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Miranda West

Founder & Publisher, The Do Book Co.

Miranda West is the founder and publisher of The Do Book Company, an independent publishing house based in London, England.14 She established the company in May 2013, with offices located in Shoreditch, London.1

Career Background

Miranda has over 20 years of experience in the publishing industry.3 Prior to founding The Do Book Company, she worked in editorial roles at major UK publishing houses.2 Her decision to start her own company came after moving abroad due to her husband's job relocation, which provided an opportunity to pursue a more flexible and creative career path.2

The Do Book Company

The Do Book Company is closely associated with the Do Lectures, an annual ideas festival.1 The company publishes books written by speakers from the Do Lectures, focusing on practical guides that inspire action.2 Their motto is "books to inspire action," and they aim to create pocket-sized books packed with possibilities.35

Publishing Philosophy

Miranda's approach to publishing emphasizes:

  1. Working with authors who are practitioners rather than professional writers
  2. Focusing on the "doing" aspect rather than just theory
  3. Ensuring books motivate readers to take action and create positive change2

Personal Insights

Miranda views success as creating a sustainable business with an engaged community that generates revenue to support product creation, cover overheads, and employ people.2 She has ambitious goals for the company, including aspiring to run "the coolest publishing company on the planet" and having everyone read or own at least one Do book.2

As of 2024, Miranda continues to lead The Do Book Company, sharing her experiences and reflecting on the company's journey in various forums and interviews.6

Highlights

Feb 21 · linkedin

Exciting news just in!!

We made the shortlist for The British Book Awards' Small Press of the Year! It's an incredible lineup of vibrant independent publishers across the whole country - we're one of the 12 regional and country finalists for London.

Very proud of our small hard-working team that extends to our brilliant freelancers, sales and distributors, especially PGUK who have championed our books from the start. And DO Lectures for supporting us every step of the way!

Winners will be announced on 11th March with the awards ceremony in May. 📚 🤞 The Bookseller #BritishBookAwards

Sep 7 · linkedin

Really pleased to be publishing 'Do Interesting: Notice. Collect. Share' - out today!

Back in the late 90s, award-winning writer and strategist Russell Davies wrote a blogpost called 'How to be interesting'. It struck a chord. He spoke at the very first DO Lectures, ran a DO workshop of the same name, and spoke again last year.

As Russell writes in the book, it's not about trying to be interesting. The secret is to 'do' interesting.

Let's face it, none of us were born interesting. It's something we need to practise. A set of habits not a personality type. And we develop those skills and habits by doing 3 things: noticing, collecting and sharing. You'll turn the things you notice into a 'compost of creativity' where unexpected elements collide to form new ideas. And you'll learn something about yourself - your passions and interests. Your life and work will get more interesting. 'Don't hunt for diamonds. Get fascinated by pebbles.'

#creativity #interesting #dobooks #newbook #marketing #design

Related Questions

What inspired Miranda West to start The Do Book Company?
How does Miranda West find new authors for Do Books?
What challenges has Miranda West faced in running The Do Book Company?
How does The Do Book Company partner with Do Lectures?
What are some of the most popular books published by The Do Book Company?
Miranda West
Miranda West, photo 1
Miranda West, photo 2
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Location

London, England, United Kingdom