Walking 500 Miles to Find a New Purpose with Randall Surles

Lessons Learned for Vets

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What happens when a highly-decorated Green Beret with an MFA in Creative Writing decides to forge a completely different path after retirement? Randy Surles takes us on his remarkable journey from 32 years in Army Special Forces to becoming a sought-after editor and ghostwriter for military authors.
Randy's story begins with unexpected change when policy shifts forced an earlier retirement than planned. Facing this transition while going through a divorce, he embarked on a soul-searching 500-mile hike across northern Spain on the famous Camino de Santiago. The trek, intended to help process his military exit and prove his physical capabilities despite injuries, delivered far more than expected, including meeting his future wife on just the second day.
While hiking, Randy received an email about a specialized editing certification program. What began as a simple interest in improving his own writing transformed into the foundation of a thriving business. Within two years of focused effort, Randy built a six-figure editing and ghostwriting practice that now allows him to work just 20 hours weekly from his home in Spain.
The episode dives deep into the realities of military memoir writing, with Randy explaining the different approaches authors take, from legacy memoirs documenting entire careers to focused accounts of specific deployments. His experience collaborating on the New York Times bestseller "Operation Pineapple Express" and over 40 other books provides listeners with candid insights about publishing economics and what it really takes to succeed in the industry.
Most valuably, Randy shares how he's paying it forward through his SkillBridge program called "Story Ninjas," teaching transitioning service members the editing craft and business fundamentals they need to follow a similar path. You can learn more about this program at https://militaryeditor.com/ghostwriting/ and https://thestoryninjas.com/.

His newly-launched Military Writers Academy aims to connect veteran authors with editors who understand military culture and experiences.
If you want to explore how your military background might translate into a creative career, connect with Randy on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/randall-surles-military-editor/

This conversation offers both inspiration and practical wisdom for charting an unconventional but rewarding post-service path. Subscribe to Lessons Learned for Vets for more stories of successful military transitions.

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1. Introduction to Randy Searles (00:00:00)

2. Finding Direction Through Hiking (00:04:49)

3. Discovering a Career in Editing (00:09:48)

4. Building an Editing Business (00:15:34)

5. Memoir Writing vs Fiction (00:22:59)

6. The SkillBridge Program (00:33:27)

7. Military Writers Academy (00:40:11)

8. Publishing Options and Financial Reality (00:46:36)