Your Words Unleashed

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In this milestone 100th episode of Your Words Unleashed, I reflect on my podcasting journey and share one of the most courageous pieces of writing I’ve ever published: “The Case for Radically Inclusive Writing.”
After more than four years of podcasting—and major life and career transitions along the way—I look back on how using my voice consistently has shaped my values, my work, and my willingness to speak candidly about what’s broken when it comes to academic writing.
The heart of this episode is my recent opinion piece for Contexts Magazine, where I argue that the future of academic publishing depends on radically inclusive and accessible writing. I unpack why jargon, gatekeeping, and exclusivity limit the impact of scholarly ideas—and why clarity is not the enemy of rigor.
This episode is about writing as connection, not performance. It's time to use our writing to build bridges beyond the Ivory Tower.
Here’s to the next 100 episodes!
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 ...

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Many academic authors have little sense of what happens once a book is finished, especially when it comes to publicity. 
In this episode, I talk with Amanda Ice, a senior publicist at Harvard University Press, about what happens behind the scenes once a book is finished and why so much of that work is invisible to authors.
We walk through the publicity timeline, what authors can realistically expect from a university press, and why collaboration with your publicist matters more than most people realize. Amanda also shares common challenges academics face when promoting their work, including translating specialized ideas for broader audiences and deciding where to invest time and energy.
If you’re publishing a scholarly or academic trade book, this episode will help you approach publication with clearer expectations and better decision-making.

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
As another intense year in academia comes to a close, you might be feeling equal parts relieved and completely wiped out. 
In this episode, I’m reflecting on what 2025 looked like in my business and why I intentionally chose to do less—and felt better for it. Then I’ll walk you through a simple, low-pressure reflection that can help you figure out how to do just 10% less next semester without blowing up your career or your conscience. 
This isn’t about quitting your job or radically changing your life overnight. It’s about small, strategic shifts that protect your energy and make your work feel more sustainable. 
If you’re craving a gentler way to start the new year, 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 ...

Send us a text
In this episode, Leslie talks with Dr. Abbie E. Goldberg—Professor of Clinical Psychology at Clark University and a leading scholar on LGBTQ+ families—about writing, research, and staying motivated when academic life feels overwhelming. Abbie reflects on how she came to see research as a form of storytelling and why life transitions for more than two decades.
They dive into the realities of academic writing: how to decide when a project no longer fits, why setting something aside isn’t failure, and how focusing on process rather than product can create more sustainable careers. The conversation also explores collaboration—what makes it work, what makes it painful, and how to spot mismatches early.
Despite all of the burnout and uncertainty in higher education, Abbie's thoughtful strategies for maintaining curiosity and finding hope through writing provide much-needed inspiration!
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 ...