I was born in Johannesburg in 1965 to parents who were both qualified teachers. My father Peter Randall co-founded Ravan Press, which specialised in anti-apartheid literature, in the 1970s. He was eventually banned by the Nationalist government of the day, and thereafter became a lecturer and later professor in education at Wits University.

I grew up with a love of books and stories, and my mother endlessly encouraged all sorts of creative and cultural activities. In the 1980s I attended the late Lionel Abrahams’ writing group, and while living in Cape Town from 1998 to 2000 I set up and ran three creative writing groups which met every week. Since then I have continued to provide mentorship for writers on an individual basis. I also have extensive editing experience and have worked with diverse material ranging from autobiography to doctoral theses.

In 1995 I completed a BA degree through Unisa majoring in English and psychology; in 1996 I completed a BA honours in psychology through Unisa. My MA in research psychology was obtained through Wits and was awarded in 2006. All of my degrees were gained with distinction.

The Legacy project (shown on this website) blends my interest in life stories and narrative psychology with my years of experience as a writer and editor.  

Already an artist at 5		Sue Randall

I see the Legacy project as something that can make a positive difference in people's lives, making something happen that otherwise would not. So many people have incredible life stories and most of them say things like 'I could write a book about my life!'  - but they never will, not unless there is someone like me to help them. There are many reasons for this. Most elderly people don't have strong computer or typing skills, while people who are not yet retired simply may not have the time. It makes things much easier if you can tell your story verbally to someone and know that they will record it faithfully and take it to the publication stage. So a big part of what I do is to create a beautiful product that people will be proud of and cherish.

I also contribute personal qualities such as empathy, curiosity (about what motivates people, and how they have coped with challenges), active listening skills and the ability to ask focused questions. People seem to find me very easy to talk to. My background in psychology means that I am able to help people identify the main themes of their lives and work this into a meaningful narrative, and in so doing portray the essence of their personality as well as the basic biographical facts. I am also able to deal sensitively with deeply personal material. Often by talking about ourselves to an empathic and interested listener, we start to see things in new and wonderful ways. So that is all part of the process which I offer. Writing a good story is about both the process and the final product, both of which are included in my service.

Society does not always appreciate life review and reflection. People tend to be very focused on material riches or success, and that means stories get lost or neglected along the way. They don't seem real enough to bother with. Why go chasing after a grandmother's story when you could be buying yourself a new television? But what can be more important than the story of how someone close to you has lived their allotted time in this world? It is a creative act. Not only do we create a book, but the process also creates for the client a new sense of identity and dignity, the sense of a life well lived. Our stories need to be nurtured and preserved, and making them tangible in the form of a book is most helpful. Many people will only realise the true value of this once they are holding the finished product in their hands.

One of my goals is to reach a point where I am able to offer a free or heavily subsidised service to families who are unable to pay the normal rate. I'm aware that my fees put my service out of reach for some families, and I am also well aware that some of the richest life narratives come from those who are not financially well off. For me, being able to offer a free biography to every one in seven clients would be a sure sign that I am making the kind of difference I want to make in my community. I would also be really happy if I could start to employ other writers, especially if that meant we could operate in other cities besides Johannesburg.