Meet Randy Lindsay of Serenity Project in Mesa

Today we’d like to introduce you to Randy Lindsay.

Randy, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
A few years ago, my wife and I adopted two boys who needed a home. We decided that one of us should stay home with the boys to help the transition. That turned out to be me. In addition to the normal stay-at-home responsibilities, I decided to pursue a writing career. My first two books were traditionally published and I have three that I have published myself. The writing path I have taken has brought me into contact with many other talented artists. A group of us put together a mini-writing convention each October to help writers prepare for National Novel Writing Month. Since that was so much fun we started a podcast together where we talk about the writing process. Then this year, we made the decision to go visual and have a YouTube show where we evaluate first page entries for novels. The show is sort of a cross between American Idol and The Gong Show, except for books. I’m preparing to launch my own video comic this year.

Has it been a smooth road?
The publishing industry isn’t like it appears in television and movies. Competition to be published is fierce and few authors live the kind of lifestyle you see portrayed in shows like Castle. The biggest struggle is having to constantly learn new skills to move your career along. A person could spend all their time learning how to write better and still not know everything there is to know about the craft. Then once a book is published, an author has to learn how to market it. That’s a whole new and different skill set. If I had to pick one aspect of my career that has been harder than any other it would be learning how to promote my books. Authors expect to sit in their cozy little corners and create. And that is not how it really works.

We’d love to hear more about your business.
My company is set up to support my creative endeavors. I write fantasy, science-fiction, horror and will be delving into non-fiction with a story about an unusual family situation that arose last year. I’m also an entertaining speaker about the writing process. My workshops cover a wide range of topics intended to help beginners and novices alike to write better. All of this is done with a touch of humor. What is life if you can’t laugh once in a while? My brain is in the creative mode most of the time and as such, I come up with a never-ending stream of ideas for stories, toys, games, and other fun products.

Right now, the thing I’m most excited about is the game show I have on YouTube. It’s called So You Think You Can Write and even though writers are our intended audience, I find that anyone interested in books or the creative process find it entertaining.

What I feel sets me apart from others is that my work is accessible. In other words, I’m easy to read, I’m easy to connect with and most people think I’m funny.

Is our city a good place to do what you do?
The greater Phoenix area is a wonderful place for business. I don’t know if I could have made it as far as I have in the publishing industry if I were somewhere else. There are so many contacts to be made right here that allow me to expand my business.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.RanTheStoryMan.com
• Email: Randsay1@gmail.com
• Other: http://www.readysetwritepodcast.com/

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