BookTok and Overconsumption
By: Munia A
Is the Overconsumption of Books a New Trend?
Trends are constantly retransforming as different groups of people come across them and shape them to fit their standards. The overconsumption of books is an issue that people recognize, but don’t really know how to address because they see others in the book community doing it. It becomes an addictive cycle that you don’t know how to break away from. Isabelle Popp at Book Riot states, “Whenever I get into something, be it books, knitting, tea drinking, fountain pen writing, etc., I inevitably acquire more stuff that I “need” pretty quickly. I can be easily swayed and influenced.” The keyword is need this assumption that you need more so that you don’t miss out on it is a toxic way to look at the things we consume in our day to day lives. Huge book influencers play a role in the book overconsumption because they are marketing tools used by publishers. They make or break the book trends and people fall in line with what they are advertising for publishing companies, authors, and subscription/special edition companies. We the consumers don’t recognize the problem of this all because we are benefitting from overconsumption and what it has to offer us.
Understanding the Appeal in Special Editions
Special edition book companies who come out with exclusive redesigns of books are one of the reasons why the overconsumption of books is at its heights. As one of the interviewees said it will continue to increase because more publishing companies are seeing the trend and appeal to them. It is gaining more attention and the more people continue to gravitate towards them the more they’re going to continue to be made and printed. Oftentimes these special editions like the ones shown in the photo by FairyLoot are exclusive and don’t get reprints unless they are on high demand. It is the demand and desire to own these editions that shows publishers what they should be on the lookout for.
Special editions done by Fairyloot, Illumicrate, and OwlCrate resell for hundreds of dollars and there are people who are willing to pay that hefty price. However, out of all the three subscription companies FairyLoot gains the most traction in terms of their style and the authors and publishers that they collaborate with to make this happen. Like special editions of the Once Upon a Broken Heart series by Stephanie Garber and Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros shown below, we from the outside see why people are gravitating towards them and why they are being resold for insane prices. Companies know what people are looking for and are willing to buy. Special editions of certain books whether they are done through a publisher or a company that caters to them will remain one of the reasons why overconsumption won’t die down; it will just continue to be an issue that won’t get addressed in ways that it should be.
Photos obtained from Fairyloot’s Instagram page
Interviewing Readers
When it comes to the overconsumption of books you have to get in the minds of readers or book collectors to understand the reasons why they might choose to do things that many others can look down upon. I chose to interview both Malka and Emaan because as readers they are different in the sense of how they choose to be readers. Malka doesn’t really collect or buy books because she has access to them on her phone. The accessibility of books makes it easy for her to read and not turn to buying books she might not even get to. Emaan is a part of the book community mainly on Bookstagram and does both collect and read books. As readers they don’t share the same reading habits, but they do share similar ways of thinking, and are quite aware of the issue of overconsumption. They understand that book communities struggle with recognizing it and the greater impact it can have on our environment.
Interview with Malka
Interviewer: What does being a reader mean to you? What draws you to the books others recommend?
Interviewee: Being a reader means escaping from reality to a fantasy world where almost always there’s a happy ending. For me personally what draws me into books is anything that’s exciting, that has great banter or even something I know would be corny but is a comforting read.
Interviewer: Did you ever feel influenced or pressured to buy books you haven’t read simply because others were reading them?
Interviewee: For me I don’t really buy as many books because I enjoy reading on my phone, but I do think I can easily be influenced to buy more. For me it truly depends on the attachment of the characters, if I really love a series I invest.
Interviewer: Aside from peer pressure, what do you think causes people to over consume books and buy more books than they can read?
Interviewee: Aside from peer pressure, I believe people choose to over consume or buy more books as a personal fulfillment. It can be a fulfillment of many things such as an escape from their reality or even attachment issues which force them to buy books.
Interviewer: Do you think that the Overconsumption of books over the years is going to increase or decrease?
Interviewee: I think over the years the overconsumption of books will either decrease or increase. So, one reason it may decrease is the increased use of kindles, and downloading books from online for free. One reason I believe they will increase is because of the new rising “hype” of exclusive editions of books. There has been an increase of new books that are worth hundreds to even thousands which many people have taken interest in.
Interviewer: Do you think special edition companies have a hand at overconsumption? Can you name a few special edition companies that you think are the leading causes?
Interviewee: I do believe special edition companies have a hand in overconsumption because many people have taken a high interest in collecting special edition books/series and as well have taken interest in buying and reselling these books for revenue. One special edition company I can think of is fairyloot.
Interviewer: Where do you think everyone goes wrong when it comes to being a reader?
Interviewee: I think consistency is something all readers struggle with. I personally always struggle with a great week of reading one book and then I can also go months without reading.
Interviewer: What are the positives and negatives of being in book communities? (Ex. Bookstagram and BookTok)
Interviewee: Some positives I believe are having your own people who read the same books as you, which is great because that way you have someone to express your love and interest for that book. It also allows you to see other peoples’ opinions on books which can be fun if it’s an opinion you agree with. But this also leads to negatives to these book communities because sometimes it can jeer ones’ opinion on a book in a positive or negative way. Sometimes there’s a hype on a book that is created but then once you read it, you aren’t as interested as you thought it was. Like me personally I love to read books with no ideas because that way I won’t have any expectations for it. This allows me to not be disappointed in books.
Interviewer: Could you argue for overconsumption and say that good comes out of it?
Interviewee: I think overconsumption can help lots of people mentally because yes it creates high expectations for many people but also I believe it creates a world of hope and wonder for many. It allows readers to believe in many things which they might not have thought of beforehand, in other words an escape from reality. I also believe overconsumption helps those in the business side because it can also increase them in revenue.
Interview with Emaan
Interviewer: What does being a reader mean to you? What draws you to the books others recommend?
Interviewee: To me, being a reader means finding happiness when opening a book and finding peace when I begin reading. When others recommend books and say they enjoyed them, it influences me to read them. I would consider myself an easily influenced reader; I almost always read everything suggested to me sooner or later.
Interviewer: Did you ever feel influenced or pressured to buy books you haven’t read simply because others were reading them?
Interviewee: I definitely am an easily influenced person when it comes to books. If I see multiple people enjoying the book or talking about it on social media, there is a strong chance I will be reading it. Most of the books I have read come from people’s recommendations on social media or friends who have mentioned they have read the book in passing.
Interviewer: Aside from peer pressure, what do you think causes people to over consume books and buy more books than they can read?
Interviewee: I think many people enjoy the act of collecting books. Many believe that reading and collecting books are two completely different hobbies, and that's true. However, there is a difference between those who collect and those who buy books to say they have that book. Many people find it a means of connecting with others and fitting in with a group.
Interviewer: Do you think that the overconsumption of books over the years is going to increase or decrease?
Interviewee: I think it will definitely increase, and more companies are coming out saying they are creating special editions, and more authors are putting out books. There are also many more social media influencers on social media platforms, calling them “BookTok,” “Bookstagram,” and “BookTwitter”. How these creators post content on their platforms influences others to purchase the books they speak about.
Interviewer: Do you think special edition companies have a hand at overconsumption? Can you name a few special edition companies that you think are the leading causes?
Interviewee: Special edition companies definitely do have a hand in overconsumption; companies such as Fairyloot, Illumicrate, and Owlcrate all have the upper hand. Many readers want to collect all the special editions the companies put out, and once one starts, it must be challenging to stop. Thus, the overconsumption of books begins; it can be effortless to be sucked into the world of books, as it’s easy to be influenced by creators putting out content that revolves around those special editions.
Interviewer: Where do you think everyone goes wrong when it comes to being a reader?
Interviewee: I think people go wrong when they turn everything into a competition. Many people find it a threat when people post they read "X" number of books when they have read less. Another situation may be when they think they are not a genuine reader if they have fewer books than others. Readers need to realize they do not have to have hundreds of books, let alone read hundreds of books, to be considered a reader. They are a reader as long as they have a passion for it.
Interviewer: What are the positives and negatives of being in book communities? (Ex. Bookstagram and BookTok)
Interviewee: The positives include finding groups of people who share your interests and discovering new recommendations on what to read. People can also find their passion, whether reading, writing reviews, or creating content for others. On the other hand, these communities can cause a sense of competition between people, such as not feeling you are enough because you don’t have the same number of books as another person. This can take a toll on people's mental well-being, especially in communities that partake in showing others what books they may or may not have.
Interviewer: Could you argue for overconsumption and say that good comes out of it?
Interviewee: I don't think anything good comes from overconsumption; everyone should know when to stop. People have different limits; not everyone will have the exact definition of overconsumption. It can depend on people's financial situations as well. If someone purchases an extraordinary number of books and cannot afford to buy groceries for the week, you realize it has become an issue. If one can control their urges and know when to stop, it is most beneficial for themselves.
A Visual Comparison
The visualization of their responses in the form of a Venn diagram is important because you see how some of their opinions align. Their responses depict where they stand on the issue of book overconsumption is important because they see and recognize it. That not every reader is the same or has similar views on topics that impact book communities. Their responses were similar, but at the same time different too. In the midst of book overconsumption they both mention that people can connect with others in book communities. The similarities in interests in book communities on BookTok and Bookstagram are very beneficial in the sense that they often recognize issues within themselves and try to address them. While that doesn’t fully address a lot it does help create safe and welcoming spaces where people can grow and learn.
Understanding Overconsumption in Terms of the Larger Cultural Argument
As a whole overconsumption doesn’t just stop with the book community and another example of it would be in the fashion industry. As a society we are overproducing more than what we need. It is impactful towards our environment and we don’t really realize or recognize that because the trend of overconsumption is masked in the marketing and selling of books and products. The environment is paying for our actions and sooner or later it’s going to catch up with us and we won’t realize until it’s too late. While we can’t go back in time and tell people that overconsumption is harmful for our environment, and has an impact on climate change we can try to reduce what we are taking in on a larger scale especially with books.
There are ways that we can combat book overconsumption and it can be in the form of purchasing secondhand books and selling books that you don’t plan to read or need anymore. PangoBooks is a website/app that people in the book community sell and buy books or even bookish items from for cheaper prices because most sellers won’t sell a product for the full price. Brooklyn Book Bodega is a nonprofit organization that takes in book donations from bookstores, people in the book community, and more. They have a wide variety of books organized by age group and whether the books are new or used. Their books are available to teachers, students, and anyone who wants free books. Any book that isn’t in the shape to be on the bookshelves will be put out for their little free library. Both PangoBooks and Brooklyn Book Bodega keep this constant circulation of books going to ensure every book has a home.
Images below were obtained from the Brooklyn Book Bodega and PangoBooks websites
Allwright, Holly. “Booktok: A Platform of Overconsumption That Has Amassed More Power than a Religion.” The Edge, 7 Mar. 2023, https://theedgesusu.co.uk/culture/2023/03/15/booktok-a-platform-of-overconsumption-that-has-amassed-more-power-than-a-religion/
Fenneuff, Julita. “#BookTok Has a Shopping Addiction.” The Current, 17 Nov. 2022, https://thecurrentmsu.com/2022/12/29/booktok-has-a-shopping-addiction/
Popp, Isabelle. “What Does Overconsumption of Books Look Like?” Book Riot, 13 Mar. 2023, https://bookriot.com/overconsumption-of-books/