In the cluttered world of TikTok, #BookTok emerged as a favorite long ago: a cozy, sprawling community with a hashtag that has over 64.3 billion views and counting. The social media giant is well aware of this popularity, seizing upon that long-embedded love for literature with by launching an official book club on the platform.
The TikTok Book Club will be open to everyone, much like #BookTok is, but with an organized structure. Each month, a new book will be announced and community members can read along, being encouraged to "share their experiences" and thoughts. TikTok will also include a special hub dedicated to the Book Club within the app, where the month's new title will be shared.
Considering the phenomenon that #BookTok is, the announcement of the official Book Club isn't surprising.
"From spotlighting little-known authors and genres to introducing the classics to a new generation, #BookTok has helped to reignite a passion for literature and we creating a new take on the much-loved #BookClub format, so our community can continue to connect, spark conversations and share the books they love most," said James Stafford, head of partnerships and community at TikTok.
In the virtual community, there will be a team of "BookTok Laureates": a group of TikTokkers passionate about reading, who will dive into each novel and share their thoughts through a series of content. The group consists of BookTok creators @li.reading and @edenreidreads, literature fan and "the internet's resident librarian" @jackbenedwards, content creator and avid reader @cocosarel, and author @Bmercer. At the end of the month, the five will host a TikTok Live session to discuss the book together.
The first book is a timely choice: Jane Austen's 1817 classic Persuasion. The Netflix adaptation of the novel arrived just last week and has consumed the internet since. #AustenTok is also a major community living within TikTok, with over 17 million views.
