View source for BookTok

{{Short description|Subcommunity on the TikTok app}}
'''BookTok''' is a subcommunity on the app [[TikTok]] that focuses on [[books]] and literature. Creators make videos reviewing, discussing, and joking about the books they read. These books range in genre, but many creators tend to focus on [[young adult fiction]], young adult [[fantasy]], and [[romance novels|romance]].<ref name=":9">{{Cite web|title=BookTok boon is changing the publishing world|url=https://spectrumnews1.com/ca/la-west/human-interest/2021/08/12/booktok-boon-is-changing-the-publishing-world|access-date=2021-09-10|website=spectrumnews1.com|language=en}}</ref> The community is cited with impacting the publishing industry and book sales.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|last1=Harris|first1=Elizabeth A.|date=2020-03-20|title=How Crying on TikTok Sells Books|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/20/books/booktok-tiktok-video.html|access-date=2021-09-10}}</ref> The creators in this community are also known as BookTokers.<ref name=":8">{{Cite web|last=Hue|first=Angelina|date=September 18, 2021|title=TikTok is turning decade-old books into bestsellers for the first time as it inspires a reading renaissance|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/tiktok-booktok-inspiring-reading-renaissance-old-books-bestsellers-2021-9|url-status=live|access-date=2021-10-02|website=Business Insider|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210918143709/https://www.businessinsider.com/tiktok-booktok-inspiring-reading-renaissance-old-books-bestsellers-2021-9 |archive-date=2021-09-18 }}</ref>
== Background ==
BookTok grew in popularity in 2020 during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.<ref name=":0" /> Currently, several BookTok accounts now have hundreds of thousands of followers.<ref name=":7">{{Cite news|date=2021-06-25|title=The rise of BookTok: meet the teen influencers pushing books up the charts|language=en|work=the Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2021/jun/25/the-rise-of-booktok-meet-the-teen-influencers-pushing-books-up-the-charts|access-date=2021-10-02}}</ref> By 2021, publishers began to reach out to popular creators to collaborate with them to promote specific titles or offer free books.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Zarroli|first=Jim|date=December 26, 2021|title='BookTok' is a new force driving book sales and publishing deals|language=en|work=NPR.org|url=https://www.npr.org/2021/12/26/1068063564/booktok-is-a-new-force-driving-book-sales-and-publishing-deals|access-date=2021-12-27}}</ref> In November 2023 it was reported that the #BookTok had been viewed over 200 billion times on TikTok with about 60 billion videos.<ref name=":10">{{Cite news |last=Ariyanayagam |first=Annabelle |date=2023-12-03 |title=TikTok's #BookTok trend 'literally changed my life' |language=en-GB |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-67555175 |access-date=2023-12-04}}</ref>
In December 2021, a BookTok community member sent out dozens of packages to other users which contained a newly published book and a coded message to create intrigue around the new book.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |title=How A Mysterious Novel Went Viral On TikTok & Changed The Publishing Game |url=https://www.bustle.com/entertainment/tiktok-books-a-broken-blade-mystery |access-date=2022-03-19 |website=Bustle |language=en}}</ref> The message was decoded within the month by a group of BookTokers called The Scooby Gang.<ref name=":4" /> Melissa Blair, an [[Anishinaabe]]i user, was revealed to be the author and the book sold about 4,000 copies in the weeks prior.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Papineau|first=Chelsea|date=2021-12-16|title=Booktok mystery solved, author identity revealed|url=https://northernontario.ctvnews.ca/booktok-mystery-solved-author-identity-revealed-1.5710280|url-status=live|access-date=2021-12-27|website=Northern Ontario|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211216230141/https://northernontario.ctvnews.ca/booktok-mystery-solved-author-identity-revealed-1.5710280 |archive-date=2021-12-16 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Sleightholm|first=Brent|date=December 21, 2021|title=New book explores what 'colonialism would look like in a fantasy world'|url=https://www.sootoday.com/local-entertainment/new-book-explores-what-colonialism-would-look-like-in-a-fantasy-world-4886153|url-status=live|access-date=2021-12-27|website=SooToday.com|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211222105638/https://www.sootoday.com/local-entertainment/new-book-explores-what-colonialism-would-look-like-in-a-fantasy-world-4886153 |archive-date=2021-12-22 }}</ref> Other authors who post content using the BookTok tag have noticed that books sell more, and they can stay connected or specifically target potential buyers through the hashtag and other specific ones that apply to their books.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Singer|first=Jessica|date=August 29, 2021|title=BookTok's novel approach to books is helping Canadian authors, retailers attract new audiences|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/booktok-tiktok-canadian-authors-retailers-1.6154331|url-status=live|access-date=December 27, 2021|website=CBC|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210829082914/https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/booktok-tiktok-canadian-authors-retailers-1.6154331 |archive-date=2021-08-29 }}</ref>
== Culture ==
BookTok has its own culture in the digital world with videos being reposted on Instagram, Facebook and other social media platforms. There are multiple "subcultures" based on the kind of a books a user is interested in hearing or learning about. Some of these various subcultures on BookTok are romance, fantasy, and historical fiction.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Ridzuan |first1=Martina |last2=Ahmadrashidi |first2=Norsyuhada bt |date=November 2, 2023 |title=The Phenomenon of Booktok and Its Impact on The Transformation of Literary Culture and The Publishing Industry |url=https://forumkomunikasi.uitm.edu.my/images/FK18No2Oct23/FKOCT_2023_06_BOOKTOK.pdf |journal=Forum Komunikasi |volume=18 |issue=2 |pages=74–83}}</ref> BookTok features a variety of content geared towards these audiences such as reviews, book hauls, cosplays, or acting out various scenes.<ref name=":03">{{Citation |last=Kulkarni |first=Sonali |title=Getting a feel for BookTok: Understanding affect on TikTok's bookish subculture |date=September 2024 |work=Lezen in Beweging |pages=75–86 |editor-last=Dera |editor-first=Jeroen |url=https://research.tilburguniversity.edu/en/publications/getting-a-feel-for-booktok-understanding-affect-on-tiktoks-bookis |access-date=2024-10-31 |series=Stichting Lezen Reeks |publisher=Eburon |editor2-last=van Steensel |editor2-first=Roel}}</ref> In this digital space smaller groups are formed on outside servers such as discord and books are able to become more or less popular because of this platform. There are many articles that discuss how BookTok has changed reading for younger people and impacted the publishing landscape.<ref>{{Cite web |last=fran :･ﾟ✧:･.☽˚ |date=2023-09-28 |title=Yes, BookTok gets people reading, but at what cost? |url=https://medium.com/@franwrites/yes-booktok-gets-people-reading-but-at-what-cost-2c573a74eb2a |access-date=2024-10-09 |website=Medium |language=en}}</ref>{{better source needed|date=November 2024}}
=== Impacts on reading ===
The BookTok space had been linked to an increase in the desire to read outside of classrooms<ref name=":12">{{Cite journal |last1=Asplund |first1=Stig-Börje |last2=Ljung Egeland |first2=Birgitta |last3=Olin-Scheller |first3=Christina |date=2024-07-03 |title=Sharing is caring: young people's narratives about BookTok and volitional reading |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09500782.2024.2324947 |journal=Language and Education |language=en |volume=38 |issue=4 |pages=635–651 |doi=10.1080/09500782.2024.2324947 |issn=0950-0782}}</ref> as well as reacting/rating books emotionally rather than from a solely critical standpoint. Content creators post a variety of TikToks about the books they are reading, but they often revolve around reactions to entire books or specific scenes. Some of these videos showcase visceral reactions to books that inspire other BookTok users to read the book.<ref name=":04">{{Citation |last=Kulkarni |first=Sonali |title=Getting a feel for BookTok: Understanding affect on TikTok's bookish subculture |date=September 2024 |work=Lezen in Beweging |pages=75–86 |editor-last=Dera |editor-first=Jeroen |url=https://research.tilburguniversity.edu/en/publications/getting-a-feel-for-booktok-understanding-affect-on-tiktoks-bookis |access-date=2024-10-31 |series=Stichting Lezen Reeks |publisher=Eburon |editor2-last=van Steensel |editor2-first=Roel}}</ref> ''The Song of Achilles'' by Madeline Miller is a popular example in which videos of creators crying over the ending rose in popularity on the app.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-10-02 |title=The Next Literary Frontier: The Rise of BookTok |url=https://thehoya.com/the-next-literary-frontier-the-rise-of-booktok/ |access-date=2024-11-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211002194859/https://thehoya.com/the-next-literary-frontier-the-rise-of-booktok/ |archive-date=2021-10-02 }}</ref> Frequently, part of the culture on BookTok is the discussion of how these books make readers feel.<ref name=":04" />
Another popular aspect of the community culture in BookTok is the open discussion and the idea that users are reading the books together.<ref name=":12" />
== Impact on sales and publishing ==
TikTok videos of people recommending books led to a significant increase in sales. Several books found their way onto [[The New York Times Best Seller list|The New York Times Bestseller list]] due to BookTok videos.<ref name=":0" /> In some cases, the books that received this boost in sales were nearly a decade old, while other books gained popularity ahead of their release.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=TikTok is taking the book industry by storm, and retailers are taking notice|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/tiktok-taking-book-industry-storm-retailers-are-taking-notice-n1272909|url-status=live|access-date=2021-09-10|website=NBC News|language=en|publication-date=2021-07-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210705083517/https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/tiktok-taking-book-industry-storm-retailers-are-taking-notice-n1272909 |archive-date=2021-07-05 }}</ref> Books can become popular on the app due to either a genuine love for them by the readers, or due to shock and jokes about the subject matter, as seen with the science fantasy romance novel ''[[Ice Planet Barbarians]]''.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web|author=AJ Willingham|title=How sexy blue aliens invaded Amazon's bestseller lists|url=https://www.cnn.com/style/article/ice-planet-barbarians-tiktok-book-ruby-dixon-trnd/index.html|access-date=2021-10-02|website=CNN|date=27 June 2021 |language=en}}</ref>
Both authors and publishers began to notice the increase in sales due to BookTok. Authors began to make their own BookTok accounts, while publishers made accounts for their company and sponsored popular BookTokers to promote their titles.<ref name=":0" /> Some have praised the community for raising awareness of books that would not be as marketed as heavily, such as self-published authors.<ref name=":10" /> Large publishers would also buy the rights to publish books by independent authors who gained popularity on the app.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Bussel|first=Rachel Kramer|title=Viral Science Fiction Romance 'Ice Planet Barbarians' By Ruby Dixon To Get Print Edition In November|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/rachelkramerbussel/2021/09/07/viral-science-fiction-romance-ice-planet-barbarians-by-ruby-dixon-to-get-print-edition-in-november/|access-date=2021-10-02|website=Forbes|language=en}}</ref> ''[[The Atlas Six]]'' by Olivie Blake was self-published via [[Kindle Direct Publishing|Kindle]] in 2020 and became a viral "BookTok sensation." The fantasy novel was acquired by [[Tor Books]] and re-published with revisions in 2021.<ref name=":02">{{Cite web |date=2022-03-03 |title=The Atlas Six: The Dark Fantasy Viral Sensation is the Real Deal |url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/books/olivie-blake/the-atlas-six-review-olivie-blake/ |access-date=2022-11-22 |website=pastemagazine.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=The Atlas Six |url=https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250860460/theatlassix |access-date=2022-11-22 |website=Macmillan |language=en-US}}</ref> There have also been cases of authors receiving publishing deals for unpublished works that went viral on the app, such as [[Alex Aster|Alex Aster's]] ''Lightlark''.<ref name=":11">{{Cite web |date=2022-09-15 |title=How TikTok Changed The Course Of Alex Aster's Life |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/alex-aster-lightlark-culture-shifters_n_630d2145e4b065bfc4b12692 |access-date=2024-02-01 |website=HuffPost |language=en}}</ref>
Bookstores such as [[Barnes & Noble|Barnes and Noble]] have noticed BookTok's ability to drive sales, and have incorporated into their stores.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|title=How TikTok Makes Backlist Books into Bestsellers|url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/bookselling/article/87304-how-tiktok-makes-backlist-books-into-bestsellers.html|access-date=2021-09-10|website=PublishersWeekly.com|language=en}}</ref> Many Barnes and Noble stores have BookTok displays, featuring popular books on the app, and the company also has a section of their site dedicated to these books.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Noble|first=Barnes &|title=The Most Popular TikTok Books #BookTok|url=https://www.barnesandnoble.com/b/booktok/_/N-2vdn|access-date=2021-09-10|website=Barnes & Noble|language=en}}</ref><ref name=":6" /> Many retailers view BookTok as an organic marketing method, as readers find what is trending through the posts and want to read the books in order to engage with the community.<ref name=":8" /> Some members of the community agree with the organic feel of marketing within the community, as it gives the readers more control over what books are popular. Others argue that it can create an echo chamber about which books should be read.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Franklin|first=Maddy|date=September 11, 2021|title=The rise of BookTok and Bookstagram: UGA readers find community on social media|url=https://www.redandblack.com/culture/the-rise-of-booktok-and-bookstagram-uga-readers-find-community-on-social-media/article_fb9278e8-10e9-11ec-8168-77d4d4691d8e.html|url-status=live|access-date=2021-10-02|website=The Red and Black|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210909162316/https://www.redandblack.com/culture/the-rise-of-booktok-and-bookstagram-uga-readers-find-community-on-social-media/article_fb9278e8-10e9-11ec-8168-77d4d4691d8e.html |archive-date=2021-09-09 }}</ref> The community may also be helping in a trend of more readers, with a growth in interest in reading and reading seen with the growth in the community and TikTok popularity.<ref name=":10" />
== Popular BookTok books ==
"'''BookTok Books'''" are the books discussed most frequently on the platform, and often have had a large increase in sales due to it. These books include:
* ''[[A Court of Thorns and Roses]]'' by [[Sarah J. Maas]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Olito |first=Frank |title=15 books everyone must read in their lifetime, according to TikTok |url=https://www.insider.com/most-recommended-books-tiktok-2021-3 |access-date=2021-10-02 |website=Insider |language=en-US}}</ref>
* ''[[The Atlas Six]]'' by [[Olivie Blake]]<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-03-15 |title=As 'The Atlas Six' author Olivie Blake went into labor, her book went viral on TikTok |url=https://www.dailynews.com/2022/03/15/as-the-atlas-six-author-olivie-blake-went-into-labor-her-book-went-viral-on-tiktok |access-date=2022-12-01 |website=Daily News |language=en-US}}</ref>
* ''[[Fourth Wing]]'' by [[Rebecca Yarros]]<ref name="fourthWing">{{cite web |last=Grindell |first=Samantha |date=May 26, 2023 |title=I read the TikTok-viral fantasy novel 'Fourth Wing' and it lived up to the hype |url=https://www.businessinsider.in/thelife/news/i-read-the-tiktok-viral-fantasy-novel-fourth-wing-and-it-lived-up-to-the-hype/articleshow/100511197.cms |access-date= |website= |publisher= |quote=}}</ref>
* ''[[Ice Planet Barbarians]]'' by Ruby Dixon<ref name=":5" />
* ''[[It Ends with Us|It Ends With Us]]'' by [[Colleen Hoover]]<ref name=":2" />
* ''[[The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue]]'' by [[V. E. Schwab]]<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |date=2021-07-13 |title=TikTok fuels new surge in teen reading habits |url=https://suffolktimes.timesreview.com/2021/07/tiktok-fuels-new-surge-in-teen-reading-habits/ |access-date=2021-09-21 |website=The Suffolk Times |language=en-US}}</ref>
* ''[[Lightlark]]'' by [[Alex Aster]]<ref name=":11" />
* ''[[The Love Hypothesis]]'' by [[Ali Hazelwood]]
* ''[[My Year of Rest and Relaxation]]'' by [[Ottessa Moshfegh]]<ref name=":7" />
* ''[[The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo]] '' by [[Taylor Jenkins Reid]]<ref name=":6" />
* ''[[Six of Crows]]'' by [[Leigh Bardugo]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Helm |first=Jake |date=2021-03-31 |title=BookTok: the TikTok trend sending old books up bestseller lists |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/insider/what-is-booktok-tiktok-trend-books-bestseller-lists-b927217.html |access-date=2021-10-02 |website=www.standard.co.uk |language=en}}</ref>
* ''[[The Song of Achilles]]'' by [[Madeline Miller]]<ref name=":0" />
* ''[[They Both Die at the End]]'' by [[Adam Silvera]]<ref name=":1" />
* ''[[We Were Liars]]'' by [[E. Lockhart]]<ref name=":0" />
* ''These Violent Delights'' by [[Chloe Gong]]<ref name=":1" />
* ''[[Throne of Glass]]'' by [[Sarah J. Maas]]<ref>{{Cite news |last=Creamer |first=Ella |date=2024-02-02 |title=A genre of swords and soulmates: the rise and rise of 'romantasy' novels |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2024/feb/02/romantasy-literary-genre-booktok |access-date=2024-04-17 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>
* The Cruel Prince by [[Holly Black]]
== See also ==
* [[BookTube]]
* [[TikTok Book Awards]]
== References ==
{{Reflist}}
== External links ==
* [https://www.tiktok.com/tag/booktok #BookTok] on TikTok
{{TikTok navbox}}
[[Category:Book review websites]]
[[Category:TikTok]]