Respectfully, It’s Time to Rebuild the Book Community

I think I speak for most of us when I say “What the hell is happening with social media?”

I’ve become increasingly more fed up with social media. Tiktok was gone but is now back (but not assuredly?), and now Meta apps will no longer have fact-checking or hate speech filters. These back-to-back issues have become the last straw for many users. After all, how is it “free speech” or fair when some bigot can now use slurs and share disinformation but I can’t use words like “Free Palestine” or “link in bio”??

Even if these apps were safe for users, it’s become clear that we don’t own anything we post online; at the whim of a billionaire, our content could go to AI or go away depending on what makes them more powerful or richer. I’ve seen people lose their accounts for speaking up about Gaza. I’ve seen people get punished for reposting examples of hate speech directed at them.

It’s not fair that as authors, we’re constantly chasing trends and outsmarting algorithms. It’s certainly not fair that some publishers won’t even look at authors unless they have tons of followers on platforms that doesn’t make that easy.

I’m probably not the first one to say it but I’m adding my voice: it’s time to restart, rebuild, and reframe what it means to be a book community. And what perfect timing.

Social Media Doesn’t Really Support Authors

We’ve got to hold each other’s hands and realize that social media was never built to be the perfect community for bookish people. These apps are designed to encourage endless scrolling—not making progress on our WIPs or leaving the app to purchase signed hardcovers directly from authors.

Arguably, the book community by design isn’t meant to be as capitalistic or stats-driven as social media app developers would like. Down to our bones, we’re all here because we want to tell or hear stories. We want to discuss our reactions and feelings, educate each other, feel seen, and enjoy a little escape. Publishing and marketing have tried to monetize these things as much as possible. So much so that many authors truly feel like they have to play the stupid game just to find readers and sell some copies.

The goalpost keeps moving because someone else keeps moving it.

After staying off social media for a week, I’ve realized that if social media apps won’t be the tools we need, we have to take a huge step back and reconstruct what it means to have a stable book community.

What Will We Need for a Stable Community?

As the foundations crumble away, it’s time to start over. Instead of being at the behest of social media apps (e.g. following trends, researching hashtags, or posting way more than you care to), it’s time to reframe how we talk to each other and which platforms support these endeavors. And we may have to build those platforms ourselves until we land on the right thing.

And as we rebuild, it’s time to retire the notion that an author needs thousands of followers to indicate their talent or worth. Tiktok can go dark without our control, so now’s the time to stop holding authors to such shaky metrics. I say this to publishers and readers alike.

So, let’s walk through our current options. We brainstorm, and we don’t judge.

The Nerd Fam has created a Bookish Creator Database for authors and bookish creators. Participants can indicate the kinds of books they write or spotlight, and where to find them. This is very helpful but it’s a start. Where can people go if they enjoy reading but don’t want to be an influencer?

Patreon and Substack are great ways to connect with authors and writers. However, that’s not a guarantee that you’ll have access to everything for free. It might be expensive to pay for several Patreons or Substacks for all your favorite creators.

Many authors (like yours truly) have a free email newsletter, which can be handy for anyone wanting to avoid social media altogether. You’ll have to manually find all your favorite authors and sign up for their emails; you’ll stay in the loop but might not have a vehicle to talk to other readers. And I’ll be honest; I post every month and I don’t see much interaction.

We have book-reviewing apps like Storygraph, Tome, Bookworm, Bookly, and Bookshelf. More are likely going to appear in the coming months.

Fable and Bookclubs are great for setting up online or in-person book clubs.

Scribble is ideal for authors looking for community and resources specifically around publishing books.

And then we have one option that will really feel retro: buy books and attend bookish events in person. We had ways of learning about books, selling copies, or meeting authors before social media. Bookstores and libraries can still be community hubs if we let them.

Of course, chronic health and COVID concerns keep us apart, but bookstores like The Legendarium have their own Discord channel to help their patrons connect. Discord and Tumblr are/could be great online community builders.

We Don’t Quite Have the Answers Yet—But We Will

If you’re looking for a blog post to tell you what to do, this won’t be it. You’ll have to decide what is best for you, your books, and your community. And even though we have all these resources or apps, they don’t mean anything unless the community breathes life into them. Instead of jumping ship after ship, it’s time we all looked at the options on the table and decided what is sustainable.

Every author—every book—has a unique audience. I’ve always told authors that our job is to go where our readers are, whether online, in-person, or both. Ultimately, we get to ask ourselves:

• What is a true measure of success?
• What options feel worth the effort?
• What feels sustainable in the long term?

Before I let you go, I want to reiterate the free ways you can still interact with me beyond social media.

I also want to remind you that I’ve been working on a marketing guide/book for authors. This book, Finding Your Future Fans, will help authors understand the pillars of marketing so they don’t get swept away by trends or unnecessary aspirations. I finished it before reels and before Tiktok, so I took a huge break before revising it. I’ve also prioritized the Ushallav’s Queen duology; I can only do so much!

If you want more 1-on-1 assistance, my calendar is always open for consultations. I hope to finally prioritize this book so I can share it with authors. The support and education is really important to me.

It’s time for us to shape the book community and build what works for us. It might not be as wide-reaching as social media once promised but we’ve always found each other time and time again. In the meantime, let me know what you’re doing moving forward, and how can I support you? I personally plan on ensuring I’m on all my friends’ email lists.