BOOKTOKERS: The Dictatorship of Quantity.

Are we selling literature or mere decoration?

Yesterday, I saw a simple yet revealing experiment by a Booktoker: Instead of bragging about having read 25 books in half a year —a number that makes me wonder when these people find the time to work or if they even have a life outside of social media—, he decided to read a short excerpt from one of the books he was reviewing. The result was as predictable as it was painful: it was his least-viewed video.

This small experiment hit a nerve regarding a painful reality: for many, literature is becoming nothing more than a fashion accessory.

The motto seems to be: "Bigger is always better."

Today, the volume of books piled on a shelf seems more important than the lasting impact of reading them. There is a frantic race to gain followers and to own the flashiest fantasy or thriller cover, but when it’s time to go deep, to pause and listen to an author’s voice, the audience just scrolls on. Attention evaporates. Most disturbingly, we have professionalized this "prostitution" of literature. Some have built million-dollar businesses based on facades rather than substance. Content creators who demand exorbitant fees from emerging authors for promotion that rarely goes beyond aesthetic filters.

Displaced by the Algorithm

As an author, I wonder: Where is the limit? How far are we willing to let quantity devour quality? Amidst the abundance of noise, finding influencers who commit to true value, to the craft of writing, and to literary honesty is like looking for a needle in a haystack. Yet, I still believe this is the only path worth taking. Do we really care about literature, or have we grown accustomed to consuming only the wrapping?

I would love to hear your thoughts on the direction publishing promotion is taking. Is it time to return to the pause, or are we condemned to the tyranny of the algorithm?

I look forward to reading your comments.

#Literature #Writers #BookTok #LiteraryMarketing #CraftOfWriting #Reflections