The Publishing Fatigue: Stuck on Repeat

 

 I can handle it as a professional, but as a consumer, it drives me crazy.

If you read my recent post, then you’d know I did a whole debate about literary agents, which you can find here. Now I’m here not to expand on it but to talk about a different topic within the big one.

I have the joy of not only being one of the million people who aimlessly browse TikTok, but I’m on the better side of it, I like to say, and that is widely known as BookTok. Now, I’d like to say that for my own research purposes, I’ve noticed a shift in social media when it comes to BookTok and BookStagram, which has inspired this post today. Let’s talk about it.

These outlets existed pre-COVID too; however, the rise in popularity only became pronounced during and post-COVID. Even if it wasn’t genuine, it sure felt it, and now it feels draining, repetitive, and competitive, which is why I don’t find myself looking forward to it much. I’ve become increasingly selective with the accounts I follow on both platforms and find that my research is running futile when everything is the same. Standing out is becoming harder for influencers, which I can only imagine is even more challenging for those who are trying to promote their authorship.

It's a sea of… stimuli? Yes, I’ll keep that word; it’s very fitting.

Let’s start with Instagram. If you asked me 2 years ago, I would have said it was my preferred outlet out of the two; it still is, though, at this point I’d say I have no preferred media. Everything’s become a blur of the same edits. You can find my first post on publishing topics here; The Downfall of Publishing, where I do a deep dive into what my account was intended to be and what it in fact became. The thing is, every post looks the same, there’s a lack of creativity, and when people say they are taking inspiration, they mean the same post in a different font. I know because I’ve done it before for research purposes, and after I did it for a few posts, I realised how terrible it was for me since that is not who I was—as a publishing professional or a reader for that matter. It’s all about the aesthetics, when sometimes what most people want to see is just a simple book taken in the place you’re reading it; unless it was in the bathroom—in that case, keep that censored picture to yourself. Now, you don’t even see the book, just a title, collocated pictures from Pinterest, and the character stickers stuck around. You swipe a couple slides and see quotes on background, and don’t get me wrong, I still follow those accounts and like the posts; however, it’s only for a handful of them. The rest of it gets so repetitive and superficial.

Most reviews are from ARC readers, or those who want them, will be nothing less than stellar, i.e., 4/5 stars. The ones that aren’t either don’t get the likes they want simply because the review isn’t what the hype train says, and of course, they never get reposted or picked up by the authors, so it doesn’t travel further than a few likes. Personally, as someone who builds her brand on range, sharing reviews that have less than 4-5 stars would do good for the author’s brand, showing that you actually hear all types of your readers. Like I said, I was that obsessive book account that would literally sell her soul just so that I got one ARC and one repost on a mainstream author’s account.

Now let’s move to TikTok. Oh TikTok, you little sultry thing. All I see on TikTok is the most mundane lines from one part of the whole book (it’s always not a very good book), posted with someone covering their mouth or putting chillies and eggplants (aubergines in the UK, is it?) exaggerating the hot scene, which leads me to the point I’ve been taking my time to make. If all you have to reel in your readers is a spicy scene, then there’s clearly an issue with your book or the readers themselves. I like those scenes just as much as the rest of them, but what about the book? The plot? The characters? The suspense? The layers? That’s not what makes a good book good; it’s supposed to add to the plot, not be the whole plot. I truly do believe that this is why self-published indie authors aren’t taken seriously or are finding it hard to get recognition, or both.

Social media is a fantastic publicity tool if you use it right, and if someone can get past all the squabble. There are a lot of clutter and a lot of likes that take place for one’s own algorithm. I was one of those.

Great, now I can get into the good stuff. The first argument, if you will, will be the competition between Trends vs. Quality. Like I mentioned before, on both BookTok and Bookstagram, certain tropes and trends, like those hot scenes, the dramatic-for-effect quotes, and aesthetic set-ups, get traction regardless of the story’s depth, which means if that book was a flop, it may set up a reputation for the worst, and you lose the readers before you even have a chance to snag them. These trends overshadow the actual writing quality. As both a publishing hopeful and consumer, it’s excessively and positively exhausting to see the same type of content rewarded over thoughtful and nuanced writing. It’s harder to sift and sort through what deserves time and attention and what needs fine-tuning to get that time and attention.

My next point, then, is the infuriating algorithm that can ruin many great things—mental health being one. I hate social media, like hate it, with an absolute passion set deep within my bones. It’s only after being secure (I say that very loosely) in myself that I’ve become more tolerable to it. Notice I said it was tolerable, not that I loved it. The thing with algorithms is that they’re there to favour engagement, i.e., likes, comments, shares, and reposts, not excellence. So, is it fair? No. I fear it is not fair at all. Linking it back to my earlier “spicy scenes and clips” point, those types of posts and the perfect flatlays travel a lot farther—for better or worse, depending on who you ask—than genuine discussion of plot, character, and, of course, the writing that is made up of words, not pictures. Indie authors sadly get lost when their content doesn’t trigger the system immediately with an influx of likes and shares. You can only cater to and beat the algorithm so much.

Of course, I have to gloat a little bit and talk about my own consumer research insights. Like I said before, from my own browsing, I’ve noticed that posts with less than 4-5 stars, honest criticisms, or in-depth discussion get buried, whilst content that mimics the more loved formats spreads like wildfire. And this tells you everything you need to know, because recognition often favours form over substance.

And finally, my own closing opinion, and this isn’t me being instructional, it’s me being reflective. As an individual, the accounts I engage with the most are those that mix creativity with authenticity and share genuine review. Indie authors who experiment with innovative angles—like behind-the-scene insights, discussions, or storytelling beyond the trends—stand out more in my feed. While I don’t have a huge number of real-life examples, the last time I came across a self-published author—at the time she was, anyway—was Somme Sketcher and Sav R. Miller. Seeing how they experimented with their content gave me a better sense of what stands out on social media when it comes to genuine creativity versus following trends. One picture in crumpled sheets is better than a collage of people I don’t know, characters’ names I’m not familiar with, and quotes with no context. Show me the book with the author’s name on it. I can’t like characters based off of what they look like because what they look like to you in your flatlay is not how they are in mine, and if there’s one thing I hate more than inauthenticity, it is something messing with the mental image I have built of the book I read…… even though I did it too for research purposes!

There’s room out there for every author just like these is for me in publishing. What’s the saying again where’s there’s a will there’s a way? Yes. That exactly.

What does everyone think? Do we like the current state of the book community over TikTok or not? Are we for or against these trends? Does anyone notice this fatigue alongside me?

Find more about me in my blogpost titled Meet the Human Behind the Posts, and of course don't forget to check out my book reviews on PaperPages.Pr the Instagram page and my LinkedIn for opinions on the industry.

See you between the pages.

Vivian.