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Send us Fan Mail AI is changing academic writing in ways that are raising some big questions about academic honesty and what it means to be a scholar. In this episode, I talk with qualitative researcher and “free range scholar” Dr. Janet Salmons about how academic publishers are responding to generative AI and what their policies mean for researchers and writers. We dig into some of the gray areas around using AI for research and writing, including why documenting your AI use may be more important than you think. We also talk about something that can get lost in the AI conversation: developing your own scholarly skills and voice. Janet shares her thoughts on building a body of work over time and finding support from other writers so you can take pride in the work you put your name on. 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 Fan Mail What happens when you love teaching but can’t make a sustainable living as an adjunct? In this episode, I talk with Caitlin Luetger-Schlewitt about her winding career journey through higher education and beyond. After eight years of “full-time adjuncting” at three colleges while juggling multiple other jobs, Caitlin eventually decided it was time for a change. She shares how she moved into mental health counseling before finding her way to career services and eventually back into a full-time faculty role. We talk about things like professional identity, the importance of setting boundaries, and making career decisions based on your actual needs and values. We also explore the grief of letting go of an academic identity—and how loosening your attachment to one particular path can open up unexpected possibilities. If you’re an adjunct considering a career pivot, 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 Fan Mail Academic leadership often comes with a job description that says “professor” but a reality that says “manager, mentor, conflict resolver, and people leader.” The problem? Most academics receive very little training for that second job. In this episode, I talk with Dr. Jen Heemstra, Chair and Professor of Chemistry at Washington University in St. Louis and author of Lab Work to Leadership: A Concise Guide to Thriving in the Science Job You Weren’t Trained For. We discuss what leadership really means in academia, why it’s about more than having a formal title, and how academics can develop the skills they need to lead themselves and others. Jen shares her journey from doubting she could become a professor to leading a research group and writing a book about academic leadership. She talks about a difficult tenure vote that ultimately freed her from trying to fit into academic culture and helped her focus on her values and the needs of her team. We explore practical strategies for self-leadership, including time management, meaningful goal-setting, redefining success, and being more intentional about where you direct your energy. Jen also shares advice for navigating difficult conversations and resolving conflict by using the same skills academics use in research. If you've ever found yourself in a leadership role wondering, “Why didn't anyone train me for this?”, this conversation offers practical strategies and reassurance that you’re not the only one figuring it out as you go. 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 Fan Mail Writing a conclusion can feel surprisingly difficult. By the time you reach the end of a book, you just want to be finished! But a conclusion is more than the final chapter—it's your opportunity to help readers understand what your work adds up to and why it matters. In this episode, I talk with developmental editor Dr. Katherine Wiley about what makes a strong conclusion and why so many scholars struggle to write one. We discuss the difference between summarizing and synthesizing, how to think about scholarly and real-world implications, and why authors shouldn't leave readers to connect the dots on their own.  Katherine also shares practical strategies for writing stronger conclusions, common mistakes she sees as an editor, and how developmental editors can help authors see the bigger picture in their work. Rather than treating the conclusion as the finish line, Katherine encourages us to see it as the place where the larger purpose of a book comes into focus. Connect with Katherine Wiley Website: https://goldenrodeditorial.com LinkedIn: Katherine Wiley Join Scholarly Writing Groups 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 Fan Mail Feeling the weight of the upcoming semester? You’re not alone. In this listener's choice 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 Fan Mail Academic writing often asks us to keep ourselves out of the story. Memoir asks us to do the opposite. In this episode, I talk with sociologist and intersex scholar-activist Georgiann Davis about her new book, Five Star White Trash, a research-driven memoir that weaves together personal narrative and sociological analysis. We discuss what it means to write about deeply personal experiences as an academic, how memoir can help readers understand larger social issues, and why storytelling can be a powerful form of scholarship. Georgiann shares her journey from middle school dropout to professor, the challenges of writing openly about family trauma and identity, and how sociological concepts helped her make sense of her own experiences. We also discuss audience, accessibility, and the possibilities that emerge when scholars move beyond traditional academic genres. If you've ever wondered what memoir can offer that other forms of academic writing cannot, this conversation provides a thoughtful exploration of the connections between lived experience, research, and public scholarship. 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 Fan Mail Many academics postpone thinking seriously about money until they have a "real job." But the habits and systems you build long before that point can have a significant impact on the choices available to you later. In this episode, I talk with Dr. Emily Roberts, founder of Personal Finance for PhDs, about the financial challenges that graduate students and postdocs often face. We discuss scarcity mindset in academia, the relationship between money and personal values, and why financial literacy is about much more than budgeting. Emily also shares practical strategies for building financial awareness, preparing for career transitions, and creating structures that support long-term goals. This conversation is especially useful if you're trying to make career decisions while navigating the uncertainty of academia today. 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 Fan Mail Many academics reach a point where they start wondering whether they can continue doing this work in the same way for the rest of their career. But even when those questions start surfacing, leaving academia can still feel almost impossible to imagine. In this episode, I talk with my friend Dr. Saher Selod about her transition from tenured professor and department chair to Director of Research at the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding (ISPU). We discuss the emotional reality of leaving academia and the fear and uncertainty that often comes with it. We also talk about how burnout, institutional change, and shifting priorities shape one's decision to explore something different. We also talk about how academic skills translate into policy and nonprofit work, what it means to make research more accessible and publicly impactful, and why many academics underestimate the value of the work they already know how to do. This is a conversation about career transitions, but also about identity and rethinking what meaningful work can look like beyond the academy. 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 Fan Mail What helps some academic authors finish their books while others remain stuck for years? In this solo episode, Leslie explores the question she has been pondering throughout her coaching career: what truly creates writing success?  Drawing on her experience working with hundreds of scholarly authors, she challenges common assumptions about productivity, motivation, and time management.  Leslie shares a practical framework for understanding why writing progress often stalls and what allows authors to keep moving forward despite busy schedules, competing demands, and inevitable setbacks. If you're working on a book manuscript, this episode offers deep insight and a fresh perspective. 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 Fan Mail In this episode, I’m joined by Sarah Russo, founder of Page One Media, to talk through how these campaigns work and how they differ from what presses are able to do on their own. We discuss what publicity actually involves, how it connects to marketing and sales, and why the timeline and goals for a campaign matter so much. We also talk about how to think about platforms in a more expansive way, what authors can do to keep momentum going after publication, and how to approach publicity as part of a longer-term investment in your work. If you’re navigating book publicity and not sure what to expect or what’s worth investing in, this episode may help you think through those decisions. 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 Fan Mail A lot of graduate students—especially those who are first-generation or come from underrepresented backgrounds—enter academia without really knowing how it works behind the scenes. So many expectations are unspoken and timelines can feel fuzzy. A lot of what shapes success is never clearly explained. In this episode, I’m talking with Dr. Yvette Martinez-Vu, the founder of Grad School Femtoring, about how to navigate grad school with more clarity and support. She shares her own journey through academia and how it led her to support first-gen, BIPOC, and non-traditional students in the work she does today. We talk about: -the “hidden curriculum” of graduate school -why so many students struggle with all the ambiguity -and what faculty and institutions can do differently to better support them. Yvette also speaks to the importance of values, community, and sustainable ways of working—and how confidence often grows when expectations are clearer and you can actually see your own progress. So whether you work with graduate students or are in grad school yourself, this conversation will give you a new way to think about support, structure, and what sustainable progress can look like. 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 Fan Mail Turning a published article into a book chapter can feel daunting—but it’s also one of the smartest ways to build momentum on your manuscript. In this episode, I walk you through how to repurpose your existing work without simply copying and pasting. You’ll learn how to rethink your article as part of a larger narrative, clarify its role in your book’s overall argument, and shift your writing to engage a broader audience beyond your subfield. I also address common concerns about self-plagiarism and how much previously published material you can realistically include in a monograph. Finally, I share practical revision strategies—what to cut, what to expand, and how to reshape your structure—so your chapter feels cohesive, compelling, and purposeful. If you’re ready to stop starting from scratch and make meaningful progress on your book, this episode will give you a clear path forward. 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 Fan Mail Many PhDs who are considering careers beyond academia struggle with a simple question: how do you explain what you do to people outside your field? In this episode, I talk with David Mendes, host of Beyond the Thesis with Papa PhD, about science communication, career transitions, and how PhDs can start telling clearer stories about their work and their skills. David shares how his own experience navigating life after the PhD led him to create a podcast that highlights the many different paths researchers take beyond academia. We discuss why academic training often makes it difficult to communicate with broader audiences, how storytelling can help researchers explain their work more effectively, and why building relationships outside the academic bubble is so important. David also offers practical advice on networking, especially for introverts, and how small, authentic conversations can open doors to unexpected career opportunities. If you’re exploring possibilities beyond academia, this conversation offers a thoughtful look at how to broaden your perspective, communicate your work in new ways, and start building connections beyond your department. 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 Fan Mail As political attacks on colleges and universities accelerate across the United States, what’s happening in higher education is increasingly a warning sign for democracy itself. In this episode, Leslie speaks with Alison Gash, Professor and Department Head of Political Science at the University of Oregon, about coordinated efforts to undermine academic freedom—from curriculum bans and anti-DEI policies to broader attempts to weaken critical inquiry. Together, they examine why universities have become such a central political target, and what is at stake when spaces devoted to evidence, debate, and learning are constrained. The conversation also explores how faculty, students, and education leaders are responding through collective advocacy. Alison shares how networks like We Are Higher Ed emerged, why letter-writing campaigns have become a powerful organizing tool, and how community-based resistance can counter the isolation that authoritarian systems depend on. Listeners interested in learning more or getting involved can explore the resources and advocacy efforts at We Are Higher Ed. 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 Fan Mail Have you achieved a lot in your academic career — but something still feels off? In this episode, I explore the identity shifts that often hit academics in mid-career, especially around getting tenure. Drawing on Arthur Brooks' provocative Atlantic essay on professional change, I unpack why purpose naturally evolves over time — and why that's nothing to fear. I talk about the post-tenure slump no one warns you about, the quiet fear of becoming irrelevant, and why academia's narrow definition of success can leave mid-career scholars feeling stuck. I also dig into the different kinds of intelligence and how that distinction can help you stop seeing change as decline and start seeing it as evolution. If you've been wondering how to make your career fit who you are today, this episode 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 ...