I've definitely noticed an increase in people talking about "#booktok" in Facebook reader groups and even saw a published book where lots reviewers mentioned getting the book from booktok. Sounds like it's essentially the new book blogging, but maybe even better? I saw one author's book get such a trendy review from tiktok that they made stickers of the quote and sell it on etsy. Fun times. One of these days I need to emerge from my corner of solitude but I am literally wearing a sweater tied to my face in a locked bedroom so I don't have much hope.
It just felt right at the moment. It's a very ratty sweater and I'm trying to stretch out it's use. It's death as a sweater won't stop me from loving it.
From the article: Well said, but I think that's a surface glance. 1. Low attention span drew the early adopters, but then it created a gravity well. People go there because it has people. 2. This is social media 'creators' flexing those one-sided friendships again. You're more likely to check out a book if a friend recommends it. Tiktok just happens to be the hot platform right now for people to get their no-input-required people fix.
A lot of people don't know anyone who reads books they like. One of the most active facebook reader groups I'm in is for *extreme* kink romance stories. Obviously, a lot don't feel comfortable talking to anyone in person about that material. They trade lots of recommendations there and it can seriously effect a books popularity (in small scale self publishing at least).
