Myths can be an obstacle for someone who wants to start something and today I decided to mention a few that I’ve come across over the past couple of years and maybe this post will motivate you to stop thinking about them and just focus on starting.
Books or Props
The first myth is that you need a lot of books and props. This is not true at all, just share the books you already have. It takes a while to accumulate a lot of books and yes some photos include a lot of pictures but you can still just use one book (less is more) and this works if you are aiming for a simple feed. Do all the complicated photos at a later stage when you’ve grown your collection. Even if you are running out of books to read and review there are ways to work around that (maybe I’ll share a post later). In terms of props, you don’t actually need a lot of props, just work with what you have and not complicate things. Unless you plan to use something you need to purchase first then you need to plan for that but you actually don’t need to.
Photography
Photography in general is a good skill to have but it is not necessarily something you need to start your account. One thing that is common among bookstagram is the passion for reading and that’s all you need. So you don’t need a DSLR (if you have it already perfect). We all have smartphones and their camera qualities are perfect. Use your phone, find good lighting and you can edit your pictures using any free app you are comfortable with.
Publishers
Publishers only work with big accounts, and again this is not true at all. If you have a specific focus and you engage with your audience publishers will want to work with you. Its not really about the number of followers. But not to say that you can be inconsistent and think any brand or publisher will want to work with you. Consistent is key. Do not start your account with the goal of receiving books from publishers, enjoy the journey of reading and things will align perfectly in due time.
Those are the 3 most common myths I’ve seen around. But overall my advise would be to have fun, take time to read and enjoy a book, don’t focus more on the numbers, be consistent, engage with your audience (especially the first 30 minutes after posting). Bookstagram is all about the passion of reading and that’s it. Enjoy.
Let nothing stop you from starting what you want.
Leave other myths in the comments section below.
Love this, all so true!
I am firstly a beauty blogger, so when I moved my books over to a seperate account, I wanted beautifully staged photos…gold and roses and and and…. Then I realised I wasn’t having fun anymore….my props aren’t cool enough, 3 kids in school, I also don’t have time… …but..I LOVE READING! I scaled it down, I do simple, prop free pics these days, and it just makes me feel so much lighter.
Great post!
Thank you.
I totally understand, at least you managed to find something that works best for you and your schedule. And now I guess you’re enjoying posting again.