhelmed Academics who want to reconnect with purpose. Over the course of 6 hour-long sessions, we’ll clarify your personal career vision, create space for what matters, overcome internal obstacles to change, and define what success means on your own terms so you can work less and live more.

#3: Group Workshops that balance personal well-being with writing productivity. Topics include transforming your dissertation into a book; connecting to the deeper purpose of your work; as well as boundary setting.

Check everything out! If you're interested, shoot me an email at ...