Do You Bookstagram?
Here's Why You Should!
How do you bookstagram?
I am not a bookstagram expert, but as a huge fan of this subgenre of Instagramming, I’ve picked up a few useful tips along the way. I’m sharing them to help you along your bookstagram journey, and if they inspire anything in you, I hope you’ll share your bookstagram posts with me.
First, some basics.
What is bookstagram?
Bookstagram is a book-loving subset of Instagram, an online community of readers who appreciate beautiful book-related photos. They usually use the hashtag #bookstagram and related hashtags.
Below is an example of a bookstagram post I recently uploaded:
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Notice the use of books, plants, and fabrics. I’ll talk more about bookstagram props later on.
Who are these bookstagrammers?
They are book bloggers, readers, writers with a love for photography.
What’s the point of bookstagram?
Other than creating and admiring beautiful images, you mean? (Yes, I’m a big fan!) Bookstagrammers are readers (and writers) and joining their community means exposing your book to potential readers. However, if you’re only in it to promote your book and if you’re only posting about your book, don’t expect anything great to come out of it. You have to keep your feed interesting and feature other books in it, too.
What do I need to get started?
You’ll need an Instagram account, of course, a camera (phone cameras work), and some books. All else is optional, but props help unleash your creativity.
How do you take bookstagram-worthy images?
I am still learning… And it’s quite the production!
The Coriolis Crew – Bookstagram behind-the-scenes
It’s a team effort, as you can see above.
Below are a few tips to help you get started on your bookstagram journey:
1. Study the pros. Look through the posts using the hashtag #bookstagram to get an idea of the best posts.
2. Pick a theme or style. Having a feed with some consistency helps. Our feed at instagram.com/coriolisco has a purple theme with some gray, pink, and blue thrown in there.
3. Pick books about which you have something to say.
The Crown by Kiera Cass
4. Vary your location:
Some of our bookstagram posts are indoors:
Between You and Me by Mary Norris
Some are outdoors:
Bookstagramming outdoors
Portland’s downtown monuments
5. Vary the content of the images:
Some of our bookstagram posts feature one book:
Love Poems by Pablo Neruda
Others feature two magazines:
Sunday Times and LA Times
Yet others are about multiple books:
Ayize Jama-Everett’s Liminal Series
Some have books that are neatly organized:
Books lined up, with a gorgeous bookend
But sometimes we like to show #Bookpiles:
These purple and pink books are beautiful, and on-brand
Some feature humans (me)…
Which tends to get more likes on Instagram because people like seeing other people in images.
And some feature my four-legged crew member:
Our very own Pruntyo
Which allows me to use doggie related hashtags like #dogsofinstaworld.
The possibilities are endless.
6. Also vary your props.
Flowers are a popular bookstagram prop because of how beautiful they look. I love using purple flowers to add my signature color to any post:
Plants are an excellent alternative to cut flowers and succulents are extremely popular on bookstagram. I have a few succulent + book photos ourselves:
Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery
Writerly accessories like typewriters are also popular, and I couldn’t help show ours off in this post:
Most writing events give out signature tote bags, and they make great bookstagram props like this AWP tote bag did:
Nice looking bookends are a good way to spice up your bookstagram photos:
You can add random beautiful things like crystals to your photos, like I did here:
Amber & Dusk by Lyra Selene
7. Set aside time. Unless you have a great eye for photography, it will take several tries to get the right image. I usually shoot about a dozen photos per book/setup before I get a useable one.
8. Shoot several images in one go if possible. Setting up your impromptu photo studio will take some time and effort. You’ll want to clear some space, will need the right lighting, and you’ll have to test various angles. And if you go through all that, it makes sense to have at least 10 books and the props to go with them handy. I usually pile up the books, stack up the props, charge the cameras, even bring a ladder… It’s an effort!
9. Edit your photos. Crop them so there is a focal point, and keep them square. Yes, now that Instagram allows rectangular images, too, you may want to try those, but bookstagram photos tend to do better when square-shaped. Instagram’s built-in filters will let you adjust the lighting, or you can use apps like Afterlight or Enlight to make them look better.
10. Try to post consistently. If your feed contains a mix of bookstagram images and other photos, space them out so there’s a logic to your feed. Maybe every 3rd or 5th post will be a bookstagram image. My frequency varies, but overall I try to keep the overall look of the @Coriolisco Instagram feed “bookish.”
11. Use an intriguing caption. Asking questions is a good idea.
12. Use hashtags. Some of the best ones for bookstagram are #bookstagrammer, #bookcovers, #instabook, #bookaddict, #bibliophile… and anything describing what’s in the image, such as #booksandblooms or #booksandfood.
13. Don’t be afraid to tag the author whose book your post features. Wouldn’t you be thrilled if a fan bookstagrammed your book?
14. Lastly, if someone asks to re-gram your post, be flattered. This is a sign that you’re doing it right! Plus, allowing them to share your post with attribution will bring more eyes to your feed.
If you’re also planning on jumping on the bookstagram bandwagon, you can always look through feeds of popular bookstagrammers to find inspiration. Even if you’re not aspiring to be one, I suggest following a couple, just for the aesthetic. It brightens my day whenever I see these kinds of posts on our feed, and I hope it’ll have the same effect on you.
~ Nanda
