THINGS DON’T HAVE TO BE PERFECT
Explore our collection of ideas that became reality.
Our mission
To showcase what’s possible when you stop waiting to do life perfectly.
We invite you in to our world. See what we’re trying, making, learning and discovering. Take what’s useful. Leave what’s not.
Featured Books & Gifts
These are some of our current favourites.
A year of smiles and little reminders
We’re making the first ever A3 Keep Smiling Sweethearts calendar.
Pre-order yours now and we’ll print the first batch once pre-orders close on 31st October 2026.
Estimated delivery: November 2026
The story behind The Keep Smiling Sweethearts 2027 Wall Calendar
I started drawing these little characters during 2020. I remember drawing two, framing them and packaging them up to send to two friends, at a time when in-person contact was minimal. Their smiles made me smile, I enjoyed drawing them – simple, easy and each a little unique and special – and receiving photos from my friends filled me with joy.
The Keep Smiling Sweethearts name became a thing whenever I looked at them and their cheerful little faces became a reminder that joy is a choice.
They’ve spent years sitting on my iPad and some on my hard drive, but they made an unexpected comeback at The Worst Book I’ll Ever Write 14 year celebration. People loved them. And then came the question:
“So... When are you making the calendars?”
Apparently, that was that.
So here they are, in all their natural glory.
The Keep Smiling Sweethearts 2027 wall calendar is twelve months of colourful little reminders to find the good stuff, have a bit of fun and remember that joy is a strength, especially when life isn’t particularly joyful.
Stick it on your wall, give one to someone who needs a smile, or simply let these little sweethearts keep you company throughout the year.
Keep smiling, sweethearts. We’ve got a year to get through.
4 cards • 4 designs • 4 envelopes
15cm x 15cm
Envelopes
The story behind the Christmas cards
With Christmas approaching, I imagined what our little sweethearts would be wearing, singing, sharing and how they could inject a little joy and personality into Christmas this year.
In a world where sending and receiving text messages is so easy, I came back to the simple idea that sending a card is still a lovely thing to do. There’s something wonderful about sitting down to write an actual message that’s personal and from the heart (that’s why they’re blank – lots of space for you to send a special message to someone this year) and then pop it in the post.
These cards aren’t designed to be overly polished or trying too hard, just cheerful little sweethearts that make someone smile when they open the envelope and read your words.
We’ve created four designs to bring a little Worst Book Company joy to the Christmas card pile.
Send them to your favourite people. Send them to someone you haven’t spoken to in ages. Send one simply because you thought they’d like it.
Sometimes a tiny piece of paper arriving through someone’s letterbox says:
“I was thinking about you.”
And that’s a pretty lovely Christmas present in itself.
A signed copy of the book that started it all.
Written and published in just five days in 2012, The Worst Book I’ll Ever Write became the beginning of a much bigger journey.
This is your chance to own a signed copy directly from the author.
The story behind The Worst Book I’ll Ever Write - the short version :)
In 2012, I had an idea for a book.
I didn’t have a publisher, a fancy writing routine, or a five-year plan. Infact, I was at a point in life where I felt like a complete 30-year old failure.
But I set a deadline and started writing.
Five days later, The Worst Book I’ll Ever Write existed.
The title was deliberately provocative, but the idea behind it was serious: perfection can stop us doing the things we want to do, so let’s get on and do stuff.
I’d spent years trying to be good enough, follow the rules and colour within the lines of what was expected of me. Writing this book was the rebel in me saying – what would happen if I stopped trying to make everything good?
It became a real book and although I loved it and was proud to be it’s author, I was still shocked when people actually bought it. They read it and even gave it five-star reviews.
It became the beginning of something much bigger.
Fourteen years later, that little experiment has become The Worst Book Company; a creative lifestyle company built around the same belief:
Things don’t have to be perfect to become meaningful.
This is the original book. The one that started it all.
And yes, it really was written in five days.
So grab your copy and get that thing done!
1 bookmark • 1 design • single-sided
5cm x 15cm
A little joy between the pages.
Choose your favourite design, each has its own thought to carry with you.
One design per purchase
OUR PAST AND PRESENT CLIENTS INCLUDE
REAL-LIFE EXPERIMENTATION
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The Worst Book Company is a creative lifestyle company built around books, creativity, personal growth, playful products and experiences. We’re interested in what becomes possible when you stop waiting to do life perfectly, and start making, trying, playing and figuring things out as you go.
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Books are where we started, but they’re not where we end. We create and share things designed to spark ideas, creativity and a little more play. From books and illustrated products to stationery, gifts, experiences and whatever else we feel like making next.
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Experiences are opportunities to step out of everyday life and into a different way of thinking, creating and connecting. They might be intimate gatherings, creative workshops, conversations or something we’ve never tried before. Expect thoughtful ideas, plenty of room to breathe and permission to do things differently.
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Sort of - but not in the usual way. We’re less interested in telling you who to become and more interested in creating things and experiences that help you think, explore, create and discover what’s possible for yourself. Take what resonates. Leave what doesn’t. We encourage Real-Life Experimentation.
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Because the original book, The Worst Book I’ll Ever Write, was created from a simple decision: stop waiting for perfection and just get it done. What started as one intentionally imperfect book became a much bigger lesson about creativity, courage, possibility and getting on with your life. The Worst Book Company is what grew from that idea.