I first had the idea to write this book 15 years ago, but
every time I sat down to write I froze. I knew what I wanted to say. I knew
what the book was about. For years Party with a Plan® was a keynote presentation that I did on college campuses
around the country. So why was I having so much trouble putting it on paper?
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Then a good friend of mine, as I was talking about my
frustration with not getting my work done, said, “Have you ever been checked
out for ADD?” “What? ADD? Me?”
I looked up ADD on the web and I fit all the criteria. I
showed a lot of the signs. So I made an appointment to see an ADD specialist
for an assessment and lo and behold, on the continuum of mild to severe ADD, I
was off the scale on the severe side. I started taking medication and three
weeks later, I sat down to write and the first book poured out of me. Then the
second, and the third.
The challenging part of writing non-fiction is that all
of your information has to be accurate and factual. I had been quoting
statistics for years, but now I had to know exactly where they could be found
if I had to back them up.
Another aspect which is important for me is to be
passionate about the topic. And on the topic of alcohol and other drug use, I
am very passionate. I’ve watched too many people die or hurt themselves because
of the misuse of alcohol or other drugs, including myself. I am an addict and
alcoholic in long-term recovery (since 1984).
Somewhere during the middle stages of my recovery I
remember making a comment that “no one ever taught me how to drink.” And I
realized that nowhere in our society are we taught how to drink in a way that
will keep us out of harm’s way. So I went on a quest. A quest to learn the
formula that would help people learn how to drink. And more than “responsibly”
or “moderately” which have no validity because they can be defined in so many
different ways. I looked at the research and found tipping points between
low-risk drinking and high-risk drinking. I found a way for people to identify
if they might have a problem with alcohol and a way to reinforce for those who
are making low-risk choices that they are doing something positive for
themselves.
I know this is my life’s work. I know that everything I
went through was for the purpose of writing this book and filling this hole
that so many have fallen into.
For those of you writing non-fiction, all I can tell you
as a new author is: check your facts, let the words come from your heart, and
make sure you have fun along the way.
Randy Haveson knows addiction. As an alcoholic in long-term recovery (May, 1984), he has dedicated his life to helping others make more empowered choices in their lives. He is a 25 year veteran in the substance abuse field with extensive experience as a counselor, Director of Health & Alcohol Education at highly accredited universities, and speaker on over 100 campuses, speaking about harm reduction, self-esteem, leadership, and supporting students in recovery.
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