How TikTok Has Influenced The Book Community

In the wake of the pandemic and newly found free time, millions turned to TikTok for entertainment and escape from boredom and quarantine. One huge development that came out of this was what I like to call; the Book Renaissance. I mean books have forever been popular, but this resurgence of energy and passion surrounding literature was exciting to see. However, mainstream BookTok is now almost incomparable to what it was maybe 3-4 years ago. It’s influenced how we see readers, the media we watch, the published books, and the authors that get the spotlight. It’s honestly something I could talk about for so long, so I decided to bring it here, to condense my thoughts and truly share what I believe the impact of TikTok has been on the bookish world. (This is just my opinion!)

Firstly, I think we should address the matter of tropes, and how we use them. In the beginning, tropes weren’t entire plot points. They were entertaining developments that added to our love for the characters and their story. We saw all the fun ones in fantasy books and there was nothing better than reaching the scene that had been hyped up on TikTok. However, as the years have gone by, I think they’ve become way too oversaturated. Authors use them to advertise their books when before, it was just a subtle inclusion in the novel. There’s like fifteen different tropes in one chapter now, and it just doesn’t feel as authentic. I also think that we’ve started including them in the wrong types of stories because wdym the enemies-to-lovers and touch-her-and-you-die tropes are in a novel about a teenage boy who probably doesn’t even have his license yet. Do you get what I’m saying? These tropes have become a way to get engagement on releases rather than subtly contributing to character dynamics.  

Secondly, there’s the matter of movies and film. So many book-to-movie adaptations have taken place over the last few years, and I think so much of that development can be attributed to the attention/popularity that certain novels received on BookTok. The social media platform has truly changed the lives of so many authors, and it has brought countless characters to our screens at home. I always wonder what the trajectory of a book and author's career would have looked like without TikTok, the amount of influence it holds when it comes to bringing characters to life is crazy!

Thirdly, there is the simple fact that the hobby of reading has reached multitudes. TikTok has brought the love of literature to so many new minds and people, it’s been really cool. So many have found their love for novels, they’ve found their genres, preferences, and niches. Whether it’s romance, fantasy, or non-fiction, there is a creator and recommendation available for everyone. While the mainstream content may only cover a few genres. It still doesn’t change the fact that the world of reading has been introduced to so many. That’s the beauty of books, no matter if you read for fun or education and stimulation, there’s something out there for everyone. This community has become so incredibly vast, you can create your algorithm and grow your bookshelf accordingly. 

In conclusion, I believe that BookTok has truly changed the way that reading is perceived and promoted. You see it in posts, in the language of books themselves, and on the shelves of so many stores. Whether it's a positive or negative change is up for debate, but there’s no denying the spotlight/appreciation that literature now has.