A decade ago, getting a book noticed required publishing deals, bookshop placements, and traditional marketing strategies. Today, a single viral video can send an unknown novel to the bestseller list overnight, proving that BookTok has become one of the most powerful tools in the industry.
In 2021, BookTok was responsible for around 20 million book sales, and its influence has only grown since. Genres like science fiction and fantasy, for example, saw a 41.3% increase in sales from 2023 to 2024.
This shift in book culture has made authors like Colleen Hoover household names, not through extravagant marketing, but through the power of BookTok. Readers began posting emotional reactions and recommendations of her novels. This led to her books selling out and publishers scrambling to understand the new phenomenon.
This is the power of BookTok. A digital space where a viral video can turn an unknown author into a sensation overnight.
The Power of BookTok
In 2020, the hashtag BookTok started to appear on TikTok. It originated from a community of people on the app who wanted a safe space to talk about books they’ve read. It became a book club for people worldwide who all had one thing in common, their love for books.
When looking for their next read, readers would typically have to search bookshops and online reviews to find books to add to their TBR. Now, people can search for a trope they’re interested in on TikTok. Hundreds of videos will appear, allowing readers to scroll through and find their best fit.
The BookTok Effect
Susie Tate, an author who self-published her books, began gaining traction on BookTok due to her viral videos. Her posts show scenes from her novels that she believes will leave the reader wanting to know more.
Susie, based in Dorset, England, started her author career while she was a GP. She said: “I started writing as a hobby, it was never for a career, to be honest, I had no idea that you could make it into a full-time job. It was just something I had a passion for.”
Susie self-published many books while still working as a GP: “I built up quite a following, god knows how people found me.” She mentioned how at the start of her writing career she never put much effort into marketing her books, especially not on social media.
A Life-Changing Shift
When Covid happened Susie mentioned how it was such a busy time for herself and her husband. He also worked as a doctor. “Everything got put on the back burner because we were so busy dealing with work.” Amid her writing journey, Susie’s life took a dramatic turn when her husband was diagnosed with motor neuron disease. At that point, Susie knew that she couldn’t carry on as a GP and decided to take up writing full-time so she could spend more time with her family.
Susie shared that she believes she would still be selling books if she had continued the way she did at the start of her writing career. But she doubts she would have gained the level of attention she has now.
Initially, Susie didn’t think social media would work for her, as she doesn’t consider herself particularly tech-savvy. She explained how her love for storytelling aligns with TikTok’s format, letting her share stories through slides.
“I think having a big presence on TikTok and social media has meant that publishers are interested in my work.”
Crafting the Perfect BookTok Video
Susie told me her method of posting on the app. Sharing that “It’s the part of the book where you might cry, or be angry, especially at the hero, it’s the parts that evoke something in the reader.” She added that there’s a trick to leaving videos on a cliffhanger. It makes people more eager to find out what happens next, ultimately prompting them to buy the book.
Susie explains that she has seen a boost in sales since focusing on TikTok and that she has been approached by several publishers. However, she declined their offers to retain her eBook rights for financial reasons.
“I think if my situation was different, I’d have been much more likely to sell the rights, but I have to keep them just to make sure that we still have that income stream coming in.”
She added things have moved forward in the last few months and that her agent is now negotiating with publishers for her print rights.
Inside the Publishing World
As BookTok continues to influence literature, publishers are having to adapt to this new wave of discovery. They recognize the platform’s potential to help further the industry.
Rebekah West, editorial director of Piatkus Publishing works with bestselling authors like Elsie Silver and Rebecca Yarros. She shares how the rise of BookTok has influenced the way publishers discover new talent.
TikTok: A Shortcut to Audience Engagement
Rebekah explained how she discovered Elsie Silver on TikTok by tracking views of her book Flawless, the author’s follower count, and its ranking in the Kindle store. Three months later, after the release of the second book in the Chestnut Springs series. Rebekah saw the hashtag double in popularity and the book climbed higher in the charts. That’s when she knew it was time to contact Elsie’s agent to secure the deal.
Rebekah shared how she finds TikTok to be extremely useful when finding authors. “It’s a good start line to know what people want. If a book is self-published and goes a bit viral on TikTok, you get this kind of blueprint of knowing that people like this.” She added how, usually, when publishing books, the industry does a 12-month lead-up, but with BookTok, you can sometimes jump past that process.
“It’s this extra resource, an extra platform where you can immediately target your audience.”
TikTok has created an easily accessible community that has shifted readers’ tastes, making genres like ice hockey or cowboy romance more popular than ever. “What we’ve found with TikTok is that people easily get FOMO, if someone says a book is amazing, they have to read it too,” Rebekah adds. She also highlights how TikTok provides direct access to new markets, offering insights into what’s popular like never before.
Rebekah added that publishers are always looking at BookTok, but not in the way that people think. Adding that they don’t just sit there scrolling through endless videos of books. She said: “TikTok has been great for measuring people’s excitement and growth, it’s been really helpful in finding out what an audience wants.”
Advice for Aspiring Authors: Keep Going
When asked for one piece of advice to writers out there struggling to break into the publishing world, Rebekah said:
“Just keep going, it’s so rare for your debut to get picked up, just keep improving your craft and write stories that you love not what you think is going to sell. It’s hard but keep going, your big break could be your next book.”
The Future of BookTok
As BookTok continues to shape the future of publishing, its positive influence on both authors and readers is undeniable. Whether you’re a writer hoping to break through or a publisher looking for your next bestseller, ignoring BookTok’s impact on the writing world is no longer an option.
