Your Words Unleashed

Leslie Wang

Your Words Unleashed Podcast, hosted by author and writing coach Dr. Leslie Wang, helps women scholars master their writing habits and publish a book that matters.

  1. 4d ago

    Ep. 119 - The Secrets to Nailing an Academic Job Talk (with Dr. Tiffany Green)

    Send us Fan Mail The academic job talk can make or break your chances of landing a position, but how do you create a talk that actually gets people excited about your work? In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Tiffany Green, an economist, population health scientist, and public speaking coach who helps scholars become more effective scientific communicators. Tiffany shares why storytelling is essential to a compelling job talk and how to connect your research to the bigger questions that make people care about your work. We talk about common mistakes academics make in their presentations. Tiffany also offers practical advice on designing more effective slides, preparing for tough Q&A sessions, and practicing your talk with audiences inside and outside your discipline. Whether you’re heading onto the academic job market for the first time or considering a move to a new institution, this conversation will help you communicate your scholarship with greater clarity and confidence. 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 ...

  2. Oct 20

    Ep. 118 - The One Thing that Guarantees Failure

    Send us Fan Mail What if becoming more coachable is the most important thing scholars can do to avoid failure? Drawing on her experience coaching hundreds of academics, Leslie explores what it really means to be coachable—and why this skill can be especially challenging for academics. She breaks coachability down into three main qualities and also explores the danger of conflating one's personal identity with their scholarly work.  This episode is for anyone who wants to learn how to receive feedback well and break out of old patterns in order to avoid failure and move toward possibility. 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 ...

  3. Oct 6

    Ep. 117 - AI and the Future of Scholarly Research (with Dr. Janet Salmons)

    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 ...

  4. Sep 22

    Ep. 116 - Leaving Academia #11: Life Beyond Adjuncting (with Caitlin Luetger-Schlewitt)

    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 ...

  5. Sep 8

    Ep. 115 - Rethinking Leadership in Academia (with Dr. Jen Heemstra)

    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 ...

  6. Aug 24

    Ep. 114 - How to Write Stronger Conclusions (with Dr. Katherine Wiley)

    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 ...

  7. Aug 11

    Ep. 113 - Scale Back Your Teaching Without Guilt! (Listener's Choice!)

    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 ...

  8. Jul 28

    Ep. 112 - Bringing Personal Memoir into Academic Writing (with Dr. Georgiann Davis)

    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 ...

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About

Your Words Unleashed Podcast, hosted by author and writing coach Dr. Leslie Wang, helps women scholars master their writing habits and publish a book that matters.

Information

  • Creator
    Leslie Wang
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    119
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Your Words Unleashed
  • Show Website
    Your Words Unleashed

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