Mass-produced romance: BookTok society and the homogenisation of literary culture

The DOI was not yet working when I created this entry. The Internet Archive's saved version of the pdf didn't format properly for me on the screen, but did download properly as a pdf. 

Here's the abstract:

This study examined how BookTok reinforces literary homogenisation through algorithm-driven virality, applying Adorno's concept of the culture industry. Analysis of survey data shows that 78% of users frequently encounter repetitive tropes, such as ‘Enemies to Lovers’ and ‘Fake Dating’, while 66% report that these patterns influence their reading choices. Additionally, over 70% of viral BookTok recommendations promote mass-market romance novels, mainly works by bestselling authors such as Colleen Hoover and Emily Henry. In contrast, books with experimental narratives or by underrepresented authors remain marginalised. BookTok's algorithm amplifies high-engagement content, creating a self-perpetuating cycle of popularity that aligns with Adorno's critique of cultural standardisation. This study highlights how BookTok prioritises commercial viability over literary diversity, narrowing reader exposure. However, this trend could be reversed by intentional interventions like influencer-led book marketing and algorithmic changes. This study highlights BookTok's significance in influencing reading habits and highlighting ways to promote literary diversity by connecting the platform's influence to more extensive discussions on digital literary consumption.

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I checked some of the references because I was concerned that they were articles about romance which I had not included in this database. For example, the article states that

 A content analysis of 500 viral #BookTok videos conducted by Doyle (2024) found that 72% of promoted romance books featured recurring themes, with user engagement concentrated around emotionally charged narratives that fit existing genre expectations. (252-253)

However, when I checked Doyle, O. A. (2024). Algorithms and the "Anti-Preference": A Quantitative Investigation of “Reaching the Wrong Audience” on TikTok . Berkeley Undergraduate Journal, 38(1). http://dx.doi.org/10.5070/B3.39970 Retrieved from https://escholarship.org/uc/item/2vq7291w I found no reference to "romance" or even "romantic."

Similarly, there was this:

 A 2023 industry report by The New York Times found that over 60% of romance novels on their bestseller list had significant BookTok traction, often propelled by repeat recommendations and engagement loops (James, 2023). (253)

When I checked the citation given:

James, G. E. (2023). The BookTube/BookTok Phenomenon: Analyzing reading habits of Young readers in the Digital age. https://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou166716860703574

this did have some information about romance (mainly on pages 47-49), but I found that this thesis by Grace E. James was dated 2022 and did not contain the work "York" at all. Or

Some books, especially in the romance genre, have adopted what we call 'intertextuality,' where authors follow a specific writing style and a familiar plot that has been written and become popular before (Vouillamoz-Pajaro, 2024).

This is cited as

Vouillamoz-Pajaro, N. (2024). Intertextualidad y literatura infantil. El diálogo entre textos en el estudio del álbum ilustrado. Ocnos Revista De Estudios Sobre Lectura, 23(2). https://doi.org/10.18239/ocnos_2024.23.2.466 

and it does look at intertextuality but, as stated in Vouillamoz-Pajaro's abstract, focuses on "the transfer of the theory of intertextuality and comparative literature to the field of Children's and Youth Literature, to undertake a study of picture books."