Colorado Review

About 18 months ago, I decided what I wanted to be when I grew up: a travel writer.

Not such a crazy goal, considering that I’d worked in the editorial world in some form or another for more than 15 years. Since graduating from college (I’m showing my age), I’d been a magazine editor, newspaper reporter, corporate copywriter and press-release writer–always earning a living with words in some way.

Once I finished having babies, and my youngest was set to head off to kindergarten (5 full days a week!) I realized that this was my opportunity to start reaching *my dreams.*

So I went for it. And had some fun successes along the way.

My travel articles have been published in the Dallas Morning News‘ Sunday travel section, 5280 (Denver’s city magazine), various regional parenting magazines, and, my biggest coup, a one-page piece in Every Day with Rachael Ray.

I learned how to write for the Internet (totally foreign to me back in late 2005), with stories published on GoColorado.com, GiftedTravel.com and Grandparents.com, among other sites (shout-outs to Amy at write-from-home.com and Angela at writersweekly.com).

And I started blogging about Colorado Travel. Who’da thunk 18 months ago I’d be a blogger? (Did I even know what the term meant way back then?)

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Flash forward to December 2007. I’ve met a ton of my professional goals this year (I sent out 120+ queries to local, regional and national publications, as well as online sites — go me!). But what’s next on the horizon?

Here are my totally reachable freelance writing/blogging goals for 2008:

1. Blog at least twice weekly here at ColoradoReview.net with fun, informative posts about what to see and do in my fabulous home state.

2. Write at least 30 more articles for Suite101.com, where I am a Contributing Writer (or land a Feature Writer position in the travel channel).

3. Land a travel-related assignment from at least one of my dream pubs, which are written in big letters on the giant white board in my office. They range from Sunset and Sherman’s Travel to in-flight magazines like Hemispheres and American Way. That means researching and writing at least three intriguing, intelligent queries each month–and following up on them!

I’m a firm believer in the Law of Attraction. Believe it, and it will happen. (Okay, with a dash of diligent effort thrown in.)

2008, here I come!

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This post is my entry for Week 5 of the Project Blog Challenge. Here are the other entrants’ posts:

1. Winnie, Watching the View: “I can almost picture it now…”
2. Kate, Babylune: “Here’s to a Slower 2008″
3. Sally, Style Fix: “Hunger Pains Drive My Goals for 2008″
4. Jodie, “Big (Dinner) Plans for 2008″
5. Mark, Get Incensed: “The One Habit of a Moderately Successful Person”

Click here to vote for me!