The Newest Literary Gold Mine: BookTok Written | by Azelynna Lim Fang Een
Illustration by Jessica P Riekert and Kwai Pin.
How #BookTok Boosts Independent Authors
Early in the industry, it was near impossible to gain television adaptations unless the author had reached the same volume of Stephen King or JK Rowling’s fame. However, #BookTok has helped books without mainstream appeal rise to the top. For example, ‘The Atlas Six’ written by Olivie Blake was initially self-published in 2020. Last September, the book garnered over 20 million views thanks to BookTok, and a publishing bidding war sparked among seven publishing houses wanting to snatch up the now-famous novel. Blake ended up obtaining a 6 figure payment, changing the trajectory of her literary career forever.
Furthermore, ‘The Spanish Love Deception’ written by Elena Armas, independently published in 2021, gained the affection of romance novel readers everywhere with over 60 million views on TikTok. The book later got picked up by Simon & Schuster, with an audiobook released in November 2021, followed by the paperback published by Atria Books in February 2022.
How #BookTok Increases Sales and Opens Doors
This has spiked many authors’ physical sales and opened doors for them to introduce their stories through the big screen. It’d be impossible to speak of BookTok without mentioning the community’s favourite writer, Colleen Hoover. The writer’s trademark novel, ‘It Ends With Us’, was initially released in 2016. However, its virality on TikTok caused a sales bump in 2020. The uproar even caught the attention of Justin Baldoni, a famous actor from ‘Jane The Virgin’, who intends to create a film adaptation of the book. Other notable writers like Taylor Jenkins Reid, with her rediscovered novel ‘The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo’, were contacted for a television adaptation after BookTok played a significant role in the book appearing on the New York Times bestseller list for 37 weeks.
How You Can Use BookTok to Your Advantage
How can aspiring writers get a jump on this trend? Firstly, be vulnerable and bond emotionally with your audience. Many open up about the stressful yet rewarding journey, from the first draft to the final reading. Others may talk about their inspirations for the book, sharing their personal experiences and what led them to the overarching plot. BookTok helps diminish the barrier between reader and writer, humanising the faces on the back cover. Next, never underestimate the power of the ‘For You Page’ algorithm. Users will be delivered content similar to what they have engaged with before. The smartest way to use this effectively would be to post consistently, reply, like, and pin followers’ comments. Finally, utilise the visual upperhand of TikTok. Intrigue your readers with fancastings of your upcoming books, live stream the unboxing or take your readers along the journey of designing the cover.
Conclusion
Word of mouth has always sold books and has just been amplified thousand times. There’s no denying its reach and convenience, and there’s no harm in giving BookTok a shot. Whether you’re new to the literary world looking for a beginner-friendly piece, a retired bibliophile wanting to get out of a reading slump, or a hopeful small-town writer looking to become more, BookTok remains a platform welcome to all. The average person spends around 5 to 6 hours on their phone daily; Why not make that time worthwhile?
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