Leaving Academia: Becoming a Freelance Editor5 Feb

"I Finally Have a Life": What One Poli Sci Professor Gained When He Gave Up Academia

What happens when everything looks perfect on paper but your life feels like it's falling apart?

Today's guest, Daniel DeRock, was a successful assistant professor of international political economy at a "dream" university—yet he walked away. Why?

In this episode, Daniel shares the truth about burnout, the hidden costs of chasing credentials, and how he's now building a thriving freelance business that finally honors all of who he is.

In this conversation, you'll hear:

☑️ Why Daniel left academia despite appearing to "have it all" on paper

☑️ The moment he decided to quit (spoiler: it was sudden and definitive)

☑️ How health problems and work-life balance pushed him to the breaking point

☑️ Why he's now doing a fiction book coaching certification alongside academic editing

☑️ How to build a business around what you actually want, not what you "should" want

☑️ The power of claiming your full identity when you leave academia

Daniel's journey is a reminder that success in academia doesn't equal happiness. He was doing everything "right"—defended his dissertation, got the postdoc, landed the faculty job at the university where he'd studied abroad. Yet the constant task-switching, budget cuts, isolation, and unsustainable workload made him reach his limit.

What's beautiful about Daniel's story is that he didn't just escape academia—he's actively building a business that brings together both his academic expertise AND his passion for fiction writing and the literary world. He's not abandoning his credentials; he's leveraging them in a completely new way.

This episode is for anyone who's been told they should be grateful for their academic position, or who's struggling to admit that their "dream job" isn't actually working for them.

If you're considering leaving academia or starting an editing/coaching business, watch this episode. And if you're ready to take the leap, check out my program, Becoming an Academic Editor or Coach—a 12-week group coaching program paired with lifetime access to the course materials.

Resources Mentioned:

Daniel's website: flowstateediting.com

Connect with Daniel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-derock-988883302/

Want to end burnout and become an academic editor or coach? Go to AcadiaEditing.com/BecomeAnEditor

[2:30] Daniel's Academic Background

Double major in political science and English, studying in the Netherlands

[5:45] Graduate School Journey

Master's degree and PhD in Amsterdam, field work and teaching experience

[9:20] Burnout During PhD

Teaching full-time while finishing dissertation and applying for jobs

[12:15] Landing the Dream Job

Assistant professor position at his study abroad university

[15:40] Health Deterioration

Stress-related health problems and work-life balance issues

[18:30] Budget Cuts and Increased Workload

Doing the work of multiple people without support

[21:00] The Decision to Leave

Abrupt departure from academia after reaching breaking point

[24:45] Early Interest in Editing

Proofreading for colleagues, freelance editing during PhD

[28:20] Discovering the Path Forward

Finding Paulina's course and realizing editing could be viable

[32:10] Starting the Business

Registering Flow State Editing, first clients from colleagues

[35:50] LinkedIn as Marketing Platform

Returning to LinkedIn and building presence

[38:40] Types of Editing Work

Copy editing, developmental editing, coaching for academics

[42:15] Expanding into Fiction Editing

Interest in creative writing and book coaching

[45:30] The Challenge of Niching Down

Balancing academic editing with fiction editing interests

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