In this episode, Dr. Renee Jordan reflects on a pivotal blog post from May 2018 titled "Almost There," marking a significant milestone in her doctoral journey. She recounts completing her final required course, a week-long intensive on writing qualitative research manuscripts led by Dr. Janice B. Fournillier. The course, held at Red Top Mountain State Park in Georgia, was a transformative writing retreat that propelled her towards her comprehensive exams, research proposal, and dissertation.

1. The Writing Retreat Experience: The retreat was a writing revival, with daily individual appointments with Dr. Fournillier and evening group sessions. Attendees, including Dr. Jordan, had specific writing goals, ranging from dissertation proposals to data analysis.
2. Personal Reflections and Decisions: Dr. Jordan grappled with whether to use existing data from a project with her advisor or embark on her own research. The retreat helped her crystallize her decision to pursue her own project.
3. Emotional and Personal Journey: Dr. Jordan shares a personal story about writing an autoethnographic piece dedicated to her late mother, blending academic references with poetic elements. The writing retreat was an emotional time, helping her process her journey and loss.
4. Collaborative and Creative Efforts: The retreat fostered collaboration among participants, allowing them to share and review each other's work. Dr. Jordan emphasizes the importance of writing regularly, even if the writings are not always submitted for academic purposes.
5. Advice for Doctoral Students: Carve out dedicated time for writing and set specific goals. Consider attending writing retreats and come prepared with a plan. Embrace flexibility in the writing process, allowing creativity to flow. Take care of oneself, balancing intense writing periods with relaxation and self-care.

Takeaway Message: Dr. Jordan encourages doctoral students to persist in their writing endeavors, seek opportunities like writing retreats, and balance their academic pursuits with personal well-being. She highlights the importance of personal stories in academic work and the value of writing as a means to navigate and articulate one's scholarly journey.

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Closing: Thank you for tuning in to another episode of Black Liberation.Tech with Dr. Renee Jordan. Until next time, bye-bye.