I have been on Bookstagram for almost 2 years now. Within that time, I’ve simultaneously loved and disliked this community.
First of all, what is ‘Bookstagram’ and other book communities? It is everyone who shares content on all things books: book Twitter, Booktube (Youtube), Booktok (TikTok) and book bloggers. Normally these creator accounts are across multiple platforms sharing content in the form of posts, reels, lives and videos.
I started a Bookstagram because I love Instagram and well, I love books. I wanted to share about the books I’ve read to inspire others to new reads and have a creative outlet to do so. I just love the feeling of recommending someone a great book and they love it too, and I’ve just doubled that joy. Makes me feel warm inside.
I started this journey with great aspirations. I am going to get 1000s of followers and be given free books from publishers and go to the Met Gala or something.
I soon realised it was a LOT to keep up with. Bookstagram has quite a diverse range of users, but the consensus is a teenage, straight, white, American girl. And…I’m not that! but that’s OK, I can still fit in. Content is content.
Except…I just can’t ‘keep up with the Jones’. Consumerism is insane. So much money is spent on making a Bookstagram ‘aesthetic’ that I just didn’t find it worth it. The main forms are:
- Buying books (of course), but not just any old books, brand new books, and owning hundreds of them to fill bookshelves for an aesthetic background for all the photos
- Bookish merchandise: candles, bookmarks, pens, figurines, cushions, mugs etc.
- Special edition books
- Bookish gift boxes filled with socks, and scented candles, all for only £30 each!
You get the picture. I soon realised this community wasn’t for me. There’s way too much money that has to be thrown in to create these shots, and you could argue ‘but isn’t that just social media content creation?’. Well, yes! But let’s call a spade a spade. Let’s not dress up Bookstagram as somewhere for all book lovers, because for those that actually just want to sit and read and share a few thoughts on our books, this is not the place. But that’s not how social media platforms work. It’s more about the aesthetic rather than the practical. Someone can get 1000s of more followers than you without ever reading a book, and just reading reviews online to make up their captions.
And these new books, they get through them fast. Many of them have their ‘<Insert month here> hopefuls!’ and it’s 5+ books. In one month. I know. And I give all my support and I think that’s incredible and something I did when I was a kid. If you’re working in a job with books as well, or have free time for this, then this is perfectly attainable. As someone who can only read before bed (if I get the time) or on the weekend (if I get the time), this is unfortunately not as attainable, but it doesn’t get me down. It just makes it harder to create the content, as unfortunately, constantly posting about the books you have and are reading is what gets the engagement. To read more books, you need to buy more books.
Why is the consumerism a problem? Shouldn’t we just let people live their best life? Well, of course. But this is neglecting the obvious. Social media platforms have been designed for everyone. Of course, there will always be a few creators that dominate, and I’m really glad that they’ve discovered the ‘hack’ and made it work for them. Consumerism, however, puts a real monetary divide between those who succeed and those who don’t, just because of the sheer promotion of products and the fact they have to be a certain way (e.g. brand new books, limited editions, physical copies) as they are what ‘photograph well’. This can make someone who cannot afford those books feel very left out. For a community that encourages people to read and celebrates those who identify as readers, this doesn’t make it very inclusive.
In line with the ‘aesthetics’, to take these photos you need
- A well-lit room
- Gorgeous, giant bookshelves
- Space.
This is again creating a monetary divide between those who can create their own ‘reading rooms’ and those who share a corner of a room with their 2 siblings who have books on the floor. Both are considered ‘readers’ but only one will make it big on social media. Hey, that’s Instagram for you, I just wish books were never drawn to it.
My second point is that it is harming the environment. Since physical copies of books can be put on bookshelves, these are normally the options that Bookstagrammers go for. However, adding the material and shipping costs, these are **[expontentially** worse for the environment](https://wordsrated.com/impact-of-book-publishing-on-environment/) than the same story in an ebook, kindle, second hand or audiobook format. Consumerism can become obsessive. If you start gaining followers due to your actions of buying more and more to fill up your rainbow bookshelves (they’re nothing special anymore) then, why would you stop?
Comparison is the thief of joy. If you make friends with other Bookstagrammers and they’re all posting about these limited-edition Jane Austin novels, why wouldn’t you feel compelled to get them? Even if you have no intention of reading them. Remember, the most popular age is teenagers, weren’t you easily influenced as a teenager? This is probably at the heart of what I’ve disliked about Bookstagram, it’s a lot more about the collection of books than actually reading and discussing books. Some books are so (cough Colleen Hoover cough) but are not any good, but this is the power of social media.
Overall, I believe Bookstagram, Booktok, Booktube etc. have all been led down the incorrect path of consumerism. The bar is getting higher and higher in showing off products, that cost way too much and can only be afforded by a few. I know this has always been the case with marketing and advertising, but books used to be quite separate from this. With the introduction of libraries (which I love and hope prosper forever), books are always meant to be cherished, shared, and affordable for all. Sure, not everyone can afford Waterstones but you can buy or borrow that book cheaper elsewhere and get the same story out of it. You could do the same for iPhone, but it may not work as well.
I hope this improves, and maybe as Gen Z grow up, they will realise that it’s really not all about aesthetics and the algorithm overlords will celebrate this. I love reading, but I’m not going to be drawn into the consumerism. I’m perfectly happy with my little 300 followers and money in my bank that I’m not spending out of peer pressure.
