Why I haven´t left booktube

I watched one of ‪@libraryofaviking‬ recent videoes and it inspired me to share my thoughts on the subject of why people are quitting youtube, why I haven´t and everything in between.
The video this is a response to:
• The Dark Side of the B...
‪@LunaciaBooks‬ !
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Thank you for watching!

[@mtnshelby7059]

I like chat style Booktube channels like yours. I have had to unsubscribe from channels that focus on rankings, awards, and reviews about their free books from publishers. That's all just too much like my competitive job, I need a break from the mainstream.

[@becomingabookworm]

Thanks! I guess I can enjoy awards because it forces to me read stuff I wouldn´t normally do, but I get what you mean. I do sometimes get sent books but usually when I beg for them and want to read the books.

[@M-J]

Your thought are valid. Everyone experiences this platform and all that comes with it (comparison, statistics, trendy books, etc) in their own way. Thanks for sharing with us. - MJ

[@bigaldoesbooktube1097]

This was a great introspective angle on an issue that so many people in the community are struggling with. I like yourself came from reading only a couple of books a year but luckily for me KZbin is my only social media presence so I feel less pressure to read ‘100’ hyped books or whatever 🤷🏻‍♂️.

[@becomingabookworm]

Thanks! There is indeed too little time to read whatever everyone else wants you to read..

[@bookssongsandothermagic]

Great video mate. You have a lovely manner and it is always a relaxed, enjoyable experience watching your videos. You don't need to change and as you say, it's all about the interactivity and community on here.

[@becomingabookworm]

Thanks and thank you for being a part of it :)

[@southernbiscuits1275]

I like your channel because you present thoughtful videos like this one. You present context to the books you read and how they relate to your life. Hardly anyone on BookTube does this. BookTube is a social format that is set up to breed competition. First off, almost every KZbin content creator I have watched talks and worries about their metrics. KZbin metrics are presented as a mysterious presence that judges the value of video content according to popularity rather than quality. Secondly, the majority of all KZbin content creators consider themselves to be "influencers", an absolutely vile title to achieve. To those of us who are not influencers, the very idea of selling your integrity as a human being to be popular is disgusting. KZbin and BookTube did not use to be like this. However, just as integrity in the United States has vanished, so has corporate responsibility. It has been replaced by the lust for monetary reward. If you ever feel like giving up your channel, your subscribers will support you in your decision. We will be sad but your comfort is more important than our being entertained on a regular basis. Speaking for myself, I would miss your unique views on what you read. Again, your giving of context to the relationship you have between yourself and the books you read is the draw for me. So, take care, Be you and let the chips fall where they will. :)

[@becomingabookworm]

Thanks again for your kind words. I guess what you are describing is the reason why I stopped viewing some of the bigger channels. I felt like they lost what was unique to them and I guess if we wanted a more "neutral" look at things we could all read "certified" book critics in newspapers. This being I still get joy out of some channels especially those that talk about books I have never seen mentioned elsewhere. I guess that is often what I am looking for, people that read stuff that I am unfamiliar with. I´ll have to remind myself about what you say about giving context about myself and the books, that might help me gathering my own thought before recording videos. Thanks.

[@Unpotted]

I’ve enjoyed your videos for several months and I have noticed that you seem reluctant to be yourself. Steve Donoghue is a voracious reader and book reviewer/critic who has a BookTube channel. He just says what he wants and posts his videos unedited. Very no-nonsense. Have you considered doing things differently? Perhaps it’s more work than hobby because you are more concerned about appearances than content? I’m thinking of becoming a KZbinr reviewer/critic. How did I do? 😺✌️

[@becomingabookworm]

If that is the case it´s by no means on purpose. I would publish my videos uneditet had it not been for the fact that my english sucks and my brain can´t really handle talking about books without taking quite long breaks to think about words and sentences to pronounce. I would not say this is more work than hobby, just a hobby that requires time. The editing is not what takes time for me, it´s recording and finding time to record. In general I think everyone that wants to try out this thing should :)

[@southernbiscuits1275]

Steve Donoghue does the things you say but his way of presenting his opinions seems to be driven more by ego than in a thoughtful expression. I always shy away from people who profess to have all the answers. There is an old Chinese proverb: He who thinks he knows does not know, He who thinks he does not know, knows. In Buddhism it is our attachment to our egos which prevents us from seeing the world as it is as opposed to how we want it to be. I've watched many videos by Steve over the years and I have never heard him admit he could be wrong about something. Maybe he has. I just haven't ever seen him do it. As for being a critic, I think it would serve you better to simply present your emotional response to what you read instead of a critical review. Critics are a dime a dozen. A sincere emotional response is rare indeed.

[@Unpotted]

@@southernbiscuits1275 I’m aware that Steve often presents as arrogant, but he genuinely isn’t in person. He has listened to those who brought his perception of abrasiveness to his attention, and he does try to temper it, but he just thinks and speaks bluntly. It’s his nature, not a personal attack on anyone. His main purpose is to save people from investing their money and time in lackluster publications. In my world that’s a very worthy cause. Anyone like Steve, who reads multitudes of books in every genre will probably make insecure people shrink from his erudition. People can be both intelligent and sweet, but it might not be obvious in two dimensions. Hope this provides you with a better understanding of him. 😺✌️

[@Unpotted]

@@becomingabookworm I understand that it’s handy for you to pause and collect your thoughts in another language, and that this takes time. You never appear to struggle with speaking English, so I hadn’t noticed this practice. I would therefore say you have been doing very well, although I also realize it takes a lot of time. Only you can decide if it’s worth your time to continue. I hope you do, because many remote English speakers never know the benefit of opinions from other countries. Since you love memoirs and autobiographies, you might want to participate in a reading event in April that celebrates the genres. I agree that you should only read what you enjoy unless the material is required for a university course. 😺✌️

[@ellenmadebookclub]

@@becomingabookwormSame! 😅

[@Hyperboreasy]

Sadly quantity has overtaken quality across many corners (booktube and elsewhere). It's about content instead of experience. I appreciate that your videos are about what you're reading, but also about sharing opinions and raising questions. They're not just lists, or themed readings, they're actual experiences you're sharing from what you read. Which (to me!) should be the point. So please continue, even if it's one video a Friday, or a month.

[@becomingabookworm]

Thanks! I hope to be doing this for a while longer and I do agree. I also prefer to watch videos where not everything is about ranking the 100 best books of something..

[@books_and_bocadillos]

I'm new to booktube...I created a channel for the community....I don't have a schedule and I'm a slow reader so I find monthly wrap ups don't work for me like other booktube content creators. I know that the lack of consistency in posting might make it a slower growing channel...but I'm okay with that. Keep reading and doing things that bring you joy. ✨

[@becomingabookworm]

As long as you enjoy making the videos and reading the books it´s fun being in this community I think. I like doing wrap ups no matter how many books I have read. Feels like my own reading journal sort of :)

[@LunaciaBooks]

I have been doing KZbin for over a decade, and I would say, just make it fun, give an F about numbers, and just connect with people.

[@punktzbiegu]

I like your channel for its diversity, you often recommend books that are not popular in book media. I like reading different books and lately I have the impression that I like less popular ones more often than those advertised everywhere. You give the impression of a person who knows what he likes and if he doesn't like something, he will tell you honestly. Keep doing what you do and have as much fun as you can. :)

[@becomingabookworm]

Thanks! I have actually been thinking that I should check out what books I like a lot more than the general public. Think that could be fun thing to talk about :)

[@Kite562reviews]

I'm keeping my channel as a hobby. However, I have an upload routine that I've been using for a while. I am in no rush to read a certain number of books at the end of the year; I read for the enjoyment of reading. At the end if the day, I do not want my hobby to become my job. 🙂❤📚

[@becomingabookworm]

Same here! I started out doing a heavier uploading schedule but there is not enough hours in a day..

[@musicroom7185]

I believe that my favorite booktube videos are ones in which likable folks chat comfortably about whatever...(usually books!) If it seems too "forced" or appears that they are performing, I am less inclined to become a regular viewer of the channel. I am the first to say that because of the diverse personalities of youtube content creators, there is a place for just about every style. If it were me doing a channel, I THINK I would like the structure of a schedule, because I do best with structure in my life. That being said, it is not uncommon to come across videos which seem to have only been created to fill a void in the schedule. I would hope that each person can find that "sweet spot" in which their efforts on BT bring them (and others) joy. And this is somewhat off topic, but for me, booktube is not so much about me learning about books, but instead it provides a way for a lonely guy to have a few "friends" drop by now & then...and I am happy that you are one of them.🙂

[@becomingabookworm]

I guess I have a schedule because it forces me to be creative and it´s a process that suits me more than just "make videos when I feel like it". I often tend to like those "slot fillers" or what you might call it. If they suck, at least it is what you were able to make and that is kind of fun. The videoes I spend less time on are usually the ones that "perform" the best but are never my favourites. I like your last sentence because it describes how I felt when I hung around on booktube earlier. Thanks for watching these videos :)

[@tracy9000]

I wish people didn't put so much pressure on themselves, especially for a hobby, but I do understand, as I did that for years a long time ago, and ended up regretting the time I spent on it because some of the people in that group seemed intent on making everyone else miserable for not having the exact same opinions as they did. I was glad when you took a break a while back. It seemed to help you find joy in booktube again. I hope you do whatever makes you happy. The language barrier probably makes it a bit more difficult, even in the comments because we may just be misunderstanding each other or we may just disagree. For what it's worth, I look forward to your videos, even if you love books I didn't or vice versa. And your travel videos and other random things like the little libraries are so interesting to me.

[@becomingabookworm]

I fully agree, but it is as they say inevitable especially in a environment as social media where comparison and competition is central.. People that can´t disagree and be okey with it is a bit difficult to be around at times. I love the friends I have that can deal with heated discussion without thinking that it´s all personal attacks. I often learn from those conversations. I do think my little break was needed and I am glad to be back. I hope to make more videos outside of my basement soon, but they do take more time to produce unfortunatly.

[@tracy9000]

@@becomingabookworm Oh, didn't mean to try to pressure you to make anything, just letting you know the other content is cool, too.

[@becomingabookworm]

I did not interpret it that way either, i just miss making those videos :)

[@LunaciaBooks]

Nothing wrong with liking yourself as a reader. 😁

[@ellenmadebookclub]

I have never heard someone call themselves pretentious before. Love it 😊 I appreciate your thoughts on this, I agree that it’s hard not to be affected and influenced by what other people in the space are doing, just like humans in any group setting. It’s not just on the internet. But no one is forced to partake in anything, unless their aim is results in numbers. If your aim is to grow and make money there is another pressure. But as hobbyists we are more free to do whatever! I also appreciate your focus on emotions, that’s just as much intelligence as reading nonfiction full of facts on something. Or fiction for that matter. Subscribed! Ps Glad to find another Nordic booktuber ^^ 👋 from Sweden

[@becomingabookworm]

Thanks! I guess if this was the way I made a living my videos would either suffer or become better, the one thing that is certain is that they probably would change a lot. I guess booktube has another focus than booktubers that sometimes mention books they have read. Those books seem more often to be about productivity or "growth". And Sweden

[@ellenmadebookclub]

@@becomingabookworm Yes you’re probably right ^^ I think I’m aiming for a mix at the moment, since I am so new. I’m doing it for fun, for me, but it is more fun when there are a few people to interact with 😊 And I find it fun to create videos too, so it’s not only about the books for me. But I don’t want the channel to be a higher priority than the reading. In the end, I’m reading for me, as well. But I find the events and things too overwhelming anyway, so then I just do it in my own pace ^^ I don’t know of many Swedish booktubers either, there might be some who speak Swedish but not a lot of English speaking channels. I did find one recently called Curious Reader that you can check out if you want :)

[@becomingabookworm]

Sounds to me like you have a balanced view on it. There are no a lot of Norwegian booktubers out here either I think, but sometimes it´s hard to find them..

[@Curious-Cat]

Just found your channel from ellemade book club. I'm still new to booktube and I just publish whenever i feel like it... or more accurately - whenever I have a video ready, cause apparently, I have no patience for scheduling videos. As soon as it's edited, it needs to go live on the channel XD Anyways, thanks for sharing your thoughts on this, it was an interesting video!

[@becomingabookworm]

Haha! Yes, I know that feeling. Especially if you’re happy with a video or have worked on it more than usual. Thanks!

[@Paromita_M]

A very nice video. Appreciate your empathetic and thoughtful approach. Best wishes and happy reading.

[@becomingabookworm]

Thanks! :)

[@Montie-Adkins]

There are a few things that give me pause. I might get dozens of views per video yet there's some girl who badly lip syncs some gibberish from a song or movie for 10 seconds and gets 9 million views (I did not make up that number). Or I have lots of subscriptions and comment when I feel I have something to say but am not reciprocated. I would not expect people to comment just to comment but when they never do so at all it's a hint. (This is not a hint to you, sir to go comment on any vids I have) Regardless, I have no plan to stop as I do enjoy it and the process, and it does make me feel like I am out there in the world.

[@becomingabookworm]

Haha, I feel you. There are a lot of videos out there where I don´t understand how they have reached the numbers they have. Keep enjoying the process and I agree, it´s a good feeling being "out there" :)

[@dqan7372]

Glad you mentioned the struggles. I think sometimes BookTubers make it look easier than it is, or easier than than the average person would experience, which can lead to excessive frustration and lower self-regard, especially for the newbies. As for non-readers watching BookTube, it's certainly easier to watch than to read, I find, to the point where I've missed out on a lot of reading time. Hopefully the joy of the reading BookTuber rubs off on the non-readers. It has for me. After years of digital distraction, I'm finally back into reading.

[@becomingabookworm]

Luckily youtube takes less time for producing similar content so for me it has been taking less time now that my process is faster, but yes, you are probably right. Since it has worked for us I hope it will for ohers. Even though I sometimes still have to be mindful of what I spend my time doing..

[@talking_to_trees]

I love the way you just wanted to be a part of the community. I have been reading since I was 5 though. Avidly! All my family members are readers and everyone think I am obsessed. I read very widely: I like a good memoir, but also historical books, fantasy, magical realism, horror, general fiction, and classics. The only genre I don't do well with is romance. As much as I love books though, I actually love all stories in all their formats, so I am also a big movie and tv watcher, but I also love art and history and theatre. It's a lot and I am just an over the top nerd for all the ways humans tell stories. Like you, I like my stories to have some meaning. I use a weird system of essay writing, cue cards, and reading journals to help me remember what I read but also to form random connections between movies and books and other things. I am looking forward to seeing some more of your content.

[@becomingabookworm]

I never read that much earlier, but like you I enjoy all forms of storytelling from books to music to art. I always write down my thoughts from the books I read but some books just doesn´t make an impression at all and some do and there is not always correlation between the books I love and the books I remember. It´s all a bit strange.

[@StephaniedeBritoLeal]

Oh, the part about having to run through so many books to keep the content coming.... I want to remember the things i have read, and i also got real mad people decided i was dumb bc i didn't like a book or another, so down went my channel 😅 i couldn't even hate the things i didn't like 😂

[@becomingabookworm]

Oh yes.. I don’t think the people that bash on others over what books they like or dislike have very happy lives..

[@BooklessPete]

I like your take on it!

[@Madam_Vader_Reads]

Excellent video.

[@becomingabookworm]

Thanks :)

[@jakeschell3941]

Reading to understand human emotion has long been what draws me to read. In conversation it is easy to start thinking how to respond before the other person finishes speaking. In reading I need to listen and think.

[@becomingabookworm]

I think that was beautifully put and something to listen to. This is the sort of reading that for me takes a lot of time and effort. I hope to be doing more of it in the years to come.

[@this_alec]

I absolutely love your candor on the topic here. I'm new to booktube. Your validation of "booktube for the sake of booktube" is exactly what I needed today, as I scroll the dreaded analytics page of Studio 🤣💀Thanks for posting this video and for being part of the community! I'm an instant-sub. Can't wait to get some memoire recommendations from your content. 🤍

[@becomingabookworm]

Thank you! Happy to help 🤣 Hope I will read some good memoirs to recommend as well.. :)