I’m a great believer in writing down and making public your new year resolutions. That way, everyone will keep asking you how you’re getting on with them, and reminding you what you wanted to achieve. It helps spur you on.

Last year I posted my resolutions over on the womagwriter blog but now that I have this shiny new personal blog I think they fit better here.

So, how did I do with last year’s resolutions, and what am I aiming for this year?

Last year I resolved to:

• keep the 8kg of weight I’d lost, off. Hmm. Sadly I put 6kg of it back on.
• build up my running to half-marathon distance, keep up zumba, try open-water swimming. Nearly. Built up running to 10 miles (though usually I only do 8 miles). Did zumba through most of the year. Did some open-water swimming training sessions in the summer.
• complete novel, edit it, send to agents. Yep, did all that. No luck yet with agents but I’m still trying.
• do up the living room. Move along please. Nothing to see here.

And this year’s targets:

• Get that 6kg weight off again
• Take part in the Bournemouth half-marathon in October
• Take part in the Bournemouth pier-to-pier swim in the summer
• Complete next novel, edit and submit by end of the year
• Combine my two How To Write books into one print version, with some added material, and publish through CreateSpace
• Persuade him indoors to do up the living room

As always, I’ve tried to make my goals SMART – Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-boxed. What about you? Do you make resolutions, and more importantly, do you stick to them?

And finally, may I wish you all a very happy and prosperous 2014!