Literature finds unlikely social media partner in TikTok

Social media and books complement each other well. Real readers can spread the word about books that might not get much coverage otherwise, and books don't have to be newly released to get screentime.

Publishing is insular, industrial and deeply commercial. It's common for a publisher's authors to say nice things about the books of each other in 'reviews'. There is a lot of mutual appreciation going on within tight little circles.

Some of the stuff that the industry shovels out is dreadful, but it sells because it is branded by the publisher and gets shelf space. If you can access 'Private Eye', read the literary section.

BookTok is a perfect example of the net and social media cutting out the manipulation of the industry, and allowing individual readers to have a voice.

Refreshing to see a positive, honest article about TikTok - the BBC are running several scare stories a day about it, and the USG would love to shut it down.

As the article finishes, the main thing that drives sales for books is their quality, in this aspect TikTok is just one popular outlet that let people share their experiences reading them. So it is not that surprising to find that it can lead people to those good books. Previously other things have done the same, from Youtube channels to opinion boards; anywhere where people with similar interests share their opinions and experiences can become a vehicle to recommend things of high quality, books included.

People will TikTok and read books at the same time now. A guess it's a start.

The chinese communist part Inc, also known as Tiktok, now has a vested interest in

“Literature”….of course they do. Imagine what they can do with THAT.

Ah yes, Tiktok- the CCP's spy & brainwashing machine.

Will they allow their citizens to read books like "Seven Years in Tibet" and other books about the Tiananmen Massacre?