After getting laid off from her copywriting job, Geraldine DeRuiter hit the road, and began chronicling her travel adventures on her blog, The Everywhereist. Seven years and many, many posts later, the Everywhereist has racked up thousands of fans, millions of page views, and plenty of buzz: it was named one of Time magazine’s Top 25 Blogs of the Year, one of Forbes magazine’s Top 10 Lifestyle Websites for Women for three consecutive years, The Independent’s 50 Best Travel Websites, and The Huffington Post’s Top Travel Blogs. Whether it’s eating roasted guinea pig in Peru, yelling at locals in Rome, or struggling to decipher the behavior of her fellow passengers (“Why would you use an airplane lavatory without shoes on?”), DeRuiter tackles travel with an equal mix of snark and heart as she hops around the globe with her husband, Rand Fishkin.
via Her Official Bio
My husband’s job requires him to travel. A lot. For years, I sat behind a desk while he wandered around the world without me. It sucked for both of us, but probably more for me.
Then, one day, I was laid off.
It might have been one of the best things that ever happened to me.
Since then, I’ve been following him around the world. This blog is mostly for him. So he can remember the places we’ve visited, the things we saw. So he can know a little bit about what I see when he’s off giving presentations and having meetings.
Yes, it’s a travel blog. But at its core, it’s a love letter to my husband.
A big, long, cuss-filled love letter. The kind he’d appreciate. The only kind I’m able to write.
Blogging Resources
- “My site actually costs me money to maintain. Here’s the blunt truth: there is very little money in the sort of blogging I do” via her FAQ
- My 16 Tips for Beginning Bloggers
- Stop Telling Bloggers They Aren’t Writers
Her Book
In All Over the Place, Geraldine imparts the insight she gained while being far from home-wry, surprising, but always sincere, advice about marriage, family, health, and happiness that come from getting lost and finding the unexpected.
The book writing experience
- How Long Does It Take to Publish a Book? (And Other Publishing Questions, Answered)
- What’s It Like To Record Your Own Audiobook?
- How to Not Pick an Author Photo for Your Book Jacket
- My Literary Agent Answers Your Questions About Publishing
- My Editor Answers Your Publishing Questions
Book Promotion:
- I Sent A Press-Release to Everyone Who’s Ever Sent Me a Press Release.
- Why is It So Hard to Be Self-Promotional if You’re a Woman?
Feminism
I Made the Pizza Cinnamon Rolls from Mario Batali’s Sexual Misconduct Apology Letter
Writer who went viral for making Mario Batali’s ‘apology’ cinnamon rolls says she was hacked
Favourite quotes:
Already the blog has grown into something far bigger than I ever imagined it could be.
When I started it, I was simply looking for something to keep me busy while I was unemployed (daytime TV was sucking out my soul, you know? Except for Dr. Phil. That man is a genius.) And so I created the Everywhereist, but I never expected anyone besides my husband and a few of my friends to read it (I’m still baffled by the fact that people I don’t know visit my site).
via Trekity.com
We’ve seen many people embrace the idea of “escaping” a cubicle. It makes me really uncomfortable. I think it creates an ugly dynamic because people who quit their jobs and travel are seen as brave and adventurous and people who work in an office are seen as not.
I don’t think that’s true or fair. I think that I—and so many other people I know—are really lucky to be able to travel. It’s a gift.
Escape Artist Q&A: Geraldine DeRuiter of The Everywhereist blog
Geraldine’s blog is the furthest thing from elitist, which is probably why she has amassed a loyal following. “I find that I still have a terrible sense of direction, and still get nervous in crowds – but so do a lot of my readers,” says Geraldine. “I think my tales of misadventure are why a lot of people keep coming back to my blog – they hear about my delayed flights, rip-off taxi drivers, and my bouts of food poisoning and they can relate. Or at least they can thankful it didn’t happen to them!”
Since its inception the blog has been a compelling read due to DeRuiter’s quirky perspective and range of topics. Let me warn you: this is more than a travel blog. It’s a blog about a woman who is taking in the world and processing it on her terms.
In the span of two posts she may swing from a blissful visit to a small German town to a perplexing moment in front of a television in a foreign country, trying to make sense of what is going on on her screen. The lesson here is the writing is only half the picture. Her personality is the other half.
Take away: People are living vicariously through Deruiter because not everyone can travel the world. What unique experiences and outlook can you share on your blog? And remember, your personality is the main ingredient
Favourite Posts
- Unhelpful Charts for Writers
- Quitting Your Job To Travel Isn’t Brave. It’s Lucky.
- I Fall Asleep Everywhere And My Life is Wasted On Me.
- The Infinite Hypocrisy of Fake Feminist Men
Interviews:
BLOGGER & AUTHOR (WITH GERALDINE DERUITER)