Today we’d like to introduce you to RaeAnna Rekemeyer.
Thanks for sharing your story with us RaeAnna. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Once upon a time, I majored in Literature, French, and Russian with an emphasis in Literary Translation and Analysis. After college, I started a job in the corporate world in downtown Chicago because that is what one does with a college degree.
I quickly realized it was not for me. I needed more than two weeks of vacation time and a whole bunch of other things, so I quit. I started freelancing, but I also bartended to pay the bills with the hope freelancing would become my career. In 2016, I moved to Houston, and everything started to change. A few months after moving to Houston, I started the blog …on the B.L. I all but majored in reading well and have been a voracious reader my entire life.
My best friend had been bugging me to start a blog about the books I read for as long as I can remember. Time is always an issue, but after my move, I found a lot more of it on my hands. I began blogging about the books I read and the trips I take. One thing leads to another, and the blog grew into a career of its own. Today, I am a full-time freelance writer, editor, and translator, and I blog about books, travel, food, being a dog mom, and hot button issues.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Oh goodness no. I spent two years bartending to pay the bills. There were months I had absolutely zero freelancing to do. Slowly over time, I started getting a reputation for being good at what I do. Freelancing is anything but smooth, though. There are some amazing months. Some months, I question if it’s what I should be banking my future on. Things get easier, but they are far from smooth. There are a lot of hot cups of tea and dog snuggles to get through the bad days. Clients can be difficult, internet can freeze, life happens. Blogging has similar ups and downs. There is always something to do, people to email, things to write, content to create, and more. I’ve had to learn how to design a website and troubleshoot, which is a feat considering a really don’t love technology. There are periods of huge growth, and periods of almost no growth at all. It can be really frustrating and simultaneously rewarding. It’s like being on a roller coaster you can’t ever get off. Both aspects of my job are similar because I’m reading and writing alone. It can be very solitary. Meeting people and getting out of the house is much harder than it is working in an office. There are challenges, but I’ve learned how to deal with them. Google and YouTube are lifesavers on bad days.
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
…on the B.L. is a nerdy lifestyle blog. I’m trying to make it a thing. As a blogger, I specialize in everything I love, and I am a nerd at heart. I love reading, learning, traveling, eating, and spending time with my dog. These things are pretty abundant on the blog and in my social media. Social issues are very important to me, and I have always been pretty vocal about the things I care about. It’s what I’m most proud of. I firmly believe change happens when people speak and listen. I listen by reading and paying attention to people’s stories. I speak through the blog on topics I feel are important when I have an opinion or story to share. I have worked towards impacting change in the minds and hearts of people around me for a long time. Using my blog to continue that work is an extension of myself. Combining the nerd and the activist parts of myself is the main goal of my blog. I also want to enjoy life, write about it, share it with others, and create some positive change in the world.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Success is very personal and different for everyone. For me, it’s happiness and freedom. I don’t like to be tied to locations or schedules. The ability to come and go when and how I want is a high priority for me and affects my happiness greatly. When I worked in the corporate world, I felt like I was being suffocated. I had a schedule with very little freedom. The moment I quit to pursue freelancing was terrifying and the happiest I had been in a long time. It was scary giving up a stable paycheck and benefits, but I knew those things wouldn’t make me happy.
I highly doubt I would be considered a success in many people’s eyes, but I love my life. I’ve never been happier. I hated working during the day in an office surrounded by people. I love being able to work all night long if I’m inspired. My time is spent with my dog. I create my own schedule working on projects I’m passionate about. I travel often, which is a huge privilege. I dictate my life, which comes with its own hurdles, but it is so rewarding. To me, success is happiness.
Contact Info:
- Website: onthebl.org
- Email: bookishliaisons@gmail.com
- Instagram: onthe.bl
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/onthebl/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/onthebl
- Other: https://www.pinterest.com/onthebl/
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