Goals (not resolutions) for 2015

As I've said in the past, new year resolutions don't generally work for me. January never seems like the right time to 'begin' anything. It's cold, an anticlimax after the festive break and generally, I'm skint. Spring always sees me much more motivated and likely to start new things.

So instead of new year 'resolutions', I'm setting a number of goals for the year - realistic, doable goals that I've a more than fair chance of achieving.

Firstly, there's my novel (Haven: Shadowbinder). It's currently in the care of the writer, Brian Keaney as he assesses it for me, via the Writer's Workshop. Brian writes novels for children and young adults and once I finish my current reading list, I've decided that I must buy a couple of his books. His report should reach me before the end of January so once I've read, re-read and mentally digested his words of wisdom (and probably dried my eyes), my first goal of the year will be to revise my novel.

Secondly, once said novel is revised, I'll begin the search for an agent. This is the one goal that is really out of my hands. Fingers crossed, my novel will be sufficiently polished (and good enough) to catch the eye of an agent.

Along with this, I'll be working on the first draft of my second novel. I'm around halfway through already thanks to last November's NaNoWriMo. The goal is to finish the first draft and then, after a month of it sitting in a drawer, revise it.

For my business, Murdering The Text, I've set the goal of writing two more murder mystery plays to add to my catalogue. These may end up being customer commissions but if not, I have plenty of ideas stored away already. One that is particularly amusing me at the moment is set at a sci fi convention - just how much fun can be had with a Darth Vader helmet and a lightsabre?

Finally, on a more personal note, I want to continue with my healthy eating and lose the rest of my weight (about a stone) before my birthday in January 2016 (the big half century - gulp).

So there you have it - my 2015 goals (not resolutions). Fingers crossed I can cross them all off the list. What about you? What are your goals for the next twelve months?