Along with the many changes the pandemic brought, Tiktok grew in popularity, reaching new levels of users and downloads. As a result of the additional free time individuals had, many decided to pick up old hobbies or get into new ones, such as reading. The creation of Booktok, a subculture within the Tiktok application has brought on multiple changes and new opportunities within the publishing industry. This qualitative study conducted through interviews and netnography helps explore the effects of Booktok on the publishing industry. My findings show that Booktok contains mainly three actors: the supporter, the creator and the writer. Together these actors have created a community which has allowed for entertainment, parasocial relationships and professional relationships. While literature shows that parasocial relationships are evolving and changing from what they used to be, my findings add another perspective by demonstrating how Tiktok has taken these relationships to another level. The features offered on the digital platform allows for back-and-forth conversation between viewers and performers, which enhances the strength of these relationships. Additionally, this study looks at how social media affordances affect parasocial relationships. Writers, supporters and creators can use these new affordances, such as artistic extension, association, reenactment, engagement and support, promotional and educational tactics to promote and engage within the book community.
This allows for additional insight to the literature in terms of the use of social media. For practitioners the study emphasizes the changes within the publishing industry that publishers should be aware of and the new marketing tools that can be used to succeed as a writer.
Keywords: Tiktok, parasocial relationships, social affordances, booktok, publishing industry, self-publishing, booktoker