Miriam Johnson BA, MA, MA, PhD, PHD
Doctorate of Philosophy in Publishing Studies, Oxford Brookes University
Doctorate of Philosophy in Creative Writing, University of Edinburgh
Master of Arts in Publishing, Oxford Brookes University
Master of Arts in Creative Writing, Loughborough University
Bachelor of Arts in English, Cum Laude Auburn University, Alabama
Currently a senior lecturer across the MA in Publishing Media, the MA in Digital Publishing, and the UG in Media, Journalism, and Publishing at Oxford Brookes University. I research social media, marketing, power dynamics gender, performance, authenticity, AI, new technology and ethics in online spaces. I teach marketing, research, and on the wider creative industries. I also do consulting work, and have founded an AI-based audiobook company: Dudley Editions.
Originally from Alabama, I moved to the United Kingdom in 2006 and have been in higher education almost continually since. I received my undergraduate in English from Auburn University in Alabama, then moved to Loughborough to study for my MA in creative writing. From there, I did an MA in Publishing at Oxford Brookes.
In 2007 I moved to London to live in a warehouse with friends while I traveled back and forth to Edinburgh for the first year of my PhD in Creative Writing. I moved up to Edinburgh in 2009 and slowly learned to love the city.
I worked for Edinburgh Books in my spare time. I helped out at Scottish Book Trust for their yearly, national celebration of reading: Book Week Scotland. Since that first part time role, I filled several positions in the organisation, from book distribution to handling their excellent Live Literature Funding programme, and online content co-coordinating for the Writer Development team.
In 2013 I took on a part time role for Scottish PEN and helped to organise a series of events linked to the Commonwealth Games 2014. In this project, we brought in commonwealth authors from around the world and paired them in unique locations with Scottish authors who had similar themes, ideas, works, etc. and held free events.
In 2012, Hande Zapsu Watt and I set up The Istanbul Review, a literary journal that is based both in Istanbul and Edinburgh. It is a collection of poetry, short stories, extracts, interviews, artworks and more that celebrates reading and writing on the international stage.
The Istanbul Review renewed my interest in the world of publishing and I undertook my second research degree: a doctorate in publishing and social media at Oxford Brookes University.
In 2017, I became a lecturer in Publishing at the University of Derby, and taught Marketing and did various bits and bobs, popping into classes to talk about social media and digital aspects of communities, etc. In 2019, I started as a Senior Lecturer in Publishing at Oxford Brookes.
What I’m hoping to do with this website is for it to be a digital footprint of my research, and hopefully it will help others to get a better understanding of the slippery place where social media, publishing, immersive technology (and gender and power dynamics) converge. And there may be an occasional sojourn into other topics as the mood strikes.
Before moving to the UK and focusing on writing, academia, and publishing, I spent most of my life showing American Quarter Horses throughout the States.
You can see me share random things on X (Twitter), and see how my dog has hacked my Instagram.
I also fully believe in using the Oxford Comma and am skeptical of those who don’t.
Other things of note
ACTION FOR A-T
There was once a time (many years ago now) that Blythe and I thought it would be a good idea to walk 100k (62 miles) from London to Brighton for charity… It was one of the hardest and best things I’ve done since being in the UK: 26 hours filled with blisters, blood, sweat, sunburn, tears, and signs that lied about how far along we were.
I let the memory of the pain subside and a year later decided to do it again. This time we walked from Manchester to Sheffield over the Pennines, almost crawling the last 2k to get to the end and then promptly face-planting on the train home, dead to the world.
But it was all for a good cause. We subjected ourselves to the pain of over 24 hours of continual walking to raise money for a charity that is as close to us as it is important to others: Action for A-T. A-T (Ataxia-Telangiectasia) is a rare, genetic and degenerative childhood disease that affects multiple systems of the body. Those affected with A-T lack the ATM gene, a gene that contains the instructions to make the A-T protein. The A-T protein controls the rate in which cells grow, divide and repair themselves. It also plays a vital role in regulating the immune and nervous systems.
It robs children and families of their lives and Action for A-T is doing invaluable work to help better understand and eradicate this disease. If you’re looking for a charity to get involved with, this one is amazing – and it’s run by Blythe’s family, as it is his grand niece that is is affected by it.
OTHER LINKS YOU NEED TO VISIT
I also have loads of talented and fabulous friends who are doing cool things in the world of arts. If you have a moment check them out:
Oxford Brookes University International Centre for Publishing The OICP is one of the leading institutes for publishing education in the world, with a reputation for innovation and excellence in teaching and research.
Understanding Rome if you ever want to see the real Rome, find the best places to have a coffee, learn about what interests you in the Eternal City, speak to Agnes Crawford of Understanding Rome.
Tramp Press Tramp Press aims to find, nurture and publish exceptional literary talent. Founded by Sarah Davis-Goff and Lisa Coen, Tramp Press is committed to publishing only the best and most deserving books, to encourage, support and maintain Ireland’s literary talent, and to enrich the lives of readers.
Scottish Book Trust Scottish Book Trust is a national charity changing lives through reading and writing.
I know I’ve missed people. Do drop me a line if it’s you.