{"id":299795,"date":"2025-10-13T11:31:17","date_gmt":"2025-10-13T11:31:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/299795\/"},"modified":"2025-10-13T11:31:17","modified_gmt":"2025-10-13T11:31:17","slug":"the-double-edged-sword-of-booktok","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/299795\/","title":{"rendered":"The double-edged sword of BookTok"},"content":{"rendered":"

TikTok\u2019s BookTok has become a popular digital haven for both readers and authors.<\/p>\n

Jess Richter, author of queer fantasy and romance novels, promotes their work online through BookTok.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Richter, who lives in the Chicago suburbs and attended the University of Illinois Chicago, said they began posting on BookTok in 2021 but didn\u2019t start taking it seriously until early 2022.<\/p>\n

Richter says the platform can be a great resource for finding other readers and writers.<\/p>\n

\u201cTalking about my books and my experiences as an author on BookTok has allowed me to get insight from others and really build a community of people who enjoy my books,\u201d Richter said.<\/p>\n

\"\"Jess Richter (right) greets cosplayers browsing at their New York Comic Con booth on Oct. 10, 2025. Richter\u2019s booth draws in new buyers as well as those who have seen their work on BookTok. (Amber Corkey<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Richter said getting recommendations for books outside their usual genres has helped them with research and taught them more about the publishing industry and bookstore operations.<\/p>\n

The TikTok subcommunity initially gained traction in 2020 as people sought community and entertainment online during the Covid-19 lockdown. Users use the hashtag #BookTok<\/a> to post short videos reviewing, recommending and talking about the books they love.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Authors like Richter also use the platform to post writing updates and generate interest in their books. Victoria Aveyard<\/a>, author of the bestselling \u201cRed Queen\u201d series, is active on BookTok, engaging with fans of the series and providing updates on her current writing projects.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Lauren Roberts<\/a>, author of \u201cPowerless,\u201d got her start on BookTok posting book reviews and recommendations. Fans became excited when she posted about the book she was working on, which led to her series going viral when it was released in 2023.\u00a0<\/p>\n

But the BookTok community is also facing backlash. Critics accuse the trend of encouraging overconsumption and pressuring authors to prioritize virality over quality.<\/p>\n

Richter noted that BookTok creates pressure as an author to go viral and have your book be successful. They cited a specific instance in which a fellow indie author\u2019s book had a negative reception on BookTok, causing anxiety about how their book would be received and even leading a publisher to tell them that their book should not go to print.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"Jess Richter (left) sells one of their books to con goer Taz Shepard (left) at New York Comic Con on Oct. 10, 2025. Richter publishes under the name Jess Galaxie and markets their books at conventions and on BookTok. (Amber Corkey<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Brittany Kass, a second-year graduate student in DePaul\u2019s creative writing and publishing program, is someone who worries that BookTok has encouraged consumerism.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople want to stay within the zeitgeist of what is in now and want to be into the cool trends,\u201d Kass said.<\/p>\n

One such trend is the \u201cblind date with a book\u201d<\/a> trend. It refers to when bookstores wrap up a book, concealing the cover and title and providing only a short description of the book for readers who purchase it.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Although the concept of the blind date with a book started in an Australian bookshop, it has recently become popular on BookTok, leading many bookstores and retailers to capitalize on the trend.<\/p>\n

Richter acknowledges that BookTok caters to \u201cthe idea that you have to be buying new books all the time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it is great that more people are reading and buying books,\u201d Richter said. \u201cBut at some point you have to ask, \u2018Are you are just buying books for the sake of buying books?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

According to an article published by Forbes<\/a> in 2023, Barnes & Noble saw a 14% increase in book sales in 2020, the year BookTok started gaining traction.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are definitely multiple sides to it,\u201d Richter said. \u201cBookTok already receives so much criticism, so I think creators are hesitant to talk about the negative side.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

However, they still enjoy the platform, as TikTok\u2019s algorithm has led them to many indie authors and queer books.<\/p>\n

Sarah Hoerner, president of DePaul\u2019s student-run book club Bookmark DePaul, also appreciates BookTok. Hoerner is a senior studying digital marketing and said books trending in the digital community are frequently considered when the club votes on what to read each month.<\/p>\n

\u201cTikTok is where I find most of the books that I want to read,\u201d Hoerner said. \u201cI even love going to Barnes & Noble or different bookstores and looking at their \u2018As Seen on BookTok\u2019 displays.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

People may disagree about whether BookTok has had positive or negative effects on reading culture. But one thing is certain: it has changed the way people read.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have been able to read faster, and I am more excited to read,\u201d Kass said. \u201cHowever, with any social media experience there is always a negative side.\u201d<\/p>\n

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