Why You Have to Get Out of Your Comfort Zone to Find Your Voice, with Randy Richardson, Author of ‘Havana Hangover’

Today I am thrilled to introduce you to Randy Richardson, an accomplished attorney, award-winning journalist, and the president of the Chicago Writers Association. His latest novel, 'Havana Hangover,' has earned significant accolades, adding to his impressive career in writing, journalism, and law. 

In this episode, Randy shares the story of how he found journalism and law and decided to become a novelist on top of his impressive career. We discuss the motivation behind starting the Chicago Writers Association and its evolution from a small Yahoo group to a thriving community with over 1,000 dues-paying members and 8,000 Facebook group members. 

Together, we talk about the importance of finding community as a writer, the evolution of one's writing voice, and the invaluable lessons Randy has learned throughout his time as an author and lawyer. Randy also shares his personal experiences that inspired his books, especially 'Havana Hangover,' detailing a real-life incident in Cuba that served as its groundwork. 

As always, we explore the concept of voice in writing and how it reflects one's personal experiences and worldview. He provides practical advice for aspiring writers on identifying and refining their unique voice, emphasizing the value of community involvement, continuous reading, and real-life experiences. 

Key Topics:

1. How Randy got involved in the Chicago Writer’s Association
2. The beginning of Randy’s journey as an author and novelist
3. Finding your voice through personal life experiences
4. How to differentiate between the voice of a character and the voice of the author
5. AI as a tool for writing, but not a replacement for authentic, human voice
6. Voice comes through experience and practice
7. The inspiration behind Havana Hangover
8. The importance of hearing outside perspectives about your writing
9. The joy of writing is letting the story unfold naturally
10. Read, expand your comfort zone, get constructive feedback, and be real

Connect with Randy online:

Website: https://www.randyrichardson.co/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/randman61/reels/?locale=es_us&hl=en

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/randyrichardson/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RandyRichardsonWriter

X: https://x.com/lostintheivy

Books: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Randy-Richardson/author/B0CB4MCHHD?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppi

Find more from Jill:

Email: [e-mail]

Website: https://www.thewritersrefuge.com/

Writing Coaching Programs: https://www.thewritersrefuge.com/coaching

Sign up for my free 3x weekly writing session: write to [e-mail] for ZOOM info

Special thanks to LVDY for allowing us to use their song, Saltwater, in the intro and outro of the podcast!