How to do Booktube the right way and what I’ve been getting wrong 😑

[@JaniceIsLearning]

Take back the joy!!!!❤

[@spreadbookjoy]

Yes! That makes a great mantra! 😂👏🤍

[@scallydandlingaboutthebooks]

I hope whatever you do is joyous for you. If it is, it will be enjoyable to watch. I regularly have to remind myself I only do this for fun.

[@spreadbookjoy]

Isn’t it funny how we get so wrapped up in this at times without considering that we do it for fun? We get on our little hamster wheels, occasionally forget to get off and check if we’re still enjoying it every now and again! Finding the fun, quality over quantity and reading less are my aims for this year! Never thought that reading less would be an aim for me 😂

[@scallydandlingaboutthebooks]

@@spreadbookjoy my resolution is to be less earnest and eager about taking part in things. Unless it is a buddyread or something I am hosting!

[@spreadbookjoy]

@@scallydandlingaboutthebooks I promised myself the same thing - hopefully the FOMO won’t get me!

[@MarilynMayaMendoza]

Hi Jack, I feel you so much. I'm not fine either. Everything you said resonates. I want to show more of the fun person I was when I started instead of the more literary me. Love you. Aloha.

[@spreadbookjoy]

I think you and I have that third year itch with booktube! Our channels and content of both changed so much since we started that we are on yet another cycle of bookish evolution and long may it continue! I know that whatever you produce, I will enjoy it! Lots of love to you my friend! 🤍

[@libraryofaviking]

Thank you for the update! I wish you the best of luck with the changes and hope you find it fulfilling - and that you will stick around!

[@spreadbookjoy]

Thank you so much! I already feel more excited about everything and looking forward to finding the fun again!

[@eyesonindie]

I'm HERE for your single book reviews and researched topics!! I love how you point out that this is an evolution, and we don't have to always do things the same way. I don't do wrap-ups, and for the life of me I've never understood it when some Booktubers say they feel like they need to tell people about every single book they read. I read plenty of books that I never mention on my channel. My channel has a very specific mission to spread the word about indie presses. Nobody needs to know that my husband and I read Frankenstein together last month...because I have absolutely nothing new to say about Frankenstein that a million other people haven't already said, and it doesn't fit with my channel's goals. I would SO much rather folks put out something unique and thought-out, even if it means they don't put out as many videos. Happy New Year, and happy reading!

[@spreadbookjoy]

Your channel is so unique and special and I couldn’t agree more about some reading being just for you! I don’t know how I ended up getting so bogged down in this idea that as I have to share everything that I read. a couple of years ago, I gave up talking about numbers on my channel because I recognised that I was more concerned with how much I read than what I read, and that led to a nice evolution that made me a lot happier. I think this opportunity to reflect and stop and think about what we want from our channels regularly is really important. I hope you keep doing what you love on your channel! Happy reading, and happy booktubing!

[@bunbacheso]

I clicked on this expecting to be dressed down because what I’ve been doing probably isn’t the “right” way, and then I got a little over 30 seconds into the video and laughed from relief. I just wanted to stop and say thank you before watching the rest. 😀

[@ChattieTheMadChatter]

I love this reaction 😆

[@spreadbookjoy]

😂 Yes, the thumbnail was a little click baity! But I’m so glad you laughed in relief when you realise what I was saying! Thanks so much for your comment - it made me smile! 😊

[@GemofBooks]

Yes Jack! You do you, whatever you put out I want to watch. 🧡🧡🧡

[@spreadbookjoy]

Aww thanks mate, that means a lot 🤍

[@LadyJaneBooks]

LOVE this! I totally agree. Booktube was overwhelming for me last year so this is a great reminder. Booktube should make the creator happy and be something we enjoy. Happy New Year! Wishing you health, joy and wonderful books in 2024!🌻

[@spreadbookjoy]

Thank you so much. I hope the year has started well for you and continues to get better! It’s really easy to let this get overwhelming so taking breaks and taking stock every now and again is important! Happy reading to you!

[@lindysmagpiereads]

I agree 100 percent, Jack. I watch your channel because it’s you: so be your beautiful and sometimes cranky self. I love the way you glared at the camera in this video. I know the feeling. And I love watching deep dives and single reviews, so I look forward to whatever you create.

[@spreadbookjoy]

Ha ha - thanks Lindy! 😆 It’s strange how we can sometimes end up getting stuck creatively, even though we have ideas, we are just sometimes too busy to contemplate what is stopping us from doing things. And taking a break, allowed me to come to the conclusion that it’s only me stopping myself! 😂

[@BlatantlyBookish]

I hope you are able to release yourself from expectations and make the videos you are passionate and excited about! As a viewer I want to watch whatever it is you want to film. The best videos are the ones that don't follow any sort of formula and are full of raw energy and enthusiasm. Since having my son, I've been feeling a bit disconnected from my reading life, booktube friends, and my channel. I'm working hard to reconnect with books and find the joy that brought me to booktube in the first place. 💕

[@spreadbookjoy]

Thank you so much, Marissa! I already feel really positive about everything since making this video and changing my mindset a little. I’m glad to hear that you are reconnecting with your channel and the community again, and I wish you a very happy reading year ahead!

[@BlatantlyBookish]

@@spreadbookjoy oh that's wonderful! I'm so glad you're already feeling more positive about things!

[@bookssongsandothermagic]

I totally relate to a lot of what you say here. I wish I had the time to do the videos I want to make - I put out the videos that I can do, but want to do other videos that I don't have time to research or create. Being selective about what you review and mention on the channel could free you from the obligations that you've developed in your head. Once you get going on those videos you really want to do you'll start getting excited about booktube again. Your videos are always brilliant. Ultimately, keep being self-aware and look after yourself. Take time out if you need it. Big hugs.

[@spreadbookjoy]

Thank you so much Gareth. You’ve hit the nail on the head Because I’ve been doing the same thing, just making videos that I can make that a quicker and easier and not doing ones I actually want to make because they take some time and some effort. And I don’t always have the time, so I’ve just been plodding along and making easy videos in order to put something out and often the easiest thing to do is to just talk about what I’ve been reading without putting too much thought into it. And this is led me down this random path in my brain where I constantly think about what I’m reading in terms of how I’m gonna talk about it on book tube and it’s just not enjoyable anymore. Even just having this realisation which seems really simple and really silly has been a big game changer for me. Thanks for watching and for your kind words!

[@CharlieBrookReads]

Definitely create whatever makes you happy as and when you have the time. Love you and your channel my lovely friend ❤

[@spreadbookjoy]

Thank you my lovely friend! 🤍🤍🤍

[@novelideea]

Love it! Here for whatever you put out in the wide world! 🥰🤗

[@spreadbookjoy]

Thank you so much, Deea!🤍🙌

[@SpinstersLibrary]

This really resonated with me - I definitely burned out last year and just didn't do any videos for most of the year. I also read barely any books. Found my joy again with book reviews and with... just having fun with it. Making silly videos when I feel like it, and fully scripted, researched, edited ones when I feel like doing that. Excited to see where you take your channel this year. Single book reviews in particular are so much fun, because you can take yourself out of that pressure environment of booktube, that need to put out the start-of-the-month and end-of-the-month content and literally just talk about the books you have something to say about.

[@spreadbookjoy]

Exactly this, Claudia! Finding the fun and reading less this year, I think will make me a lot happier. A couple of years ago, I decided that I didn’t want to do monthly wrapups or Friday reads book because I didn’t want to fall into the trap of having to put out a video each month and quantify what I’d read, so I also dropped reading goals and talking about numbers. And that worked, but somehow I slipped back into doing these things because it was easy to stick on a camera and talk about everything. I’ve been reading when I didn’t have any videos ready, or time to think about videos. And taking a break over Christmas, it suddenly struck me that I’ve fallen back into that trap again. so more videos about individual books and more videos on themes and authors and topics, as well as the silly ones every now and again! And just putting them out when I’m ready to put them out rather than worrying about needing a video that week. Such as simple revelation, but an important one!

[@isobelledger]

I want 2024 to be my 'follow the dopamine' year, and that sounds similar to what you want to do! I got so stuck with my channel because I was thinking to hard about what other people would want to see. I need to at least be enjoying what I do to start with, and if the people come, they come. Good luck with putting you first :D

[@spreadbookjoy]

Exactly this! 🙌 I definitely have the mantra of ‘finding the fun’ in my head at the moment. it’s so easy to get bogged down in producing what we think people want to see. When you produce something you love, your passion will shine through and you’ll find the right audience! I wish you lots of dopamine! 😊🤍

[@isobelledger]

@@spreadbookjoy thank you so much!!!

[@winterlinde5395]

I love when channels evolve into what they are meant to be. 🌸

[@spreadbookjoy]

Thank you so much! It’s very important to follow your passions in this space! 🤍

[@AliceandtheGiantBookshelf]

Making what you want to make is the best plan! I hope you find the videos you want to make them and get back to the joy. Loved seeing your shelves. 💛

[@spreadbookjoy]

Thank you mate! It’s really easy to forget we can just make what we want! 🤍🤍🤍

[@AliceandtheGiantBookshelf]

@@spreadbookjoy heartily agree. I was telling myself off for wanting to do my December wrap up before my best books and then remembered it’s up to me! 😂

[@BookwormAdventureGirl]

Looking forward to the videos you want to do!! I’m here for it. 😊💙

[@spreadbookjoy]

Thank you so much Jolene! I’m looking forward to putting out videos that I’m excited about and putting them out when I want to put them out! And also getting back to finding the fun. I hope your reading year has started well!

[@abundleofrandomissues]

I did this! I have adhd and found booktok. So bought tons of books and then was soooo overwhelmed and couldn't pick.

[@spreadbookjoy]

Oh my goodness, I get very overwhelmed picking books these days! I end up with decision paralysis. So even when I finally get a bit of free time away from buddy reads and group reads, I’ve suddenly realised I don’t know what to read. Which makes me sad because I used to be a happy mood reader. I hope you managed to get back some equilibrium and balance with your reading!

[@BernasBookishAdventures]

There is a quote from Oscar Wilde that I remind myself once in a while. "Be yourself, everyone else is taken". While I very much enjoy traditional Booktube stuff and especially recording my wrap up vlogs, I can totally understand because it is time consuming and we should not spend so much time and energy on things we do not feel good about.

[@spreadbookjoy]

Exactly this Berna! I watch peoples channels and I enjoy wrapups and book hauls and TBR videos but I don’t want to be that to be all that I do and I just felt like that was all I’ve been doing for months! I’m looking forward to making videos because I want to make them when I want to make them. I hope you are well and I wish you a very happy reading year!

[@teacupthestoryteller]

I love this video so much Jack and it speaks very much to me. Since I was on "the break" from booktube, books and reading basically since April´23, all I could think of the first few months was how it´s going to affect my channel - not posting regularly, missing JAJuly, Victober etc and it was really stressing me out, posibility of losing subscribers etc. But must say this experience of taking forced break was actually really helpful bc it kinda "calmed me down" from all this pressure of posting all the time or hitting the numbers. Only around December I finally had time to pick up books again and reading made me so happy again and I recorded my first video today since April (which will hopefully be edited this week hehe) But I feel like it gave me some freedom of thinking for my upcoming months, to post what I want and whenever I want (or have time)... not sure if this make sense, just saying thank you bc I really get what you mean...also so wonderful to watch your videos again, hope you are keeping well 🤗

[@spreadbookjoy]

Thank you so much, Beki and it’s so lovely to hear from you! I’m going to head straight over to your channel and check out your new video which will probably be up by now because it’s taken me this long to get back to comments. First of all I just want to say that I am so pleased to hear the break has done you good. It’s crazy how caught up we get in our channels and how the impacts our reading habits to the point where we start to stress out about something that we love! And it’s just us doing it to ourselves. But I was so busy with life and the channel and reading that I didn’t stop to think about how much I was getting stressed out by everything. Since I put out this video, I’ve just felt so much more chilled and I’m not thinking constantly about making a video because I haven’t made one in awhile but rather making a video because I want to talk about a particular topic. I’ve also decided that I want to read less this year - less! Can you believe that? I would rather read fewer books and enjoy them and have time to do my other hobbies and spend time with friends,than read more books and I’m okay with that for the first time in my life! I wish you a very happy year and welcome back!

[@ameliabarlowbooks]

1000% THIS! ♥️

[@spreadbookjoy]

Thank you, Amelia 🤍🙌

[@katsnoveladventures1863]

I love this video and appreciate your honesty, Jack! ❤ A lot of your thoughts and feelings are similar to how I have been feeling about my channel, and I’ve only been on KZbin for a little over a year. And, mine is self-imposed as well. Since July, my personal life has been upended, and the last three months in particular have been extremely tough, but I’m compelled to keep going with my channel, knowing I’m super behind on content I thought I wanted to create. So, there are some things I’ve let go; other things I have modified, and I’m still working on my 2024 goals even though it’s January 11th. I decided January for this year is my foundational month for the rest of the year. So what 🤷🏻‍♀️if my aims for 2024 aren’t finalized on January 1st…why not on January 31st. They’re my aims after all. 😊 I just recently rearranged a bunch of my bookshelves, and I’m amazed at how many books I have accumulated since I’ve started my booktube journey. So, my book buying habits will change because at 55, I’ll never read all of the books I’ve bought and that makes me sad. So, THANK YOU for making this video and sharing it because you have validated my feelings and given me a much-needed happiness boost. Happy New Year! 🎉

[@spreadbookjoy]

Thank you so much for your lovely comments, Kat and I really hope that this year is kind to you and that you are kind to yourself. I’m also going to be reading from shelves because it’s absolutely insane that I’ve accumulated so many unread books. I’m happy with unread books on my shelves, but I’ve got to appoint where I am never going to be able to read half of them if I keep buying books. I bought them because I do actually want to read them! I think it’s wonderful to consider that you do not have to have all of your goals ready for the start of January. Planning and goal setting are constant work for me throughout the year, so you are right that this arbitrary idea of New Year’s goals is something that we kind of impose on ourselves. I really hope that you find the fun in your channel and that you have a very happy reading year ahead! 🤍

[@katsnoveladventures1863]

@@spreadbookjoy Thanks for your kind words, Jack and the inspiration! 🥰

[@krzysamm7095]

Do what’s best for you! Do what makes you happy for that is what is important. I love your deep dives and when you show us around the area that you live in.

[@spreadbookjoy]

Thank you so much Suz! I’m definitely going to keep on with the video showing everyone, the beautiful south-west of England. I’m really looking forward to talking more in depth about books as well in individual videos rather than trying to cram in everything I’ve read into one video. Isn’t it funny how sometimes we keep doing something without stopping to reflect on whether we really enjoy or not? I hope your reading year has started well!

[@suzannedavies7996]

I hope your new approach brings you joy and look forward to watching whatever videos you put out. ❤

[@spreadbookjoy]

Thank you so much ☺️🤍

[@Arven8]

This is the first video I've seen from you. Good stuff. I appreciate your willingness to openly say that you're not enjoying yourself as much as you used to be. I hope you can make the adjustments you need to make, so that you enjoy things again. One thing I've found helpful is to orient myself away from external goals (e.g., subscriber numbers or audience reception) and try to keep my focus on what I find intrinsically enjoyable about the activity -- the creation, the ability to express my thoughts, learning, connecting, maybe helping someone -- not about those external motivators. Oh, and I have to add, I don't understand how some Booktubers can have hundreds of unread books on their shelves. That would drive me batty! I have a "backlog" shelf that never grows to more than about 25 or 30 books. If it grows beyond that, I start to feel hemmed in somehow, maybe like I'm "behind" and need to catch up? I don't like that feeling, so my backlog stays low.

[@spreadbookjoy]

Part of the pressure I’ve been feeling is the amount of unread books that I have accumulated since being on booktube. I’m completely fine with having unread books, but not the amount that I’ve got because I do genuinely want to read them! And I’m totally with you on the numbers - I stopped concentrating on numbers or other measurement metrics on my channel the past couple of years, and it has made things so much nicer. I just put out what I’m interested in, and hopefully other people will be too!

[@Carols_BooksandFibers]

I loved your thoughtful and honest appraisal of where you would like your channel to go and look forward to your videos going forward. And hear, hear on aquiring books since, in my case, watching book tube, many I have not read yet, which frustrates me. And why not read Jane Austin in January. haha Yes! So with that said I am really going to try to read my shelves.

[@spreadbookjoy]

Thank you so much! Best of luck with reading from your shelves! That is a huge aim of mine this year. Booktube is so fun but really has impacted on my reading habits, in both good ways and bad!

[@Kite562reviews]

I just like documenting my thoughts on what I've read on my channel while keeping my audio and video editing skills sharp. I don't do TBR videos anymore because I enjoy writing out my thoughts on a book then talking about it in front of my camera and I'm content with that. My channel is a hobby. I read for the enjoyment of reading. 🙂❤️📚

[@spreadbookjoy]

I think that’s wonderful and the attitude that I thought I had, but somehow managed to lose without me, noticing it! We need to do the things that make us happy with our channels and with our reading. I wish you a very happy reading year ahead!

[@HamsavahiniVajraasthra]

Hi😁! That's a good decision- I believe your unique approach to your channel which depicts the joy you find in reading should be the primary concept of all your videos- I was in the same dilemma last to last year & decided to expand my horizons in terms of genre reading so I explored books by participating in readathons. I've got a huge Pile of unread books too & am going to take it slowly 🐌 yet creatively! Good luck with your South reading project- will be tuned in for more on that & this was a really relaxing video😊😊😊😊👍👍👍👍

[@spreadbookjoy]

Thank you so much. I have been taking a very relaxed attitude to both reading and the channel these past few weeks and it has been really helpful. I hope you get to some of your unread books and taking it slowly is a great way to tackle things! Happy reading! 🤍

[@EveningReader]

Yes, all the way, to the right way being your own way!

[@spreadbookjoy]

Thank you so much!🤍🙌

[@DavidWiley7]

I'm here to tell you that we ALL feel that self-pressure, and we all would just love to watch whatever you want to make. Or if you just need to read and stalk your friends in the comments, we're cool with that, too! You do you, friend!

[@spreadbookjoy]

Thank you David! It’s so easy to get, caught up in the cycle of reading and videos, without pausing to reflect on whether we are actually enjoying it! Time to change all of that!

[@youareherediversity7321]

Sounds great! Booktube should be for you, and viewers will enjoy your enjoyment

[@spreadbookjoy]

Thank you! It’s so easy to lose sight of that!

[@thelibraryladder]

I love that you’re doing this. I hope more channels follow your lead and experiment with making different kinds of content that reflect the things they’re really passionate about. I’m eager to see where your passions take your channel this year!

[@spreadbookjoy]

Thank you for the support! I’m looking forward to making things that excite me and to talk more deeply about individual books! 🤍

[@bookendsandbiscuits]

really love this video - lots of your points very much resonate

[@spreadbookjoy]

Thank you so much - I felt a lot better since expressing. it’s amazing how we can keep doing things over and over again, and not take time to reflect on whether we are really enjoying them! I really hope you have a wonderful reading year!

[@ReadingIDEAS.-uz9xk]

I'm new to this book tube business so will be interested in how this journey goes. Best wishes with your changes. I guess if you are passionate about what you are speaking about that will go along way? I hope you get some great reads in 2024.

[@spreadbookjoy]

Welcome to booktube, and thank you for watching and commenting! I’m feeling reinvigorated about my channel since making some of these decisions. I don’t think there’s going to be anything revolutionary on here, but there will be more of the things that I am happy to produce and excited about. I wish you the best of luck on here and a very happy reading year!

[@janethilkemann1790]

Awesome! 🎉

[@spreadbookjoy]

Thank you! 😄

[@kellyoconnor1035]

Jack 🎉 , I gave you the celebration emoji for all the wonderful things coming to your Channel! Not just for us, but for you dearest Jack! Yes!! Do what brings you Joy & what you are passionate about! I think it's wonderful because this Channel will be truly yours. I can't wait! 😊 💕💕💕💕

[@spreadbookjoy]

Dear Kelly, thank you so much for your wonderful comment! I’ve already been feeling a lot better about everything since putting out this video and I do have some things to come which I hope people will enjoy but the most important thing is I know I will enjoy them! 😂🤍🤍🤍

[@kellyoconnor1035]

@@spreadbookjoy 🥰💕💕

[@Bookishtravels1]

What a fantastic video Jack, as you know i have been through a lot of changes with my channel, changing my old one, going in dofferent avenues and then eventually deleting it totally. When we become new booktubers, it is so exciting and adrenaline boosting, we look at all the the other content creators and think, well, that type of video seems to work, I shall do the same, but i have learnt over the years that, if you want to go big here, you really need to put in the 24/7 hardwork and that i am not prepared to do, as i relish my private times away from booktube. I talk about 5% of the books that i read and thats ok, because a lot of them are for ME. I remade my channel because i missed it, it became a hobby, something that actually kept me sane over the years of a very tumultious personal life recently. I do not follow the herd and i never have, probably why my channel will never be considered popular, but again, thats ok, because it's my channel and i hope the few that actually watch will enjoy me and my persomnality and the thoughts i have to share. I have never really been a fan of wrap ups or TBR videos tbh, unless it is for a specific reason. You bring yourself back into the videos and it will spark back your enjoyment and creativity. Be that woman that appealed to me in the first place to your channel, big hugs to you!!

[@spreadbookjoy]

Hi Julie! Very happy to hear from you! And yes, I imagine a lot of this did really resonate with you. I just found myself getting caught up on this hamster wheel of making videos because I needed a video to put out that week. And I’m not quite sure when I decided that I needed to tell everybody everything that I was reading, but it started to really put pressure on me. And I was the one putting the pressure on myself! So silly! But it’s easy to fall into this trap and I’m glad I took a bit of a break but because I kept feeling like something wasn’t quite right, but I didn’t stop and take the time to think about it! You are right that we need to just do what makes us happy with our channels. None of us are here with the real expectation that we’re going to be full-time KZbinrs - it’s a hobby and we need to view it as such. I also want to get back to doing some of the other things. I enjoy that I haven’t done since starting booktube. I hope this is an amazing year for you. Happy reading!

[@Bookishtravels1]

@@spreadbookjoy Thank you Jack, the realisation comes to us when we are ready to realise it 😁 I look forwards to watching your new videos 🥳

[@ChattieTheMadChatter]

💜💜💜💜💜💜🫂 love this from you, and your raised eyebrows are everything 😂 🐟🐠🫖🐡 such an underused phrase! I love it! 💜📚

[@spreadbookjoy]

Ha! Thanks - I’ve noticed I do like to throw out lots of old-fashioned sayings! 😂 The funny thing with this videovwas that I stuck on the camera to film some B roll and I started editing out all of the occasions when I was checking the camera, but that eyebrows scene in particular just went so well with the audio! So I decided to keep all of it in!

[@MargaretPinard]

Agree!!

[@ChattieTheMadChatter]

Good choice - love an old fashioned saying my Mum's 2 favourites are Foe not eating today "I'm slipping through my knickers!" and dark clouds on the horizon "it's looking right black o er Nelly's 'tates!" I love a kettle of fish - one of my fave Queen songs is "I'm going slightly Mad" the lyrics are amazing "I'm knitting with inly one needle" 😆😆😆💜📚

[@spreadbookjoy]

Those are brilliant! 🩲😆

[@noteworthyfiction]

What an awesome video!! I'm looking forward to seeing what it means to you. In the meantime it's helped me make a few decisions regarding my channel. so thank you!

[@spreadbookjoy]

I’m so pleased that this has helped you! I think my channel will probably look pretty similar from the outside, but fewer videos and fewer books and topics that interest me. I’m just gobsmacked by how simple premise that is and how long it took me to realise it! 😂Happy, happy reading to you!

[@GunpowderFictionPlot]

Yes this!

[@spreadbookjoy]

Thanks! 🤍🙌

[@BookishTexan]

I experienced some of the same thoughts recently. So please do make just the videos you want, when and how you want. I agree that that is the key to doing BookTube right.

[@spreadbookjoy]

It seems to be resonating with quite a lot of people at the moment! Quality over quantity in every area of my life is going to be my goal this year. That, and finding the fun!

[@MargaretPinard]

I think your videos are a great way forward in terms of amusing oneself and challenging oneself in equal measure, Brian 🤗

[@novellenovels]

Hun make the videos that work for you. You are so amazing and I love whatever you make. Enjoy what you too. Thanks for always supporting me and being bloody lovely 💜💜

[@spreadbookjoy]

Thanks Em! Same - your support and friendship mean a lot to me! 🤍

[@Shellyish]

Love this video! 🎉❤ I’m so excited to see your channel evolve and change as it suits you.

[@spreadbookjoy]

Thank you so much Shelly! I’m already feeling more excited about my channel having just made some decisions like this!

[@PageTurnersWithKatja]

Well done 👏 I hope 2024 brings you a lot of reading joy 🎉

[@spreadbookjoy]

Thank you so much, Katja! I hope your year is full of fun bookish adventures 🤍

[@bookinwithdebra]

Love this video. I can relate to soooooo much of what you say. I really do enjoy your style. You are genuine and that's really valuable to me. Booktube has a lot of the same content, which is one of the reasons I got burnt out with making content and watching other channels. I fell into the same traps. It really affected my reading. Our free time is very precious, let's use it in a way that brings us joy and fulfillment. Looking forward to seeing what you create this year.

[@spreadbookjoy]

Thank you so much Amelia, that means a lot! I’ve already felt better, just putting this video out there. I’m definitely looking to find the fun this year, but I also really appreciated what you had to say in your recent video about doing things other than reading. I was so swept up in booktube for such a long time that I’ve stopped doing all of the other things that I love in my life. And I do think I read better books now, because I stopped worrying about numbers, but all of the social reading I do and all of the events on booktube that I want to take part in have got in the way spare time to do anything else. At some point this year, I’ve had eight or more, books on the go which is ridiculous. I love reading, but I love a lot of other things too, and I have to get back to that sense of equilibrium. What you said about quality over quantity, really struck home with me today. I wish you quality reading and quality everything else this year!

[@MargaretPinard]

Still miss seeing you, Debra! Hope you're enjoying your reading ⚡

[@rebecca.reader]

Sounds great, Jack. Looking forward to seeing the videos you want to make. ❤

[@sueysbookbanter]

Love this!

[@spreadbookjoy]

Thank you so much - that means a lot! 🤍

[@fiberartsyreads]

Love this so much!! 💕

[@spreadbookjoy]

Thank you! It has made me feel better putting this video out here already! 🤍

[@MIDDLEoftheBookMARCH]

This is perfect content! ❤❤❤

[@spreadbookjoy]

Thank you, Kim! 🤍🙌

[@amywolfe5673]

❤

[@spreadbookjoy]

🤍

[@jimsbooksreadingandstuff]

Do what you enjoy doing. I gave up wrap ups in favor of one minute reviews for each book I read. Let Booktube suit you.

[@spreadbookjoy]

Thanks, Jim! I want to experiment more with things like shorts as well!

[@M-J]

Let 2024 be your year, Jack! You run your channel the way you see fit. Comparison is the thief of joy. I stopped doing wrapups because I don't feeling like filming wrapups. 😂 Hop in the Read What You Own for a little bit for a reset. Hugs! - MJ

[@spreadbookjoy]

Hey MJ, thanks so so much! I’m actually doing read what you own because I’ve got such a huge book collection of things, I just want to read and get to! I’m very excited for it and for just getting back to doing things that I want to do. Happy reading to you!

[@MargaretPinard]

Jane Austen outside of July? Victober outside of October?!? *scandalised* Hear, hear! I thought this was going to be a tongue-in-cheek sort of humorous video making fun--basically a list of 'don'ts' disguised as 'do's' but this softening of the heart is so needed and so YOU! Way to tell it like it is, Jaq, and call ;em like you see 'em...whatever 'em happen to be. 🥰💗Big hugs!

[@spreadbookjoy]

Thank you so much, Margaret! I’m feeling much happier for such a small mindset shift! 🤍🤍🤍

[@Michele-n2h]

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[@spreadbookjoy]

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