I Don't Think Booktok Is "the Death Of Literature" Or "the Fall Of The Book Industry As We Know It".

I don't think Booktok is "the death of literature" or "the fall of the book industry as we know it". People who enjoy reading have and will continue to exist outside of the parameters of a social media app for youths.

now, at times I wonder about the people who say they won't read anything that hasn't been reviewed by their favorite Tiktoker. Or they won't read anything that doesn't contain the tropes they like because they know they won't like it. Or they'll only read something if it's got a high rating from the Booktok/Bookstagram community.

some people say it's about anxiety. They need the trigger warnings (which I'm not against), or they need to know how the book ends before they can even think to start it. I'd bet that for some significant percentage of readers that's true, Booktok or not.

my hot take, though, is that in most cases, the absolute worst case scenario isn't being triggered (using the word in its proper sense) , it's just disappointment. The minor letdown of getting 150 pages into The Book Thief and finding it lacking. Realistically, the Booktok boom is a lot of people who primarily read fanfiction because it can be filtered down to only show things you already know you like.

I think that's why people plant their feet when you say you didn't like their Booktok fave, and why people will fight to the death that Booktok promotes GOOD BOOKS and everyone who disagrees is being An Asshole.

It's highly unlikely that the publishing industry is going to crumble purely through the fast fashionfication of Contemporary and New Adult Lit. When Colleen Hoover finally runs out of stories to tell; when the Reylo Tag has been completely milked of publishable works; when there is no more Faerie Spice 🌶️🌶️🌶️ to sate the masses, the Booktok girlies are either gonna get bored and leave or learn to like other shit. It's okay.