In recent years, especially since the pandemic unwillingly forced billions of people to face the malaise of isolation, “BookTok” has become a cultural phenomenon. Reading (physical books) is trendy again—a sudden and intense switch-up from the decrease in enjoyment of anything past a Kindle, in addition to the rise in online shopping for books through websites like Amazon. Technology had revolutionized literature, and even the largest traditional bookstore company in the United States, Barnes & Noble, was announcing closure of many locations throughout the country. However, as TikTok began to re-popularize the art of reading once again, many individuals, who have never considered picking up this hobby, were becoming convinced by BookTok’s influence. So far, the marketability outcomes resulting off of BookTok novels have been keeping steady traction. Yet, it begs the question: does BookTok promote authentic literature, or is it merely another cycle of artificial trends, waiting for an expiration date?
BookTok, at its core, is driven by trends. The recommended books often share similar characteristics with rapid plots, stereotypically digestible themes, and emotional rollercoasters. While these individual factors are all aspects of well-acclaimed literature, the approach towards marketing literary content on an app that strives to catch your attention in seconds may diminish the depth of literature. Sub-trends have sprung up as a result of BookTok, such as the mass purchasing of annotative materials and unrealistic annual goals. As such, this continues to promote pure entertainment and aesthetic values, rather than the intended purpose of literature to enrich life by engaging with meaningful stories and lessons.
The commercialization of BookTok is being utilized by content creators (BookTokers) and authors alike, where they recognize patterns of what gains traction and what doesn’t. I’ve noticed a pattern with books that have been published during this timeframe—around when BookTok kicked off in 2020 until now—where authors push out books without purpose. For example, the rise in romance novels have been considerably popularized by works such as the It Ends With Us duology by Colleen Hoover, The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood, and Icebreaker by Hannah Grace. They all hold the aspects listed previously, trademarks of a “good book” by BookTok’s definition, which has led to authors approaching romance novels in a rather formulaic fashion.
Taking Icebreaker as a case study, its overwhelming success has curated a wave of new books with nearly identical tropes, covers, and plots. Collide by Bal Khabra and The Fake Out by Stephanie Archer feature these identical elements: pastel covers with strikingly similar art styles, college sport settings, and predictable romance tropes, such as enemies-to-lovers and forced proximity. While craving for literature similar to previous works we have enjoyed is a normal part of the bookish journey, prioritizing engagement and success on BookTok by producing run-of-the-mill storytelling sacrifices innovation and depth.
In order to immerse myself into the world of BookTok, I chose to read a trending trilogy last year, A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson. In the third novel, As Good As Dead, I noticed something that shocked me. The book starts off with not one, but two glaring grammatical errors: Jackson misspells this as “thus” and trial as “trail.” While this read was undeniably entertaining and thrilling, I questioned the processes that went into editing and publication. I believe this oversight, which was fairly easy to avoid, proves the modern literary industry’s response and greed towards the platform.
While BookTok has undoubtedly allowed many individuals to discover a passion for reading, the commodification of literature and the primary focus on surface-level narratives raise concerns about the future of creative writing. Personally, I hope that past the artificiality, people will be able to open up their horizons and explore the never-ending sea of beautiful and thought-provoking literature.
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