260: [Should I Quit Academia Series] Choosing to Leave Academia and Create Something New: An Interview with Jane Jones (Re-Release EP 40)

Mar 11, 2025

Dr. Jane Jones, a sociology PhD and a successful writing coach, shares her inspiring journey transitioning from a tenure-track position to entrepreneurship. She discusses the harsh realities of academia, especially for marginalized individuals, and highlights the emotional challenges faced during this shift. Jane emphasizes the importance of self-awareness and the need for supportive structures for academics at different career stages. Her insights into productivity and the coaching process offer valuable guidance for those contemplating their own career pivots.

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Episode notes

Intro

00:00 • 6min

Journey from Childhood to Academia: A Path of Discovery

05:56 • 4min

Navigating Graduate School Applications

10:01 • 6min

Navigating the Shift: From Academia to Entrepreneurship

15:59 • 28min

From Editing to Coaching: Supporting Academic Writers

43:41 • 10min

Comprehensive Support for Aspiring Authors

54:11 • 1min

Navigating Academic Writing Timelines

55:40 • 6min

Ready to discover alternative career paths in academia? My latest podcast series celebrates the inspiring journeys of diverse academic women who have created success on their terms. In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Jane Jones, and she shares her journey from academia to becoming a successful writing coach.

With a Ph.D. in sociology, Jane secured a tenure-track position, but after facing several challenges in academia, she decided to leave. Today, she runs a thriving writing coaching business specializing in helping scholars write books. Her story highlights the realities of academia, particularly for marginalized individuals, and the process of transitioning out of it to pursue a more fulfilling career path.

Throughout our conversation, we break down the importance of self-awareness, identifying harmful institutional policies, and support for academics at all stages of their career. Whether you are writing a book, navigating the pressures of academia, or simply wanting to manage your time more effectively, this episode delivers key insights into what can be possible when you pivot from professorship.

For full show notes visit scholarsvoice.org/podcast.

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Our 12-week Navigate: Your Writing Roadmap® program helps tenure-track womxn and nonbinary professors to publish their backlog of papers so that their voice can have the impact they know is possible. Get on the waitlist here!
Cathy’s book, Making Time to Write: How to Resist the Patriarchy and Take Control of Your Academic Career Through Writing is available in print! Learn how to build your career around your writing practice while shattering the myths of writing every day, accountability, and motivation, doing mindset work that’s going to reshape your writing,and changing academic culture one womxn and nonbinary professor at a time. Get your print copy today or order it for a friend here!
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