Hi everyone! Welcome to another installment of The Creator’s Roulette series. Today I’m excited to host the wonderful Pam! You might remember her from our conversation a few years back about book blogging. Today we are talking about booktube instead because Pam has an awesome channel! Let’s welcome her and get started.
Pam on BookTube
Hi Pam. Thank you for joining us today. Tell us a bit about yourself.
Hi, Kriti! It’s been a while! I’m Pam and I’m a bookaholic from the Philippines! I’ve been reading since I was a kid, but it was only when I started working did I really have ample resources to be able to consume books. I’ve recently started my Booktube channel, just January of this year. I used to blog on WordPress but am currently on hiatus with blogging.
How long have you been a booktuber and how has that been so far?
I’ve been a Booktuber since January! Roughly 5 months now! It has been great so far. It comes not without challenges, but the perks and the highlights are worth the effort. I’ve been meeting a lot of amazing people and that’s one of the most rewarding things being in the Booktube community.
What led you to booktube? Did you always want to review books via video? Are you still writing on your book blog?
I’ve always wanted to have a Youtube channel. Period. I think it was back in college that I really started visualizing producing video content but I just didn’t have the general direction and goal for that channel. I’ve been watching Booktube videos for years but just didn’t have the courage to make one myself, insecurities and all. Honestly, me creating my channel last January was completely on a whim! We were nearing the New Year and I was thinking of a project I can start and maintain this year and thought of Youtube as my channel for talking about books.
What does life as a booktuber look like?
Going through a lot of production stages is normal for a Booktuber now, but is something that never gets easier. I told and swore to myself that I won’t put so much pressure on myself in terms of creating content for my channel to avoid creator burnout. As much as possible my goal is to produce and post one (1) video a week. So the creator process includes conceptualization of the video, writing the script, setting up the equipment, filming the video, editing the video, making the thumbnails, writing the captions, and posting it. The creator process varies from time to time depending on the concept of the video.
On top of being able to produce at least once a week, I also have to set aside time to ACTUALLY read and have content to produce, while balancing a full-time work from home. It’s tough, but again, it’s truly rewarding to interact with other Booktubers!
Do you have special equipment that you use to do your videos?
I guess it’ll have to be my recent purchase, a decent mic (which I haven’t gone around to using THAT MUCH).
In bookblogging, we do a variety of posts like reviews, lists, author interviews. Is there a similar variety in booktube? Have you tried them all?
For Booktube, there is a certain “template”, yes. Like, doing reading vlogs, book hauls, TBR videos, book tags, book reviews, live shows, and wrap-ups. Since the Booktube community has been alive for years now, it’s quite challenging to create an original concept/idea.
I haven’t tried ALL of the “common” Booktube videos like doing a bookshelf tour, book unhauls, book shopping, and doing sprints with other creators. (Because my internet connection sucks lol)
What is your process to work on a video from start to finish? As you start reading the book, do you start brainstorming for the review video right away or do that at the end?
Oh! I mentioned the process earlier. As an anxious creator, I already have a list of video concepts that I am planning to film. Although, yes, sometimes the video concept comes to me after I bought a certain book or upon reading one.
Sometimes, while reading a REALLY good book, I would be like “You know what, this seems like a really good book to film a reading vlog and progress of!” and then I’ll do a timelapse video and a review at the end of it.
There’s really no linear process when it comes to producing videos.
How long does it normally take you to complete one video to your satisfaction?
If I count the WHOLE process (from writing the script down to editing the video), I’ll have to say it takes 3 to 4 days. The length varies depending on how complicated or easy the video is. I found that it takes me so long to do if it’s the monthly wrap-up (because I have to gather all my thoughts and talk about each book) and I’m quick to produce a video if it’s a book haul (because I don’t necessarily have to discuss what the book is since I just bought it).
I think my favorite so far is filming my BTS-related videos! They’re fun because two things I’m super passionate about get to merge and be in one video.
Does bookstagram support your booktuber life?
Yes! But not as much as Twitter does. With Bookstagram, there’s added effort to take photos for the feed so I’m much more active doing Instagram stories and tagging other creators! It helps when I have new videos as well since some of my followers/subscribers are also on Instagram. So I get to keep them up to date with my postings.
What are some steps you have taken to promote yourself and get a following?
I join book tags on most of the platforms I’m on, mostly Twitter and Instagram. I haven’t done book giveaways yet to really up the following, but I find interacting and engaging with other creators the BEST way to promote yourself, organically too. Because it feels much more genuine.
Lastly, what advice would you give someone who wants to start out as a booktuber?
I’m gonna quote a global brand here and say “Just do it”. Really, just hop on board! There’s never a PERFECT time to be a Booktuber, or do something, in general. If it’s something that you can do on the side while you’re working or studying, do it! Just remember to NOT put so much pressure on yourself to avoid losing the spark and love you have for what you’re doing.
Second, engage with people that you genuinely like (or whose content you enjoy). This can help keep you motivated and inspired to read and make videos because there’s the real want to share with them what you create as well or that you understand what they’re talking about.
Are you planning to join other bookish communities?
What entices you to these communities?
(i.e. if Bookstagram, is it the mostly visual appeal? if Booktube, is it more for just sharing what you read, is it to meet other readers using a video type format?)
It has been amazing to learn from Pam about booktube. Connect with Pam on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Goodreads and Storygraph.
Banner image from Unsplash.
Thank you so much for the feature, Kriti! 💜 Looking forward to more collab with you!