With technology consuming our everyday lives, finding inspiration and motivation to read is hard. Every notification and text message lessens the desire to want to pick up a book, and instead, reach for your phone to learn the newest trend. But now with BookTok, finding inspiration to read has never been easier!  

     BookTok is a “side”of TikTok that is being used to recommend the latest reads to younger generations. According to journalist Chris Stokel-Walker, videos classified as “BookToks ‘’ have earned over 13 million views world wide. Authors, journalists, and everyday people post daily videos recommending books and sharing their personal thoughts on their current reads. With their target audience being millennials, many young people have found themselves picking up books because of what they saw on BookTok, defying the stereotype of millennials only being on their phones. 

     As BookTok rapidly gained popularity, many authors saw their sales rise. Adam Silvera, author of They Both Die at the End, claimed that “TikTok videos containing the hashtag #TheyBothDieAtTheEnd have collectively amassed more than 37 million views to date.” Along with Silvera, many other authors saw the popularity, along with the sales of their books, rise due to their trending on BookTok. Many authors are grateful for this platform, as many were struggling financially during the dark days of the COVID-19 pandemic.  

     Although on the outside BookTok just looks like any other trend on social media, it’s much more than what meets the eye. BookTok has made it easier for authors to share their writing and to ultimately increase their earnings for their books. And as for non-writers, sharing their reading has sprung many creative and intuitive qualities that may not have been discovered without the help of BookTok.