Get to Know the BookToker! : How Consumer Culture on BookTok Altered the Contemporary Romance Publishing Industry

Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Anika Ausness Ayres  

TikTok and the advent of BookTok have permanently changed how the publishing industry, specifically the contemporary romance publishing industry works. BookTok is the most popular online space for readers, authors, bookstores, and publishers to connect with one another and cultivate community. There was a marked shift in the publishing industry when BookTok rose in popularity, with self-publishing platforms like Archive of Our Own and independent press publishing gaining popularity. TikTok and online reading communities have completely changed how young people read, with a new focus on sharing statistics, consuming rapidly, and tracking your reading. There is an extreme emphasis on aesthetics and an urgency for new releases. This study evaluates how TikTok permanently altered the romance publishing landscape through qualitative content analysis and mini-ethnographic case study.