You Are the New Relationship Blogger: A Letter from the Editor

Dear Readers,

Hello! I’m Shawna Ayoub Ainslie, the newly minted editor-in-chief for The Relationship Blogger (TRB). You may know me from my coaching, my writing on The Honeyed Quill, my community-building platform, #LinkYourLife, various publications, or my time as editor of Open Thought Vortex where I had the honor of editing numerous beautiful works by beautiful people. I am excited to be back in an editorial position working with Raymond Baxter on expanding this site into a multi-voice publication.

As it stands, TRB has a only handful of voices other than Raymond’s. We seek to change that, taking advantage of the fact that the site has grown incredibly over the last year with several viral posts and significant jumps in audience. By doing so, we offer a platform for new and established voices on all issues pertaining to relationships and mental health; the same topics TRB has been exploring for years. Only you are a the new relationship blogger.

The appeal of TRB is what makes Raymond a friend of mine; the work is unapologetically honest and humble. When Raymond makes a misstep, whether in his history or in his writing, he endeavors to correct it and grow and invites readers along for the ride.

It isn’t often I meet a man who is willing to set aside his ego to pursue personal growth. Raymond impresses me with his consistent dedication to uncovering and promoting positivity in relationships and daily life. He is a man who has survived the darkened halls of addiction, abuse, mental illness and womanizing, and has come out the other side intent on bettering not just himself, but the world. He does it with honesty, integrity, and awareness of his humanity.

It makes perfect sense that Raymond wanted to open up his platform. Currently, we are seeking a diverse array of voices on issues of relationships, mental health and their intersections. We are accepting work from all people, all genres, with special attention to populations as yet unrepresented on TRB (and underrepresented worldwide). Raymond is a straight, white man writing about relationships from his own experience. He sees that as limiting to a conversation which should necessarily be broad. We need a greater variety of perspectives.

With that said, LGBTQIA+, persons of color and/or disability, and anyone who has a story/art expressing minority experience are strongly encouraged to submit. Find all the submission details here.

For now, what I want to say is I am proud to be working with Raymond. I am delighted by the strength of the artist pool that has already presented itself and look forward to introducing these well-known and new artists to you. I am delighted to be part of opening up these necessary, important conversations that promise to humanize and destigmatize. And I am happy to be once again in the editor’s chair encouraging writers and artists and supporting their work.

Today marks the soft launch of TRB as a magazine. Stay tuned for a gentle unfolding of new voices in these pages. Raymond and I could not be more excited about exploring relationships and mental health with the already dedicated readership existing here and the new friends who are sure to arrive.

With anticipation,

Shawna