Your Words Unleashed
Episodes
Ep. 95 - Caring for Aging Parents while Maintaining Your Career (with Dr. Katherine Lee)
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this deeply moving conversation, Leslie talks with Dr. Katherine In-Young Lee, a higher ed coach and former tenured professor, about ...
Ep. 94 - Leaving Academia #7: What You Only Learn AFTER You Leave
18 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode, Leslie explore the surprising perspectives people only gain after leaving academia. After three years outside higher ed...
Ep. 93 - Targeted Online? What Every Professor Needs to Know to Protect Themselves (with Dr. Heather Steffen)
04 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textWhat would you do if your inbox filled with threats, your home address was posted online, or your university launched an “investigatio...
Ep. 92 - Become Your Own Developmental Editor (with Dr. Laura Portwood-Stacer)
22 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode, Leslie welcomes back book publishing expert Dr. Laura Portwood-Stacer, author of The Book Proposal Book and the new rel...
Ep. 91 - How to Keep Writing When You're Running on Empty
08 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textFeeling 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...
Ep. 90 - Teaching with Courage in Polarized Times (with Dr. Brielle Harbin)
30 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textHow do you keep teaching with integrity when the ground beneath higher education is constantly shifting? In this episode, I talk with Dr...
Ep. 89 - My Top 5 Writing Pet Peeves
16 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode of Your Words Unleashed, I’m getting back to basics—the kind of writing advice that makes the biggest difference for...
Ep. 88 - Leaving Academia #6: Starting a Successful Online Business (with Dr. Paulina Cossette)
03 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textSupport the showCheck out Leslie's website at www.YourWordsUnleashed.com!The three ways Leslie can help you with coaching & dev...
Ep. 87 - How to Scale Back on Teaching (without Guilt!)
19 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textFeeling the weight of the upcoming semester? You’re not alone. In this episode, I explore why so many academics head into fall already...
Ep. 86 - Behind the Scenes at a Top University Press (with Editor Alison Kalett)
05 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textAcquisitions editors, developmental editors, copy editors... How many different kinds of editors are there? What do they even do? And wh...
Ep. 85 - How Much Time Do You REALLY Need to Write?
23 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textHave you ever asked yourself, “How much time do I actually need to write in order to make progress?” If so, then this episode is f...
Ep. 84 - Service Shaming in Academia & How to Fix It (with Dr. Cullen Merritt)
08 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this powerful episode, Dr. Cullen C. Merritt, Associate Professor and Research Director at the University of Maryland, joins me to un...
Ep. 83 - The Secrets to Creating a Viral TEDx Talk (with Dr. Jennifer Reich)
18 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode, Leslie chats with Dr. Jennifer Reich—sociologist, author, and TEDx speaker whose talk has racked up over 1 million vi...
Ep. 82 - A Better Way to Think About Summer Writing Goals
04 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this re-released episode, I explore a radically different way to think about time and procrastination—one that offers more freedom,...
Ep. 81 - How to Plan a Sabbatical That Revitalizes Your Life and Career (with Dr. Bethany Wilinski)
20 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textFeeling burned out before your sabbatical even begins? Dr. Bethany Wilinski shares how to design a sabbatical that actually heals, resto...
Ep. 80 - Design Your Dream Life in Three Simple Steps
06 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn Episode 80 of Your Words Unleashed, Leslie Wang walks you through one of her favorite tools for getting unstuck: a simple but powerfu...
Ep. 79 - What Academia Gets Wrong About Disability—And How to Fix It (with Dr. Stephanie Cawthon)
23 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textWhat if everything you thought you knew about disability… missed the point?In this deeply powerful episode, I’m joined by Dr. Stepha...
Ep. 78 - Leaving Academia #5: Using Social Media to Build a Compelling Personal Brand (with Dr. Ashley Ruba)
09 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textAre you an academic thinking about leaving the ivory tower but unsure of your next step? In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Ashley Ru...
Ep. 77 - Why Academics Hate Self-Promotion (But Need to Do It Anyway)
25 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textWhy do so many academics cringe at the thought of self-promotion? In this episode, I dive into why scholars struggle to share their work...
Ep. 76 - How to Succeed in Academia without Sacrificing Your Well-Being (with Dr. Roxanne Donovan)
11 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIs it possible for women of color and other marginalized faculty to be successful in the increasingly toxic culture of the academy? How ...
Ep. 75 - Calm Your Mind Now by Listening to the Body
25 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textFeeling overwhelmed and mentally exhausted? In this episode, I share how tuning into your body can quiet your mind and restore balance. ...
Ep. 74 - Burnout vs. Overwhelm: How to Tell the Difference and Recover (with Dr. Brandy Simula)
11 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textFeeling overwhelmed and stretched too thin? You’re not alone! In this episode, I chat with Dr. Brandy Simula—executive coach, leader...
Ep. 73 - Why Risk-Taking Fuels Powerful Writing
28 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode, I open up about the power of taking risks in writing and why it’s essential for creating meaningful, lasting impact. ...
Ep. 72 - Budgeting for Success: Financial Planning for Academics (with Dr. Inga Timmerman)
14 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textWhy on earth have I invited a financial planner onto a podcast that is mostly focused on writing?It's because academics need more f...
Ep. 71 - What Went Right (and Wrong) In 2024? Your Year-End Reflection Guide
31 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this final episode of 2024, I pause to reflect on the past year and prepare for the next. This episode focuses on the power of reflec...
Ep. 70 - Becoming a Public Scholar: Making an Impact Beyond Academia (with Dr. Kevin R. McClure)
17 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textPublic scholarship is near and dear to my heart, which is why I’m super excited to welcome Dr. Kevin McClure as my guest in this episo...
Ep. 69 - The Most Important Mindset Shift Academics Can Make
03 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textThis episode dives into the single most transformative mindset shift that academics can make: moving away from a success/failure binary....
Ep. 68 - Navigating the Challenges of Mid-Career (with Dr. Cathy Mazak)
19 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textOn today's episode I’m thrilled to welcome Dr. Cathy Mazak, founder of Scholars Voice and host of the Academic Writing Amplified ...
Ep. 67 - Three Reasons You Need to Write More Simply
04 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode, I dive into why writing in plain language is a game-changer for academics. Instead of feeling pressured to use fancy ja...
Ep. 66 - Leaving Academia, Part 4: Grieving the Loss of Professional Identity (with Dr. Chinasa Elue)
22 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textWhen I left the academy roughly two years ago, I had many challenging emotions to navigate. I felt angry, sad, and afraid of what would ...
Ep. 65 - When (and Why) It's Okay to Quit Writing Your Book
08 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textHave you ever wanted to quit writing your book but felt intense shame and embarrassment about it? In today's episode, I tackle this...
Ep. 64 - Publishing with a Trade Press: Is It Right for You? (with Dr. OiYan Poon)
24 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textOne of the biggest dilemmas academic authors face, particularly when their topic has broad appeal, is the decision of whether or not to ...
Ep. 63 - The Magic of Writing Retreats (with Dr. Michelle Boyd)
04 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textAre you an academic struggling with writing or feeling isolated in your scholarly journey?In this episode I welcome my friend and writin...
Ep. 62 - How to Keep Writing During the Semester
13 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textAre you scared to death about how you're going to be able to get any writing done this fall? If so, join the club!In this episode I...
Ep. 61 - Empowering Women of Color in Academia (with Dr. Katherine Lee)
30 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textAre you a woman of color in academia searching for strategies to help you thrive? What is some practical advice on handling department...
Ep. 60 - Turn Your Perfectionism Into a Superpower
16 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textDo you feel like perfectionism gets in the way of your happiness or achieving your goals? Perfectionism is usually seen as a big problem...
Ep. 59 - What Acquisitions Editors Truly Want (with Jenny Gavacs)
02 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textWhat do acquisitions editors do at scholarly presses? What things make a book project stand out? When is the best time to contact presse...
Ep. 58: The REAL problem with imposter syndrome (with Dr. Angélica Gutiérrez)
18 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this exciting episode of Your Words Unleashed, Leslie sits down with Dr. Angélica Gutiérrez, esteemed scholar and one of the worl...
Ep. 57: Four Mindset Shifts to Break Through Writer's Block
04 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textWriting a book is a daunting task, often exacerbated by our own negative thoughts and beliefs. But what if changing the way you think ab...
Ep. 56: Essential Tips for Making Academia Easier (with Dr. Loleen Berdahl)
21 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textFinding the right balance between work and life in academia can be a never-ending struggle. That's why in this episode I'm cha...
Ep. 55: Three Steps to Heal from Burnout (Listener's Choice Episode)
06 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textAre you feeling completely exhausted and depleted at the end of this long school year? Join the club! If you're like most academics...
Ep. 54: Mastering the Art of Writing a Crossover Book (with Dr. CJ Pascoe)
23 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textAcademia can sometimes feel like a world locked away in an ivory tower, but what happens when scholarly research breaks free and speaks ...
Ep. 53: Five Ways to Avoid Taking Negative Feedback Personally
09 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textWhen you get negative feedback on your work, do you feel disappointed, hurt, and personally attacked?What if there was a way to avoid ta...
Ep. 52: The Trick to Finding the Right Publisher (with Dr. Laura Portwood-Stacer)
26 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textDo you ever wish someone could just tell you exactly how to find the right publisher for your book? As academic writers, we sometimes te...
Ep. 51: Leaving Academia, Part 3: What Keeps People Stuck
13 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textThis is the third installment of my series on leaving academia. I’m going to share five powerful, commonly accepted beliefs or assum...
Ep. 50 - Leaving Academia, Part 2: Question Your Beliefs
27 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIf you’re struggling in your daily life, as many academics are, it’s imperative to take a deeper look at what you believe to be true...
Ep. 49: Writing for Your Ideal Reader 101
12 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textWho is your ideal reader? It’s a tricky question for academics. Now that I’ve been a book coach for some time, I can tell you that t...
Ep. 48: Four Ways to Stop Dreading Writing
29 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textDoes it feel like pulling teeth to get yourself to work on your book or an important article? Do you find yourself doing just about anyt...
Ep. 47 - Unlock the Wisdom of Your Future Self
12 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this first episode of the new year, I help you connect with a version of your own future self who you can use as a source of wisdom a...
Ep. 46 - 5 Prompts to Reignite Your Writing
27 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textMany of the writers I work with started off with a bang in September and then their writing slowed down to a mere trickle or stopped alt...
Ep. 45 - Leaving Academia, Part 1: Assess Your Situation
11 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textHi writers! I've been putting off talking about leaving academia for a long time now, but it can no longer wait. My clients are con...
Ep. 44 - Tips for Overcoming Perfectionism
28 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textToday's episode is inspired by a recent breakthrough I had with one of my writing coaching clients. Incidentally, she’s an articl...
Ep. 43: Harness the Power of Storytelling
16 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textToday I’m going to talk about something that I believe is a really important part of good scholarly writing.And that is the power of s...
Ep. 42: Moving Forward In Bleak Times
27 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textI don’t need to tell you how heavy things are feeling across the globe right now.Like most of you, I've been watching disaster un...
Ep. 41: The Top 5 Book Proposal Mistakes to Avoid
10 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textThe scholarly book proposal is truly an art form that is very difficult to master. It's THE most important part of getting a book c...
Ep. 40: What Podcasting Has Taught Me About Writing
25 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textI've made it to my 40th episode! In fact, podcasting is not something I ever seriously considered before I created my coaching busi...
Ep 39: How to Run a Book Manuscript Workshop
13 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textToday I’m going to go in-depth about one of the very best and most important things you can possibly do to improve your book. And this...
Ep. 38: What Kind of Procrastinator are You?
31 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textThis episode is focused on something that plagues many of us: procrastination! A lot of the guidance out there on dealing with procrasti...
Ep. 37: 4 Strategies for Saying No
19 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIf you want to keep your own mental, physical, and emotional health and well-being at the forefront this semester, this means SAYING NO ...
Ep. 36: Use Teaching to Help Your Research
07 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textToday’s episode will be focused on how you can consciously design your courses to help you attain your own goals. I’ll talk about wh...
Ep. 35: Writing that Gets Straight to the Point
12 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode, I talk about why academics have such a hard time getting straight to the point in their writing and offer suggestions o...
Ep. 34: What Successful Authors Do
19 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textLearn what my most successful clients do to make sure they make progress on their writing. No. Matter. What.For step-by-step support for...
Ep. 33: Reflect on the School Year
05 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textThis past academic year has been a beast! Since summer’s just beginning, here’s your chance to take stock of the past school year. T...
Ep. 32: Three Steps to Heal from Burnout
22 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textSummer is around the corner and you know you need to do something major to reclaim the parts of yourself you have lost this past academi...
Ep. 31: How to Know if You're Burnt Out
08 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textHow do you know if you're truly burnt out? In this episode (and the next), I delve into this topic and what you can do about it. Al...
Ep. 30: Shifting from Article Writer to Book Author
24 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textA lot of the authors I work with are junior scholars very early on in their careers, and their book will be the primary stepping stone t...
Ep. 29: A Better Way to Manage Your Time
10 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIf you’re like me, you’re constantly try to find ways to get more efficient at things so you can cram more into your day and feel so...
Ep. 28: 6 Ways to Promote Your Book
27 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textThis episode talks about something that strikes fear into the heart of many introvert academics: promoting your own book!Although your p...
Ep. 27: Prime Your Mind for Writing
13 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode I talk about something that can have a major positive impact on your work, your writing process. and the amount of writi...
Ep. 26: The Elements of a Strong Book Proposal
27 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textWell, the time has come for me to talk about one of the—if not THE—most important part of getting a scholarly book contract.  And ...
Ep. 25: How Book Writing is Like Teaching
13 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textOne of the biggest challenges my clients face is figuring out how to write during semesters when they are also teaching.It’s not just ...
Ep. 24: Should You Submit to More Than One Press at the Same Time?
30 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn today's episode I clear up the question: should you submit your materials for review to more than one press at the same time?I t...
Ep. 23: Re-release of "Create Bulletproof Semester Boundaries"
12 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textToday I’m going to be re-releasing one of my favorite podcast episodes, which helps you set clear and sustainable boundaries with your...
Ep. 22: Re-release of "Write Faster with These 3 Thoughts!"
29 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textRight now, I’m visiting my family in California, so I’ve decided to re-release the very first episode of my podcast. It also happen...
Ep. 21: Do a Year-End Reflection
12 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textThis episode will give you some questions that will help you process the roller-coaster of 2022 in all its glory and reflect on everythi...
Ep. 20: How Writing Coaches Get Unstuck
22 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textToday’s episode is inspired by a lively webinar I participated in recently called “How Writing Coaches Get Unstuck” that helped ki...
Ep. 19: The Challenges of Writing a Second Book
08 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textToday’s podcast episode is inspired by a workshop I recently ran for mid-career faculty at Rutgers University. The topic was the chall...
Ep. 18: Understanding Advance Contracts
26 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textToday I am going to try to clear up some misconceptions about book contracts and clarify whether or not it’s in your best interests to...
Ep. 17: How to Pay for a Writing Coach
11 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textOn today’s episode we are going to talk about a topic that is somewhat taboo in academia, and that’s money.Specifically, I’m going...
Ep. 15: How to Juggle Multiple Writing Projects
08 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textHi 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 ne...
Ep. 14: Four Ways to Manage Fear of Writing
29 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textToday 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 wr...
Ep. 13: When to Say No This Semester
16 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textToday’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, ph...
Ep. 12: All About Writing Groups
28 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textOn 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 alway...
Ep. 11: Create Calm Through Meditation
12 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textOn today's podcast episode I thought I would do something a little bit different. Rather than giving tips or advice about writing, ...
Ep. 10: Befriend Your Inner Critic
25 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textToday's episode talks about ways to befriend your inner critic and treat yourself with more compassion.For step-by-step support for...
Ep. 9: Tips to Revise Your Dissertation into a Book
10 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textSo in the last episode I talked about some of the reasons why transforming your dissertation into a book is an emotionally complex proce...
Ep. 8: Why Transforming Your Dissertation into a Book is So Hard
31 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textRecently I was asked by a large research university to put together a workshop for junior faculty about transforming your dissertation i...
Ep. 7: Find the Best Press & Contact Editors
16 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn the last episode I talked about when you should start reaching out to scholarly presses and setting up meetings with acquiring editor...
Ep. 6: When Should You Talk to Editors?
06 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textPublishing a book involves a hidden curriculum of knowledge that some have more access to than others—especially those who went elite ...
Ep. 5: 4 Tips to Overcoming Overwhelm
27 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textToday I’m going to talk about something that affects nearly all book writers—and let’s be honest, pretty much all people—at one ...
Ep. 4: Develop Your Voice as an Author
19 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode we're going to dig into a topic that is critical to your success in getting your book published, but it's also...
Ep. 3: Create Bulletproof Boundaries with Your Job
10 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textWouldn’t you agree that these days boundaries have become such a buzzword? All the time, we hear experts talking about how we need to ...
Ep. 2: The Trick to Maintaining Your Writing Motivation
17 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textThanks so much for joining me today! Today I’ll be talking about one of the biggest challenges that first-time scholarly book authors ...
Ep. 1: Write Faster With These 3 Thoughts!
17 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textWelcome to the very first episode of Your Words Unleashed Podcast! I’m so excited to be here with you, sharing everything I know as a ...
What's Your Words Unleashed Podcast All About?
17 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textHow do you maintain consistent progress on your book manuscript? What are the best ways to stay motivated to write? What goes into a str...