Boy oh boy - I have been putting off this post for almost a week now. Putting all of my hopes and dreams for 2008 down on paper (or, in this care, on screen) is a big step, knowing the folks reading my blog (you all rock) will help to hold me accountable for everything I write.

Maybe all of you are just the proverbial fire under my butt that I need to take my career and my life to the next level. In 2007, my second year filing taxes as a business owner, I have made a profit - not a huge one (nearly $6,000) but profit is profit. Whenever I question why I spend my days writing, never knowing if I am really helping anyone, reminding myself that people pay me (somewhat) well to do what I do is a sign that at least I don’t suck.

On the verge of ringing in 2008, I was all kinds of amped to meet the new year head on. Just a few days after January had begun, my inspiration and drive had been sucked out of me completely by some unknown force. I am still unsure of what the force was, but doing yoga for the past two days has helped to revive my spirit somewhat. The only person standing in the way of my success is myself.

There is no time like the present to start progressing forward, so it is time to post my plans and goals for 2008. Notably, I’m not just taking about writing here - these including fitness, networking, travel, crafts, outside jobs … etc. So strap on your seat belt - I’m about to take off in 2008!

Overall theme for 2008: less blogging, more magazine writing!

:: Plans ::

  1. Continue writing my blog here on Victoria-E.com, posting 2-3 times a week, including a weekly wrap-up of content from Crafting a Green World (see below), lots of new books reviews and opinion pieces.
  2. Continue editing and acting as head writer for Crafting a Green World, including producing the ongoing Top 5 book series and Yearn-Worthy Yarns series of posts.
  3. Continue editing and writing for the Building Green TV website.
  4. Write two posts a week for All Green Magazine’s Leisure section.
  5. Move to Portland, Oregon in June (major excitement).

:: Goals ::

  1. Break into 3 new magazines this year (one down - my first piece for ReadyMade will be in their April/May Green Design issue). Magazines I am hoping to break into include: Fitness, Shape, Self, Women’s Health, Psychology Today, Body+Soul, Sustainable Industries Journal, Ode, GOOD, Natural Health, Organic Gardening, Plenty, Writer’s Digest, Adorn, Knit.1, Men’s Health, Prevention, Natural Home.
  2. Write another piece for both Yoga Journal Magazine and Craft Magazine, respectively.
  3. Get one working gig as a freelance fact checker (another segment of freelance writing I’ve been wanting to do professionally for some time).
  4. Attend one networking event a month upon arriving in Portland.
  5. Practice yoga twice a week (more is always good though).
  6. Knit my first sweater [in organic cotton] from start to finish (you can bet pictures will be posted).
  7. Read 10 books this year, all of which I will review here on Victoria-E.com.
  8. Sell my current digital camera and buy a digital SLR (oh how I miss thee).
  9. Get a part-time job upon settling in Portland (no more than 20 hours/week); possible opportunities: magazines, newspapers, yoga studios, green retail stores, assistant for other writers … etc.

You’re probably noticing that I didn’t mention anything about working on my first book. Lately, I’ve been inclined to think that I might be jumping the gun on trying to write a book before I have even established myself as an experienced magazine writer. Notably, my mother doesn’t agree and thinks that I should drive right into the book world - she’s always so supportive, I love her.

[Photo taken by Victoria Everman (moi)]