Booktokers and the Algorithmic Literary Understanding Changing the World of Books

Data and analyses on the internet reveal that influencers known as "booktokers," who give book recommendations via TikTok, have reached a follower count of 200.000 in Italy. This figure is quite high compared to the total reach of traditional literary blogs or sites and demonstrates the power of digital platforms in the literary world. Indeed, it is known that works listed in the 2022 bestsellers rose with the direct influence of booktokers aggressively recommending these book sales. This situation clearly demonstrates that readers have started to prefer digital content creators over traditional critics in their decision-making processes.

One of the most concrete examples of this new era is the success achieved by a young author using the pseudonym Erin Doom. The author is described as a master of gothic-romantic atmospheres and made a huge breakthrough with the 2021 novel "Fabbricante di lacrime" and the 2022 novel "Nel modo in cui cade la neve". Doom's story represents one of the most successful examples of the transition from the digital world to physical bookshelves by starting to publish on platforms like Wattpad and then signing deals with major publishing houses like Salani. It has been observed that the author's decision to maintain anonymity, as in the Elena Ferrante example, did not negatively affect sales but on the contrary created an element of curiosity. However, it is an interesting paradox that the author's appearance on television programs and showing his face from 2023 onwards caused a decrease, rather than an increase, in sales contrary to expectations.

Erin Doom's 2023 work "Stigma" and 2024 work "Arcadia" have shown commercially much lower performance compared to his previous works, with a complete shift towards dark romance. This situation can be interpreted as the author's popularity waning or the expectations of his audience changing. Nevertheless, when general market data is examined, it is seen that the influence of romance and especially fantasy works on readers is still very strong. Fantasy literature continues to be the most popular genre among Generation Z and the slightly older generation of young adult readers. The roots of this interest lie in J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy and the subsequent variations and cult works like George R.R. Martin's "Game of Thrones".

However, some works have not only remained on the sales lists for a certain period but have also achieved a "long-bestseller" status and become cult classics. J.K. Rowling's "Harry Potter" series and side products are a typical example of this; they are loved and read not only in the period they were published but also by later generations. With the difficulty of the traditional literary canonization process since the second century, very few works can now demonstrate this longevity success. While period bestsellers like Christian Jacq's Egyptian novels are forgotten, works like "Harry Potter" serve as an intergenerational bridge. The work argues that the literary canon is now formed not by critics or academics, but through the power of intergenerational transmission.

Today, the new "canonization" model created by social networks and the web ecosystem limits the lifespan of works much more. Hybrid works consisting of a mixture of strong genres such as fantasy, romance, horror, thriller or detective fiction now rise not with traditional literary criticisms but with the support they receive from specific social media influencers. Even if these works achieve great sales success, they usually fade into ordinariness among others a few years later. The system resembles an industrial structure where value and power are concentrated in a few brands; just as a few authors like Tolkien or Rowling dominate the market. In this context, it is evaluated as a result of the commercialization of reading culture as well as its democratization that young readers shift their reading habits towards these popular culture works highlighted on social media rather than classics.