FAQs

About us

What is Drift + Focus?

Drift + Focus is a quarterly non-fiction book subscription designed to get you reading more non-fiction.

Subscribers get a box every 3 months containing two non fiction books, each with fold out reading notes, an exclusive 28-page magazine, a piece of print or stationery, and a gift or two from an independent small brand.

How often do you send boxes?

Boxes are quarterly i.e. every 3 months.

September - Autumn box

December - Winter box

March - Spring box

June - Summer box

Who is behind Drift + Focus?

Drift + Focus was founded by us, Emma McGowan and Dave Boyle. We're a husband and wife who live in Brighton with our two daughters and a dog called Colin. 

You can find out more about us here.

How do themes work?

Each box is curated around a different big theme.  

The themes are broad and universal, so there are lots of ways into the topic and each box is full of variety and thought-provoking ideas.

Themes so far have been:

  • Autumn 2022 - MIND
  • Winter 2022 - TOGETHER
  • Spring 2023 - CHANGE
  • Summer 2023 - TRUE
  • Autumn 2023 - FEEL
  • Winter 2023 - TIME
  • Spring 2024 - LOSS
  • Summer 2024 - CREATE
  • Autumn 2024 - WRONG
  • Winter 2024 - FAMILY

Our next box, going out in March. Sign up to our mailing list if you want to be the first to know when we announce the Spring theme.

Is Drift + Focus suitable for children?

Drift + Focus is aimed at adults and may contain adult themes. It would be fine for an engaged older teen who loves to read.

About subscribing

What happens when I subscribe?

Your card will be debited for your first box on the day you subscribe and your first delivery will be the next scheduled box to go out after that.

Renewal payments are taken for subsequent boxes at the start of the month each quarterly box is scheduled to go out.  

So that’s the start of December, March, June and September. 

You’re free to pause or cancel your subscription at any time.

What is the deadline for ordering?

Deadlines for ordering are:

  • May 31st for Summer boxes
  • August 31st for Autumn boxes
  • November 30th for Winter boxes
  • February 28th/29th for Spring boxes

Will my subscription automatically renew?

Yes. By subscribing you’re giving us permission to take payment every quarter but you can pause or cancel any time before we take payment.

How do I cancel my subscription?

To manage your subscription, including cancelling it, you just need to set up and activate your Drift + Focus account. You'll be sent a subscription confirmation email after you buy your subscription which includes a link to set up your account. If you have any problems, just drop us an email.

Can I pause my subscription?

Yes, you can pause your subscription for as long as you like. Just log into your account and select to pause. It won't restart until you actively unpause, so no surprise deliveries you didn't want.

How do I update my billing information?

You can log into your account to update any of your details including address and payment  details.

About gifting

Can I send a box as a gift?

Yes, Drift + Focus makes a great gift! You can choose to gift one box, two boxes over 6 months or four boxes over a full year to your lucky gift recipient.

How does billing work for gifts?

Your card will be debited in full on the day of purchase for however many boxes you’re  gifting.

Do you notify the recipient about the gift?

No, we don’t want to spoil the surprise! We’ll send you an email with a PDF you can print or forward on to the recipient if you want to. 

When will they get their gift?

All our boxes are sent quarterly – at the start of the third week in September, December,  March and June – so they’ll get the next scheduled box after you made your purchase. 

About our boxes

What's inside a box?

Every box contains: 

• Two new non-fiction paperback books

• Fold out reading notes for each book to kick start your reading 

• Our Drift + Focus magazine, usually with exclusive author interviews

• One (or sometimes two) gifts from an independent sustainable brand or maker

• Usually also a piece of print or stationery from an artist we love 

• Access to a curated page of digital extras including playlists and podcasts on the theme 

We'll announce the exact contents of each box about a month before it goes out so be sure to join our mailing list to get the latest updates.

What if I've already got one of the books you send?

Of all the books in all the world...! No, really, that would be disappointing. We pride ourselves on picking brilliant books that you might not have come across, so we reckon it's unlikely.

But drop us an email if it happens and we'll send you out a replacement.

What's the next theme?

We haven't announced our next theme yet. Join our email list if you want to be notified when we do.

Themes for the previous boxes were MIND (Autumn '22), TOGETHER (Winter '22), CHANGE (Spring '23), TRUE (Summer '23), FEEL (Autumn '23), TIME (Winter '23), LOSS (Spring '24), CREATE (Summer '24), WRONG (Autumn '24) and FAMILY (Winter '24) You can see inside past boxes here.

Is your packaging eco-friendly?

Yes. We're committed to being as planet-friendly as possible. You can read all about our eco pledge here.

Delivery and returns

Can I update my delivery details?

Yes, just create an account after you've made your initial purchase and then you can log into your account any time to update any of your details including address and payment details.

Or drop us an email and we'll do it for you.

When will I get my box?

We’ll send you an email when your box is dispatched. It should arrive 2-3 days after dispatch via Royal Mail 2nd class parcel post. 

Boxes are sent out quarterly, so if you happen to first subscribe just after we dispatched the previous quarter’s box you’ll have a longish wait to get your first box. But it will be worth it.

Where do you deliver?

We currently only deliver within the UK.

How much is postage?

Postage is free.

Do I have to sign for my delivery?

No, but it won’t fit through the letterbox so someone will need to be in to take delivery.

Do you offer refunds?

All our boxes are made to order so we don't offer refunds. You can read our refund policy here.

But if you don't love your first box, we'll refund you in full. Just email us to find out what to do.

What happens if something is missing or damaged?

That’s not good. Drop us an email with details and we’ll look into it.

What do I do if my box doesn't arrive?

Firstly, double check your box is definitely due? There’s a long-ish wait between quarterly boxes, so it might feel like you’ve been forgotten. 

Boxes are sent quarterly – around the third week in September, December, March and June.

It takes 2 or 3 days for Royal Mail to get your box to you after it’s been dispatched. If it hasn’t arrived a week after you got your dispatch email, drop us an email and we’ll look into it. 

Collaborations and community

Do you have an affiliate programme?

Yes. If you have a community you think would love what we do, drop us an email. We'd love to hear more.

Can I share my opinions about the books with other Drift + Focus subscribers?

Building a dedicated space where Drift + Focus subscribers can connect is on our wish list. For now, follow us on Instagram and Facebook where you can comment and chat with us and other book lovers. 

I’m a publisher. Can I talk to you about getting a book into one of your boxes?

Definitely, we’d love to hear from you. Drop us an email and we'll get straight back to you.

I’m a maker/small brand. How do I get my product into one of your boxes?

Hello! Send us and email with links to your products and why you think we'd be a good fit.

I’m a writer/illustrator. Can I submit suggestions and work for inclusion in your magazine?

Definitely. Send us an email with a summary of your idea and links to your portfolio. 

Any other questions or enquiries

We're always happy to help.

Try our FAQs page, contact us or use the Chat Box and we'll get back to you as soon as possible.

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