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:How Randy got involved in the Chicago Writer’s AssociationThe beginning of Randy’s journey as an author and novelistFinding your voice through personal life experiencesHow to differentiate between the voice of a character and the voice of the authorAI as a tool for writing, but not a replacement for authentic, human voiceVoice comes through experience and practiceThe inspiration behind Havana HangoverThe importance of hearing outside perspectives about your writingThe joy of writing is letting the story unfold naturallyRead, expand your comfort zone, get constructive feedback, and be realConnect with Randy online:Website: https://www.randyrichardson.co/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/randman61/reels/?locale=es_us&hl=enLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/randyrichardson/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RandyRichardsonWriterX: https://x.com/lostintheivyBooks: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Randy-Richardson/author/B0CB4MCHHD?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppiFind more from Jill: Email: [email protected] Website: https://www.thewritersrefuge.com/ Writing Coaching Programs: https://www.thewritersrefuge.com/coaching Sign up for my free 3x weekly writing session: write to [email protected] for ZOOM info Special thanks to LVDY for allowing us to use their song, Saltwater, in the intro and outro of the podcast!

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