If youâre connected to the internet, you have probably already seen how big TikTok is between the heavy-users of social media. The app, created by ByteDance in China, is known for making it possible to upload videos up to 60 seconds about any content we want. One is the literary, called BookTok. In it, users – and also bookaholics – can produce any content about literature, like recommendations, analyzes and even discussions that surround the literary world. This side of TikTok is getting bigger and bigger and it is also increasing the literary public around the globe. We talked to 6 BookTokers to know their opinions about this influence and how to start reading more. Check it out!Â
- Renata Moura (@reesenhas)
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Renata Moura is a 17-year-old girl from Minas Gerais who started creating content in September, 2020. Owner of an Instagram account with the same name, Renata believes BookTok does a great job influencing people to read more, âbecause, like it or not, TikTok doesn’t send your videos just to the BookTok side. So, a lot of people who never read end up seeing the videos and being like âmy God, this book seems to be coolâ and then start reading. It is very fun to encourage people to read.”
About that, Renata thinks it is very important to constantly encourage young people to read, âmainly because reading will always help the person to form a critical senseâ, once it is a thing that unfortunately isnât much encouraged in Brazil.
For those who want to read more, she assures that the best way is to be inspired by tv shows. âIf you like a certain show, then you should look for books that are the same genreâ, she adds. Asked to recommend a book, Renata said âIt Ends With Usâ, by Colleen Hoover: âit is a wonderful book. It portrays domestic violence and I had some doubts, because we never look at the victim’s eyes; we like to judge people without understanding them. It was a very important book for me, and I think it would be very important for some people as wellâ. Nevertheless, if you like a lighter book, she recommends the âShatter Meâ series, by Tahereh Mafi.
- Azanta Thakur (@azantareads)
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Azanta Thakur has been a content creator since January, 2021. From Florida, the 22-year-old girl started on BookTok as a hobby to share her love for books and found a very good place to do so. In fact, she also believes this is a great way to influence people to read more. âI think the TikTok video format of 60-second snapshots provides an easy way for people to understand if a book is for them or not while also capturing things written reviews cannot, like emotion through facial expressions and verbal intonationsâ, she adds.
Besides that, encouraging people to read is something that is recommended to be done from a young age, because, in addition to helping with education, it also reflects in the feeling of identity. âNo matter who you are, thereâs a book out there that will speak to you and you will see yourself in and itâs so important to impart that knowledge on young peopleâ, Azanta states.
However, if you want to start reading right now it is also very possible to do so! âStart slow, start smallâ, Azanta says. âDon’t be afraid to experiment and dip your toes into different genresâ, she adds. Unfortunately, in the BookTok and Bookstagram world there is a lot of competition, which can discourage people. âThere is no rush or competition to finish a ton of books! Whether you read 1 or 100 books a year, you’re still reading and you’re doing it at your own paceâ, Azanta assures.
Also asked to recommend a book, her choice was âAn Ember in The Ashesâ, a series written by Sabaa Tahir, that talks about two teenage kids, Laia and Elias, who are trying to beat the oppressive system they live in.
- BĂĄrbara Polo (@baapolo)
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BĂĄrbara Polo,18Â and from SĂŁo Paulo. She started on TikTok about a year ago and now she has over 300 thousand people following her page. She also started as a hobby and believes that the platform does influence people to read more. âI always receive on social media some âthank you so much for introducing me to the literary worldâ messages and I am so grateful for being introduced to the literary world that it makes me happy that I do it too with othersâ, she says.
BĂĄrbara thinks that books are not only good for education but also for inner, intimate, pleasure and the feeling of comfort: âreading does very well for you. It is part of my life, itâs a routine that, if I donât read, I miss it. It completely changed my lifeâ. About that, she, who started reading at the age of 12, remarks that started it as an escape from reality but now it is part of her soul she will never let go, since it does so well for her even after some years and maturations.
For the newbie readers, BĂĄrbara guarantees that easy books are the best way to start, and never reading as an obligation is also very important. âRead books for beginners, for ages 12 and 14, for example, like Paula Pimentaâs stories or the Percy Jackson series. Donât read for an obligation. If you want to set an hour, set an hour, but stop it when itâs boring. Donât force itâ, she adds.
As the book recommendation, she chose two: âLorien Legaciesâ, from Pittacus Lore, and âThrone of Glassâ, by Sarah J. Maas. BĂĄrbara also says that she is just like us, BookTok enthusiasts, who save tons of recommendation videos. âAfter I joined TikTok, the amount of books I added to my list is immense. The best books Iâve ever read were because of TikTokâ, she finishes.
- Layla Fernanda (@booksbyla)
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Layla Fernanda is a 19-year-old girl from Pernambuco who started creating content on TikTok also about a year ago. She started the page as a hobby, uploaded a lot of videos and forgot about them. A month later, she decided to open the app again and found out that everybody was loving her videos! She says that the most fun part of doing it all is being able to share the love for books with other people: âKnowing that there are people who love [books] as much as I do gives me so much joy.”
Layla believes that the platform influences a lot the reading process, since the videos instigate you to read when you need some inspiration. Besides that, she also says that reading for her is way more than a hobby, helping her through very difficult times, and we should always encourage people to do it too. âBooks help me to see there is a solution for things in life, it makes me be able to believe in a better future. Our society lacks encouragement for young people. Always slaughtering, always very oppressive, always âdo this, do thatâ and âdon’t do this, don’t do thatâ and never showing that people can do what they want and they will be able to do it. I think that in books we find the courage we cannot find in the real worldâ, she adds.
For her, the best way to dive into this world is choosing a genre you like. When you read some mystery, for example, and you feel like it isnât going anywhere, then just drop it and try to find another genre for you. âLook for a genre you like and that makes your heart flutterâ, she emphasizes.
Exemplifying how books are a very important part of her life, Layla recommends âThrone of Glassâ, by Sarah J. Maas. âThere are 8 books, it is a series that really changed my life, honestly. I was at my worst and reading this book helped me a lot – so much so that I tattooed the quote âI will not be afraidââ, she finishes.
- Farah Abdulkadir (@farahxreads)
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Farah is a 20-year-old girl from Minnesota who started creating content on TikTok in November, 2020. Bookworm, Farah thinks BookTok is a great place to talk about her love about books and still meet new people. âI’ve been reading books since I was in 4th grade, so it was kind of a hobby back then but I didnât really have anyone to talk about it until I found BookTokâ, she says. Actually, she algo agrees that the platform can really influence people to read more, once the videos and recommendations stimulate curiosity. âEver since I got on TikTok, every single week Iâm reading a book, which is kind of interesting because that never happened to me in lifeâ, she adds.
Besides that, Farah believes that encouraging people to read is something very important to do, since, according to her, reading keeps you an open-minded person. âYou kind of see the world in a different way. You can understand why a person is the way that they are. And you can see people differently. When you are reading a book, you meet so many characters and at first you might not like them but when you get to learn their story and who they are like you see them differently, you give them another chanceâ, she explains.
However, if you havenât acquired the reading habit, Farah guarantees the best way to do so is âfinding a book that you likeâ. Just like Layla, she believes that if youâre reading something you arenât liking then itâs best to just leave it and try something new. In fact, not liking books is something perfectly fine, because everybody has their own taste and no one is obligated to like the same books. On the other hand, that doesnât mean you should talk bad things about the book to everybody and ruin their experiences. And Farah thinks so too: âIâve realized that everybody has their own taste, and you shouldnât give negative points just because you didnât like it. Instead of talking negatively about a book you didnât like, I think you should put your energy into talking about a book that youâve enjoyed.”
Asked to recommend a story, Farah chose âThe Atlas Sixâ, by Olivie Blake. âIt’s by this independent author and it’s such an amazing book. If you like dark academia, academic rivals, secret societies, itâs that perfect book for youâ, she concludes.
- Jacky Monzon (@jackyreads)
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Jacky Monzon, 18, lives in California. She started on BookTok in September, 2020 due to the free time she had during the pandemic and the willingness to join this amazing community. In her opinion, this side of TikTok is also very good at making people add tons of books on their to-be-read lists: âfrom the creators I’ve seen on BookTok, they really know how to convince you to read a book. Whether itâs an aesthetic video where they give you a visual outlook on the book or even just a book review. They even convinced me to get back into reading after so many years of not reading.”
Moreover, the reading world is something very outstanding and that should be discovered by everybody! Thus, it is always very important to encourage people from all ages to read and join this crazy universe. âThereâs so much out there to experience in books. I wish someone wouldâve encouraged me to read at a younger age. I think through reading, younger generations can learn a lotâ, Jacky adds.
She also thinks that the most important thing when deciding to start creating a reading habit is being receptive for everything that comes your way. âKeep an open mindâ, she emphasizes, âyou might not love every book and thatâs okay, just explore more genres and options!â Lastly, for a book recommendation she gave âThe Invisible Life of Addie LaRueâ, by V.E. Schwab, a very popular story on BookTok. âI will always recommend it. That book was beautifulâ, she finishes.
Finally, reading is something that can easily change your life completely – I know it changed mine. And the things you can learn and experience while living someone elseâs life and their own experiences and fears is also very important for our own growth. If you want to give it a try, BookTok is the perfect place for you to join the beautiful community of bookaholics, I promise it will end up feeling like home!
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The article above was edited by LĂvia Carvalho.
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