Cheaper place to relocate for single female?

I'm a 24-year-old female with a bachelor's degree in English who is currently living in Ohio but really want to relocate. I have a job as a reporter making about $30,000 per year and have about $600 per month in student loan payments (which is what's dragging me down) and $150 in other monthly expenses that wouldn't change if I moved. I know with the economy it's a horrible time to be looking, but I figured I would see if anyone has any recommendations for places that I'd have a chance at a job and relatively low-cost living. I don't actually want to be in journalism (fiction publishing is my ultimate goal), but know until I go to grad school it's got to be on the table. The top states I want to live in are Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming. Other than that, the farther west and the less snow the better, but I'm open to anything.