i feel like everyone who really really loves booktok erotica and actively seeks out books with smut is just someone who wouldve thrived in fanfic communities but just landed on booktok first, because fanfic is honestly what theyre looking for. stories with predictable plot beats and relationships, which are more about fantasising about specific events rather than telling a story with themes, motifs, ~intellectual~ messages, etc--you’ll find that stuff in fanfic way easier and honestly its probably better than whatever book a publishing house got an influencer to promote for you. this isnt really related to the article but its something ive been thinking about a lot, especially now that fan internet communities are so segmented now bc of algorithms
Oooooo that’s such a good point. A lot of the BookTok books I’m thinking about really would be a lot better if they were attached to some kind of fan fiction - I feel like it would give them a bit more meat.
I’ve also been thinking a lot about how segmented fan communities are these days! I have something coming out later this week on a similar topic - it touches slightly on how much overlap Internet fandoms once had.
I read an article recently about how booktok has turned book production / publishing into fast fashion - books are being published with incredibly fast turnover and are lacking in many areas. The hype is pushing the purchasing of the book rather than the quality of the book - there’s huge quantity over quality issues.
I think it’s nice booktok has introduced many people to reading or to get back into reading, but I do also think booktok has slightly ruined the publishing industry.
On another note booktok is incredibly damaging in other ways - the books they push are so insanely white washed, heterosexual and western / English speaking books. It has many flaws. There’s always power for it to change though - and maybe it will! Because a lot of the books circulating now are so oversaturated I see a lot of people complaining about the lack of variety that booktok pushes.
I saw an article about this too! Is the one you're referencing from Infinite Scroll? It definitely inspired the idea behind this piece!
You touch on another important point regarding the white-washed, heteronormative nature of these books - that's another way that the industry has kind of homogenized itself to prioritize selling what they know will work with a dominant, western young adult audience. It's disappointing to see the lack of representation, as well as the same book replicated again and again.
Yes that’s the one I saw! I’ve also seen others talking about it too this week - there was one in Bloomberg too talking about the hype around Iron Flame. It is such an interesting take - I hadn’t even considered the comparison of booktok and fashion fashion and yet those articles have linked and brought to life thoughts in my mind I’ve had for ages! Agree about lack of rep - it’s not just booktok fault tbf the whole publishing industry has a huge bias! They are both perpetuating each other I guess. It is definitely disappointing.
It sometimes feels so hard to walk into a bookstore to try to find something enjoyable to read knowing that it’s very likely that every book on the shelf is a badly executed mosaic of about 3 other books because publishing companies prioritized BookTok-driven sales over the quality of its content. Don’t get me wrong, there’s always going to be a gem in the mix (that’s how I’ve found so many of my own favorite authors) but it’s also taught me to be much more discerning about my reading preferences. SO glad you wrote about this topic!
So well put! There’s definitely always going to be a gem on the BookTok table - many things become popular for a good reason! But I do think the way publishing houses have watered down “BookTok” books is a bit uninspired. Always relying on “what’s popular” can have its drawbacks. Some of my favorite reads these days have come from recs from good friends and wandering around the bookstore, flipping through pages, and seeing what I’m drawn to :)
If you’re going into the bookstore, ask the booksellers for recommendations! I promise you we’re reading A LOT and not just from TikTok and we can help you find something that’s not completely out of your comfort zone but might be overlooked publicity-wise 🥰
you make some interesting points here, as somebody who writes extensively about both books and social media; however, your own ignorance of how genres and book age categories work means you undercut your own message, and i don't think you meant to.
what you are burned out on is *adult romcoms,* not YA. young adult books are aimed at the 12-18 marker and don't traditionally contain any or many sex scenes. all of the authors you've named here are adult authors, working in the adult romcom and romance space, whose books are shelved and categorized in the adult sections.
there is a long, misogynistic history of dismissing all work by women as YA—as if YA is lesser, when it is difficult to create well; and as if adults cannot enjoy tropey romance, when it is and always has been the most profitable subgenre of the industry.
there's nothing wrong with wanting to read outside of subgenres popular on BookTok (which correlates, again, with genre book sales across the industry for years); and i appreciate your critique of the overlap of consumer culture and social media. in the future, however, i would learn what books you are actually reading and describe them accurately so you don't fall into the dismissive pattern that has plagued women writers for years, and so that you can speak about your ideas and issues with more accuracy than your misunderstanding of your own reading habits shows here.
I appreciate your comment Nicole! This provides some really helpful context against what I’m discussing, I certainly have a lot more to learn on the topic and a lot less experience in the bookselling industry than you. I think my collapsing the YA romance and adult romance genres also shows how the readership demos may no longer be as distinct online - I find my little sisters and mom reading the same books that belong in either genre, all of which get clumped together in BookTok videos. I never mean to disparage media loved by young girls and women solely because it’s loved by young girls and women, but understand that intention doesn’t always match impact when there’s more to be learned. The issue doesn’t lie with the individual consumer but the larger stakeholders that drive up consumption :)
also, bookseller brain: if you are looking for great news reads this year outside the adult romcom or YA spaces, try LUCKY RED by claudia cravens (a gorgeous, tropey sapphic western); GODKILLER by hannah kaner (immersive, feisty high fantasy); STARLING HOUSE by alix e. harrow (somehow defies all genres? romantic appalachian gothic fantasy); and THE HEAVEN & EARTH GROCERY STORE by james mcbride (the most beloved 2023 litfic book at my store).
As a Bookstacker and Bookstagrammer, but failed Booktoker, I love this discussion. I also wrote about this in one of my earliest stacks and I am sure if I read it back I would have more issues with it now than then. My experience has been that much of BookTok is exactly what you describe, but I have been able to find a lovely community on Bookstagram that is much more diverse and genuine. Still though, books are props, art, things to photograph as much as they are to read. I am always in awe of these feeds that are cohesive and curated - how is it that everything you read fits perfectly with your chosen aesthetic??? But on the flip side, I have discovered so many authors and books I might never have paid attention to if I just stuck to my own liberal arts early 2000s education.
It sounds like I need to get more involved on Bookstagram! I can imagine it being a slightly slower paced environment - it feels like everything on TikTok is in hyperspeed which helps facilitate the optimized, cookie cutter content.
I agree with this! There’s a consumerist side to Bookstagram too (and has been since I started doing it 8+ years ago) but it’s also allowed me to find books I’d never otherwise have read and authors who wouldn’t traditionally get a lot of shelf space in a bookstore. But 100% have seen so many trends over the years of special editions and perfectly curated feed aesthetics
“the development of appearance without substance” 🙌🏻🙌🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻amen! It was ever thus... not a new trend, but an important phenomenon to identify (at least to me).
Every time I read about TikTok I can faintly hear the ambient global pop of brain cells. I am grateful every day I do not use a smartphone.
But if you're worried about sounding faintly sexist by being critical of the world's worst app, I'd say that you shouldn't worry, because reading your analysis of BookTok I was instantly reminded of my guy friends who spend time in or around RateYourMusic or /mu/ (4chan's music board) - there's a similar memeification there which stems from making your music consumption visible, and the same group dynamics result in a handful of genres/groups dominating discussions. I don't think this is unique (certainly people tried to project a certain personality by reading book X or wearing band T-shirt Y before the internet) but something about the structure of these particular sites seems to turbocharge it.
god yeah the *performance* of being a particular kind of person (reader, fashionista, etc) instead of *actually being* that kind of person, has become so prevalent on social media that its overwhelming. and the way its coupled with an expectation to own lots of items to show off to people online--its just an awful combination. i feel like the whole world needs to slow down. and maybe stop buying things
I think the tying of “consumption” to “identity” has been one of the worst things to come of social media. I think it mainly accelerated when social media became more commercialized (e.g. ridden with ads and influencers).
Loved this article! As an aspiring novelist, I often worry about how social media has changed the publishing landscape and what that means for me. I also loved that you put more of the blame on capitalism rather than individual readers/BookTok users. It truly is the root of all evil lol!
Exactly! It is troubling as a writer to see this kind of landscape unfold. And the blame is definitely mainly carried by capitalism/larger stakeholders in publishing - like I mentioned, I’m not one to dictate personal tastes and have even enjoyed some BookTok books! But all books being the same is not a good development. Appreciate you reading <3
I wrote my entire Masters dissertation on this topic; BookTok has remediated the ways in which traditional books are consumed, promoted, and looked at. It's such an odd digital sphere we're involved in, either by choice/algorithmically or thrusted upon us in the physical world in which traditional books encompass
None of the books you listed are YA, despite all those authors having written YA are one point or another. I do think Female author romance = YA has plagued us for so long. But yes, when a new platform rolls around authors commodify it to death.
I hope you don't mind my saying so, I started off booktubing over on youtube (mostly fantasy & horror) and have since moved onto writing serial novels here and writing philosophy and fantasy-analysis essays, but I don't know if given the current trajectory of a lot of books, if they're worth reading or collecting.
It is best to be very careful with what authors you support, and to focus on those you think are quite good (those who don't try to tick boxes, as art is very complex stuff and hard to do right but definitely worth doing right). I also think it might be all the more important as I get older to cling to older books. Works such as Comte de Monte Cristo, Silmarillion, Genji, Hour of the Dragon, Jeanne D'Arc (Twain), and many others.
Hope this didn't sound like criticism, I really liked your essay and relate to not having time at one time to read. These days it is a struggle to, but it is a fun ride once I do sit down and read. Hope you have a great reading journey, I'd also be curious to ask what you think of my writing if you ever take the time to check it out. But most of all keep reading madame!
Dec 26, 2023·edited Dec 26, 2023Liked by Madison Huizinga
Very true, I'll be the first to admit I buy too many books, but I've stopped in order to read-through the current crop. So discernment and self-awareness are indeed important as you pointed out. If only these booktokers would learn.
I am not on TikTok but am using other platforms like IG. How do you think this phenomenon relates to the emergence of celebrities posting selfies with (usually already bestselling) books?
That’s a good question Lili! I feel like so much of that relates to the use of books as tokens. In the instance of celebrities, using the best-seller label is often a signifier of intellect and accomplishment, when in reality, making the best-seller lists often requires just as much PR strategy as it does actual skill/sales.
The BookTok sections are really dismaying. I’m wondering though (for you and others); is this as much a phenomenon in other countries? Or is this largely an american/european phenomenon?
I ask because i’m in mexico city currently. I’ve been stumbling into bookstores (old and new), and there haven’t been *any* of those booktok sections, or anything similar. Maybe i’ve just gotten lucky, but it seems hopeful. Perhaps the reach of that american trend hasn’t quite strangled the book culture here yet...
I've seen them here in Belgium, haven't seen in Spain and will keep an eye when I'm home in Brazil. Maybe it's just because it doesn't sound so nice? LivroTok or LibroTok? xD
That is such an interesting perspective that I haven’t considered! I’m based in NYC and have mainly browsed book shops in America. Many books that are popular on tik tok have certainly spread to readers in other countries, but I think the mass pushing of BookTok books in bookstores has yet to spread. Here’s hoping it doesn’t do so like wildfire 🤞
such a good take on BookTok! thank you for sharing. I’m also curious, what are some of your favourite books that you’d recommend? I am also a massive TJR and Taylor Swift fan, so I feel like I’d appreciate your recs!
Thank you for reading!! I often really enjoy psychological thrillers - Gone Girl, Sharp Objects, and The Woman in the Window are some of my favorites!! I just started The Haunting of Hill House and am really, really enjoying it as well.
This year some of my favorite fiction I read was: Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow, We Have Always Lived In the Castle, and The Secret History. For non-fiction: I also read Crying in H-Mart and The White Album for the first time this year and absolutely loved those.
Once I find an author I like I tend to enjoy exploring their other books. Many of these are also popular on Tik Tok - and popular for a reason! Of TJR’s books, I really enjoyed The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and Malibu Rising ;)
i feel like everyone who really really loves booktok erotica and actively seeks out books with smut is just someone who wouldve thrived in fanfic communities but just landed on booktok first, because fanfic is honestly what theyre looking for. stories with predictable plot beats and relationships, which are more about fantasising about specific events rather than telling a story with themes, motifs, ~intellectual~ messages, etc--you’ll find that stuff in fanfic way easier and honestly its probably better than whatever book a publishing house got an influencer to promote for you. this isnt really related to the article but its something ive been thinking about a lot, especially now that fan internet communities are so segmented now bc of algorithms
Oooooo that’s such a good point. A lot of the BookTok books I’m thinking about really would be a lot better if they were attached to some kind of fan fiction - I feel like it would give them a bit more meat.
I’ve also been thinking a lot about how segmented fan communities are these days! I have something coming out later this week on a similar topic - it touches slightly on how much overlap Internet fandoms once had.
I read an article recently about how booktok has turned book production / publishing into fast fashion - books are being published with incredibly fast turnover and are lacking in many areas. The hype is pushing the purchasing of the book rather than the quality of the book - there’s huge quantity over quality issues.
I think it’s nice booktok has introduced many people to reading or to get back into reading, but I do also think booktok has slightly ruined the publishing industry.
On another note booktok is incredibly damaging in other ways - the books they push are so insanely white washed, heterosexual and western / English speaking books. It has many flaws. There’s always power for it to change though - and maybe it will! Because a lot of the books circulating now are so oversaturated I see a lot of people complaining about the lack of variety that booktok pushes.
I also agree with all your consumption points!!! It definitely feels there is an obsession to buy the books over reading them.
I saw an article about this too! Is the one you're referencing from Infinite Scroll? It definitely inspired the idea behind this piece!
You touch on another important point regarding the white-washed, heteronormative nature of these books - that's another way that the industry has kind of homogenized itself to prioritize selling what they know will work with a dominant, western young adult audience. It's disappointing to see the lack of representation, as well as the same book replicated again and again.
Yes that’s the one I saw! I’ve also seen others talking about it too this week - there was one in Bloomberg too talking about the hype around Iron Flame. It is such an interesting take - I hadn’t even considered the comparison of booktok and fashion fashion and yet those articles have linked and brought to life thoughts in my mind I’ve had for ages! Agree about lack of rep - it’s not just booktok fault tbf the whole publishing industry has a huge bias! They are both perpetuating each other I guess. It is definitely disappointing.
It sometimes feels so hard to walk into a bookstore to try to find something enjoyable to read knowing that it’s very likely that every book on the shelf is a badly executed mosaic of about 3 other books because publishing companies prioritized BookTok-driven sales over the quality of its content. Don’t get me wrong, there’s always going to be a gem in the mix (that’s how I’ve found so many of my own favorite authors) but it’s also taught me to be much more discerning about my reading preferences. SO glad you wrote about this topic!
So well put! There’s definitely always going to be a gem on the BookTok table - many things become popular for a good reason! But I do think the way publishing houses have watered down “BookTok” books is a bit uninspired. Always relying on “what’s popular” can have its drawbacks. Some of my favorite reads these days have come from recs from good friends and wandering around the bookstore, flipping through pages, and seeing what I’m drawn to :)
If you’re going into the bookstore, ask the booksellers for recommendations! I promise you we’re reading A LOT and not just from TikTok and we can help you find something that’s not completely out of your comfort zone but might be overlooked publicity-wise 🥰
you make some interesting points here, as somebody who writes extensively about both books and social media; however, your own ignorance of how genres and book age categories work means you undercut your own message, and i don't think you meant to.
what you are burned out on is *adult romcoms,* not YA. young adult books are aimed at the 12-18 marker and don't traditionally contain any or many sex scenes. all of the authors you've named here are adult authors, working in the adult romcom and romance space, whose books are shelved and categorized in the adult sections.
there is a long, misogynistic history of dismissing all work by women as YA—as if YA is lesser, when it is difficult to create well; and as if adults cannot enjoy tropey romance, when it is and always has been the most profitable subgenre of the industry.
there's nothing wrong with wanting to read outside of subgenres popular on BookTok (which correlates, again, with genre book sales across the industry for years); and i appreciate your critique of the overlap of consumer culture and social media. in the future, however, i would learn what books you are actually reading and describe them accurately so you don't fall into the dismissive pattern that has plagued women writers for years, and so that you can speak about your ideas and issues with more accuracy than your misunderstanding of your own reading habits shows here.
I appreciate your comment Nicole! This provides some really helpful context against what I’m discussing, I certainly have a lot more to learn on the topic and a lot less experience in the bookselling industry than you. I think my collapsing the YA romance and adult romance genres also shows how the readership demos may no longer be as distinct online - I find my little sisters and mom reading the same books that belong in either genre, all of which get clumped together in BookTok videos. I never mean to disparage media loved by young girls and women solely because it’s loved by young girls and women, but understand that intention doesn’t always match impact when there’s more to be learned. The issue doesn’t lie with the individual consumer but the larger stakeholders that drive up consumption :)
also, bookseller brain: if you are looking for great news reads this year outside the adult romcom or YA spaces, try LUCKY RED by claudia cravens (a gorgeous, tropey sapphic western); GODKILLER by hannah kaner (immersive, feisty high fantasy); STARLING HOUSE by alix e. harrow (somehow defies all genres? romantic appalachian gothic fantasy); and THE HEAVEN & EARTH GROCERY STORE by james mcbride (the most beloved 2023 litfic book at my store).
As a Bookstacker and Bookstagrammer, but failed Booktoker, I love this discussion. I also wrote about this in one of my earliest stacks and I am sure if I read it back I would have more issues with it now than then. My experience has been that much of BookTok is exactly what you describe, but I have been able to find a lovely community on Bookstagram that is much more diverse and genuine. Still though, books are props, art, things to photograph as much as they are to read. I am always in awe of these feeds that are cohesive and curated - how is it that everything you read fits perfectly with your chosen aesthetic??? But on the flip side, I have discovered so many authors and books I might never have paid attention to if I just stuck to my own liberal arts early 2000s education.
It sounds like I need to get more involved on Bookstagram! I can imagine it being a slightly slower paced environment - it feels like everything on TikTok is in hyperspeed which helps facilitate the optimized, cookie cutter content.
I agree with this! There’s a consumerist side to Bookstagram too (and has been since I started doing it 8+ years ago) but it’s also allowed me to find books I’d never otherwise have read and authors who wouldn’t traditionally get a lot of shelf space in a bookstore. But 100% have seen so many trends over the years of special editions and perfectly curated feed aesthetics
“the development of appearance without substance” 🙌🏻🙌🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻amen! It was ever thus... not a new trend, but an important phenomenon to identify (at least to me).
Thank you! I feel like it’s always what I come back to in my analyses of social media :)
Every time I read about TikTok I can faintly hear the ambient global pop of brain cells. I am grateful every day I do not use a smartphone.
But if you're worried about sounding faintly sexist by being critical of the world's worst app, I'd say that you shouldn't worry, because reading your analysis of BookTok I was instantly reminded of my guy friends who spend time in or around RateYourMusic or /mu/ (4chan's music board) - there's a similar memeification there which stems from making your music consumption visible, and the same group dynamics result in a handful of genres/groups dominating discussions. I don't think this is unique (certainly people tried to project a certain personality by reading book X or wearing band T-shirt Y before the internet) but something about the structure of these particular sites seems to turbocharge it.
god yeah the *performance* of being a particular kind of person (reader, fashionista, etc) instead of *actually being* that kind of person, has become so prevalent on social media that its overwhelming. and the way its coupled with an expectation to own lots of items to show off to people online--its just an awful combination. i feel like the whole world needs to slow down. and maybe stop buying things
I think the tying of “consumption” to “identity” has been one of the worst things to come of social media. I think it mainly accelerated when social media became more commercialized (e.g. ridden with ads and influencers).
Loved this article! As an aspiring novelist, I often worry about how social media has changed the publishing landscape and what that means for me. I also loved that you put more of the blame on capitalism rather than individual readers/BookTok users. It truly is the root of all evil lol!
Exactly! It is troubling as a writer to see this kind of landscape unfold. And the blame is definitely mainly carried by capitalism/larger stakeholders in publishing - like I mentioned, I’m not one to dictate personal tastes and have even enjoyed some BookTok books! But all books being the same is not a good development. Appreciate you reading <3
I wrote my entire Masters dissertation on this topic; BookTok has remediated the ways in which traditional books are consumed, promoted, and looked at. It's such an odd digital sphere we're involved in, either by choice/algorithmically or thrusted upon us in the physical world in which traditional books encompass
None of the books you listed are YA, despite all those authors having written YA are one point or another. I do think Female author romance = YA has plagued us for so long. But yes, when a new platform rolls around authors commodify it to death.
Flipping through pages of whatever catches your eye is the best way to go imo!
I hope you don't mind my saying so, I started off booktubing over on youtube (mostly fantasy & horror) and have since moved onto writing serial novels here and writing philosophy and fantasy-analysis essays, but I don't know if given the current trajectory of a lot of books, if they're worth reading or collecting.
It is best to be very careful with what authors you support, and to focus on those you think are quite good (those who don't try to tick boxes, as art is very complex stuff and hard to do right but definitely worth doing right). I also think it might be all the more important as I get older to cling to older books. Works such as Comte de Monte Cristo, Silmarillion, Genji, Hour of the Dragon, Jeanne D'Arc (Twain), and many others.
Hope this didn't sound like criticism, I really liked your essay and relate to not having time at one time to read. These days it is a struggle to, but it is a fun ride once I do sit down and read. Hope you have a great reading journey, I'd also be curious to ask what you think of my writing if you ever take the time to check it out. But most of all keep reading madame!
Appreciate this comment!! I think being discerning about what we choose to collect is a great way to avoid overconsumption in our current climate.
Very true, I'll be the first to admit I buy too many books, but I've stopped in order to read-through the current crop. So discernment and self-awareness are indeed important as you pointed out. If only these booktokers would learn.
I am not on TikTok but am using other platforms like IG. How do you think this phenomenon relates to the emergence of celebrities posting selfies with (usually already bestselling) books?
That’s a good question Lili! I feel like so much of that relates to the use of books as tokens. In the instance of celebrities, using the best-seller label is often a signifier of intellect and accomplishment, when in reality, making the best-seller lists often requires just as much PR strategy as it does actual skill/sales.
The BookTok sections are really dismaying. I’m wondering though (for you and others); is this as much a phenomenon in other countries? Or is this largely an american/european phenomenon?
I ask because i’m in mexico city currently. I’ve been stumbling into bookstores (old and new), and there haven’t been *any* of those booktok sections, or anything similar. Maybe i’ve just gotten lucky, but it seems hopeful. Perhaps the reach of that american trend hasn’t quite strangled the book culture here yet...
I've seen them here in Belgium, haven't seen in Spain and will keep an eye when I'm home in Brazil. Maybe it's just because it doesn't sound so nice? LivroTok or LibroTok? xD
It could be based on the size of the American/UK/European markets as to their publishing abilities and how many books they’re bringing out?
That is such an interesting perspective that I haven’t considered! I’m based in NYC and have mainly browsed book shops in America. Many books that are popular on tik tok have certainly spread to readers in other countries, but I think the mass pushing of BookTok books in bookstores has yet to spread. Here’s hoping it doesn’t do so like wildfire 🤞
such a good take on BookTok! thank you for sharing. I’m also curious, what are some of your favourite books that you’d recommend? I am also a massive TJR and Taylor Swift fan, so I feel like I’d appreciate your recs!
Thank you for reading!! I often really enjoy psychological thrillers - Gone Girl, Sharp Objects, and The Woman in the Window are some of my favorites!! I just started The Haunting of Hill House and am really, really enjoying it as well.
This year some of my favorite fiction I read was: Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow, We Have Always Lived In the Castle, and The Secret History. For non-fiction: I also read Crying in H-Mart and The White Album for the first time this year and absolutely loved those.
Once I find an author I like I tend to enjoy exploring their other books. Many of these are also popular on Tik Tok - and popular for a reason! Of TJR’s books, I really enjoyed The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and Malibu Rising ;)
I feel like you should have a guest post on Read, Watch, Binge :)
Omg I would love to!! You can email me at madisonhuizinga@substack.com!