TikTok is Electrifying the World of Books: Bestsellers, Revivals, and More

What do books and TikTok have in common? More than you may think. In this blog post, we will explore how the social media app is having a major impact on the publishing world. Teenagers are using TikTok to share stories in creative and engaging ways, and this is resulting in more people reading books than ever before. We will take a look at some of the bestsellers that have been born out of the TikTok phenomenon, as well as discuss how the platform is breathing new life into classic novels and rescuing neglected genres.

The best example is BookTok, a niche on TikTok that became a social media phenomenon in the early months of Covid and has been gathering steam ever since. The BookTok aesthetic is fast-paced and frenzied, with fans sobbing over storylines or fondling their books to popular music in homemade videos.

The Toronto-based BookToker, with over 109,000 followers, hosts writers and muses who discuss such critical readerly issues as how to visualize a character. If you enjoy her approach, you'll be taken to similar creators that will lure you into a BookTok community.

But while most of the focus has been on how TikTok is driving sales of young adult fiction, the app is also being used to revive interest in classics and neglected genres. There are BookTokers reading everything from Russian novels to romance.

According to a UK Editor, her enthusiasm for BookTok stems from seeing the phrase "TikTok made me buy it" on Amazon items. “BookTok's influence on the book industry is one of the most exciting things I've seen," she adds.

The app has also been credited with helping to rescue neglected genres, such as science fiction and fantasy.

So, what is it about TikTok that is so appealing to readers? The simple answer is that it's fun. But there is also something more profound at work here. In a world where we are constantly bombarded with news and information. TikTok provides a much-needed escape. It is a place where we can be creative, and silly, and just enjoy the act of reading.

So, if you haven't already, jump on the BookTok bandwagon and see how this social media app is electrifying the world of books. You might just find your new favourite read. Happy reading...