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Hiring an expert to help you get through the process of writing your manuscript is one of the most surefire ways to make sure your book gets published. 

But how do you know whether you would benefit more from working with a coach or an editor? When should you hire one or the other? Or is it better to hire both?

One of the most common questions I’m asked by potential clients is whether I will do extensive editing of their manuscripts or give them detailed feedback on their ideas.

Because I’ve had to explain the differences between coaching and editing so many times, I thought I would devote today’s podcast to clarifying these issues.

For step-by-step support for your writing projects apply for Leslie's Your Words Unleashed Six-Month Program.

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

The three ways Leslie can help you in 2025:

#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 Zoom 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 on my website and if you are interested in any of these, please shoot me an email at ...

Send us a text

Hi writers! I bet that things are really starting to ramp up in your work weeks. 

Now that the semester’s up and running again, you need to focus and prioritize your book writing time much, much more.

That is, if you hope to get anything done besides teaching, service, and the writing projects you’ve committed to that have clear deadlines.

So today I’m going to be talking about a really common question that comes up for authors, which is: how do you juggle multiple research projects at the same time?

For step-by-step support for your writing projects apply for Leslie's Your Words Unleashed Six-Month Program.

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

The three ways Leslie can help you in 2025:

#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 Zoom 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 on my website and if you are interested in any of these, please shoot me an email at ...

Send us a text

Today I’m going to be talking about something that comes up a lot with my coaching clients, and that is ways to manage fears around writing.

My view is that fear arises when your inner critic is trying to protect you and keep you safe. 

As I’ve talked about before, your inner critic has positive intentions even when it’s making you feel anxiety and self-doubt by telling you horrible things about yourself and your writing.

The truth is that you can’t fully get rid of your inner critic.

Also, there are times when it’s been extremely useful to you and helpful in getting you to where you are now. 

So knowing this, this episode talks about four strategies you can use to manage your fear rather than try to rid yourself of it entirely.

For step-by-step support for your writing projects apply for Leslie's Your Words Unleashed Six-Month Program.

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

The three ways Leslie can help you in 2025:

#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 Zoom 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 on my website and if you are interested in any of these, please shoot me an email at ...

Send us a text

Today’s episode is meant to help you figure out what to prioritize in your work this semester. 

I want you to keep your own mental, physical, and emotional health and well-being at the forefront, and this means SAYING NO to things that do not serve you.

When I talk about saying no to requests, I’m especially referring to service and committee work that can be extremely tiring and time-consuming, but not necessarily valued much by your institution or by academia in general.

Learn more and listen in now.

For step-by-step support for your writing projects apply for Leslie's Your Words Unleashed Six-Month Program.

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

The three ways Leslie can help you in 2025:

#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 Zoom 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 on my website and if you are interested in any of these, please shoot me an email at ...

Send us a text

On today’s episode I’m going to be talking about how important it is to be part of writing groups and how to run them.

This is always true, but especially so when you’re working on your first book.

When you have the support and accountability, you will not only write more, but you’ll feel a lot better while doing it.

And who doesn’t want that?

For step-by-step support for your writing projects apply for Leslie's Your Words Unleashed Six-Month Program.

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

The three ways Leslie can help you in 2025:

#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 Zoom 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 on my website and if you are interested in any of these, please shoot me an email at ...

Send us a text

On today's podcast episode I thought I would do something a little bit different. Rather than giving tips or advice about writing, I’d like to help you create a sense of internal calm with a short guided meditation.

When you’re in a calm, curious, and collected space, much more is possible in every realm of life.

In the days ahead, with their many challenges, you can use this technique at any time to still your mind, knowing that in a few simple moments you can feel completely calm again.

For step-by-step support for your writing projects apply for Leslie's Your Words Unleashed Six-Month Program.

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

The three ways Leslie can help you in 2025:

#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 Zoom 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 on my website and if you are interested in any of these, please shoot me an email at ...

Send us a text

Today's episode talks about ways to befriend your inner critic and treat yourself with more compassion.

For step-by-step support for your writing projects apply for Leslie's Your Words Unleashed Six-Month Program.

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

The three ways Leslie can help you in 2025:

#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 Zoom 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 on my website and if you are interested in any of these, please shoot me an email at ...

Send us a text

So in the last episode I talked about some of the reasons why transforming your dissertation into a book is an emotionally complex process. 

It’s possible you’ve outgrown your topic and need to find ways to reconnect to your original sources of inspiration to keep going. 

You also need to bid farewell to your earlier grad student self and move forward into the next stage of your intellectual journey as an expert, and I gave you a little exercise you could do to move this process along.

Today’s episode is going to be all about practical application. I’m going to give some really useful and specific tips and tricks that will help you revise your dissertation into a book.

For step-by-step support for your writing projects apply for Leslie's Your Words Unleashed Six-Month Program.

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

The three ways Leslie can help you in 2025:

#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 Zoom 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 on my website and if you are interested in any of these, please shoot me an email at ...

Send us a text

Recently I was asked by a large research university to put together a workshop for junior faculty about transforming your dissertation into a book. 

It’s made me reflect on the very long and painful process I went through writing my first book, which I started working on soon after I graduated with my PhD in 2010.

In this episode I’m going to focus on WHY revising your dissertation is such an emotionally fraught process. 

I’ll give you an exercise at the end to help you reflect on your journey from graduate student to full-fledged expert.

And in the next episode, I will give some specific and practical tips and tricks to help you as you work on revising. 

 For step-by-step support for your writing projects apply for Leslie's Your Words Unleashed Six-Month Program.

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

The three ways Leslie can help you in 2025:

#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 Zoom 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 on my website and if you are interested in any of these, please shoot me an email at ...

Send us a text

In the last episode I talked about when you should start reaching out to scholarly presses and setting up meetings with acquiring editors to talk about your book project. 

The moral of the story is that there is no one-size-fits-all model to getting your book published. As I’ll tell you about later in this episode, even my own two books had vastly different journeys to publication. 

Therefore, today’s episode builds on the last one, by answering another set of pressing questions that first-time authors often have: 

How do you determine the best press for your manuscript? And, once you decide that you are ready to contact editors, how do you actually do it? 

For step-by-step support for your writing projects apply for Leslie's Your Words Unleashed Six-Month Program.

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

The three ways Leslie can help you in 2025:

#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 Zoom 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 on my website and if you are interested in any of these, please shoot me an email at ...