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Month: April 2024

Q&A with Bookstagram Content Creators from Southeast Asia

Posted on by garima

Hello readers!  

Today we have with us your favourite bookish content creators talking about their journey on Bookstagram. Keep reading to find out their tips and tricks of content creation. 

What is the biggest challenge you face as a book content creator?  

@byputy||

Puty says: In Indonesia, books are not among the most popular content categories. If we want to reach a wider audience, not only the bookish community, we must make the content relatable and not only about the book itself. There were times when I worried if I oversimplified things just to make the content engaging. However, when the content reached people who don’t usually read books and got them interested, it felt very fulfilling for me. 

 

 

 

 

 

@coffee_n_classics||

Antonia says: As a book content creator (in the Philippines), the biggest challenge I face is constantly being active on my page and always trying to be on the good side of the algorithm amidst the daily hustles of life and reading schedules outside these social media platforms. Yet, it’s a learning process and we cannot, on all occasions, be on the bright side. Acceptance makes everything easier and when feeling lost, internalize and go back to why you even started your page in the first place. It will make you feel grounded, wholesome, and inspired again. 

 

 

 

@czaversusbooks||

Czarina says: I think the biggest challenge is trying to start your account, in the first place; all your self-doubt gets to you before you even begin making one. To be honest, it gets easier once you finally decide to cross that line, find your own pace, find your own aesthetic. After all, there is no clear-cut rule when it comes to content creation: the more you post, the more you hone your creativity. The only thing you need to do first is let go of your inhibitions and take that first step. 

 

@bibliophilogy||

Meg says: I definitely feel deflated at times while building a reading community and retaining the audience. I know it is very much out of a creator’s control if the algorithm is not necessarily showing your content to the people who follow you (same goes with your following! I rarely see some of my booksta friends’ posts nowadays if I don’t search for them), but of course this pushes me to think out of the box and experiment with other styles, types of posts etc. that stretches out from what I usually do, and it is always rewarding to see it finally pay off! Every obstacle is a learning opportunity for me, and I would love to continue tackling these problems and improve my content that I put out for sure! 

 

@vintagelygrace||

Grace says: I would say my biggest challenge is finding the balance in life to keep up with books, writing, and creating content. I admit I have days where I just run out of inspiration. The dry spell feels extremely horrible, no sugar coating it. However, I always use this period to gather back my drive, whether it’s through changing my current read, going to a library/bookstore in town, or putting on my go-to playlists. Pinterest is also my best friend, because there’s always a wide variety of ideas I can find on the platform! Having said that, I hope I will eventually find (and cultivate) a rhythm which suits me best. 

 

@kritiisachan||

Kriti says: The biggest challenge for me is keeping up with the latest trends and keeping up with the ‘trendy’ books! Bookish content is not just about book reviews these days, it’s also about ‘aesthetics’ and making content that goes viral. Following the new trends that are going viral on the platform is a challenge in itself. Then there’s not giving into the number game, to not let all these things affect what you read and how to make and engage with content. At the end of the day, bookish content is all about reading and talking about books you love. 

 

 

What is that one tip or advice you would like to share with budding content creators on Bookstagram/BookTok? 

Puty says: Start small and with books that interest you. Building an audience takes time, so trust the process. At the end of the day, the content of the books you read may serve as your reading log, and it may help someone to discover their new favorite book. 

Antonia says: Always aim to be your most authentic self and make it your core etiquette as you grow and thrive in this community, especially in these fast-paced and ever-changing platforms that we use. Give credit where it’s due and do it with modesty, elegance, and grace at all times. 

Czarina says: Consistency. I know this one is overplayed but consistency when it comes to posting does not necessarily mean doing it everyday—it is about setting a set of days when you can commit to posting. In my case, I try to upload photos and reels around 3-4 times a week at a time that is convenient to me.

Meg says: Find your own niche and build your bookstagram brand around it! Explore what you love posting most and stick with that because the last thing you wanna feel is too burnt out to create content! In short, create content that you love! 

Grace says: Stay determined and focused on your goals on these platforms, but most importantly, enjoy what you’re reading and build friendships! Some of my favorite books and several longest lasting connections were discovered and formed through bookstagram. I love this community so much. 

Kriti says: Read books you love, talk about them, focus on meeting like-minded people, and don’t let the number game get to you. And my two cents on content creation: if you want to make more content, you also have to consume more content to come up with new ideas. 

That’s all for today, folks!

Question for you: Would you rather live in the world of the book you’re reading or hang out with the characters of your current read? Click here to watch some fun responses! 

Read an exclusive excerpt from Mark Powell’s STEP BY STEP

Posted on by garima
On the 25th of April 2015, as the sun bathed the Himalayan expanse in its warm, golden embrace, the sky painted itself in a flawless shade of blue. Only the gentlest wisp of clouds dared to mar its perfection.
Although thin at this lofty altitude, the air felt remarkably crisp, as if it had been freshly plucked from the lips of celestial beings. Everything seemed to align, heralding the perfect opportunity for a summit attempt— a window of hope amidst the towering challenges of Mount Everest.
But as fate would have it, the serenity of that moment was about to be shattered. Suddenly, the very ground beneath us began to quiver and shake as though a stampede of a hundred fully laden yaks bore down upon us. I lifted my gaze toward the glacier, my eyes widening in disbelief. What had once been a serene, glistening expanse had transformed into a monstrous juggernaut, a titanic wall of white, thundering toward us with terrifying velocity. It was a tidal wave of destruction, a torrent of snow, ice, and rock, a behemoth of nature’s fury unleashed, hurtling at a breakneck speed, perhaps eighty feet high, or even more. It was an avalanche, an explosive force born of a cataclysmic event—a 7.8-magnitude earthquake that had struck Nepal and its neighbouring lands.
As the avalanche bore down upon Everest Base Camp, I was torn between knowing and not wanting to believe. A sense of powerlessness overcame me. The monstrous avalanche devoured the mountain and everything in its path, from the tents to the people who had been upon it. It felt like the very earth had opened up, swallowed everything whole, and closed its gaping maw, leaving only devastation and despair behind.
I felt my heart plummet within my chest. With a heavy heart, I knew the avalanche would have devoured everyone and everything that stood in its way. Two expeditions had been on the mountain, their members residing around Camp 2. My thoughts raced to the grim reality of the situation-people had most likely lost their lives. Avalanches had visited this sacred peak before, but this one, I feared, would be the most merciless of them all.
As the chaos unfolded around me, Everest Base Camp, the place I had come to know so well, was irrevocably altered. Familiar landmarks that once provided a sense of orientation were now conspicuously absent.
The Norwegian trekking company, Jagged Globe, with its distinctive blue and white banner, the well-trodden trail leading to Crampon Point-gone. A nightmarish landscape of rock and ice debris lay in their place, shrouded in a dense, eerie fog that clung to the camp like a ghostly shroud. The snow began falling as if Nature wept for the horrors she had unleashed.
As I took in the surreal, post-apocalyptic scene, the memory of another tragedy struck me just a year prior, in 2014, sixteen Sherpas had perished in the Khumbu Icefall. How could such a calamity repeat itself?
Was it the mountain’s way of reminding us of our fragility, of our audacity in intruding upon its sacred domain?
Step by Step is the biography of Pemba Gelje Sherpa, written by Mark Powell. The book will take you on an incredible journey of a village boy who conquered Everest and became a renowned guide and environmentalist. Get a copy to read his captivating story. 

Read an excerpt from Rogelio Sicat’s Dugo Sa Bukang-Liwayway (Bleeding Sun)

Posted on by garima
Old wounds felt fresh again. Simon let out a loud sigh.
He looked at Duardo, who was cowardly. If Duardo had not stopped him at the cemetery, he could have retaliated on behalf of his parents.
The next day, he went to look for the graves again. He had to; he just did not know why. He stayed there for hours. He stared at the cemented fence around Paterno Borja’s property; he did not even try to go near it. Tears began to form in the corner of his eyes.
Were you able to find them, son?’ asked the old man whom Simon had talked to the previous day.
Simon shook his head. People started arriving at the cemetery to clean the tombs of their loved ones. Tomorrow, the cemetery would be full of people offering prayers for their departed loved ones.
Simon did not linger at the cemetery for long. He left hurriedly. At the gate, he saw a horse carriage parked.
Is there a vacant seat?’ he asked the old coachman.
The man pointed at the vacant seat beside a grieving woman.
‘I need a ride.’
Simon climbed into the horse carriage and it sped away at the height of noon. They travelled across the downtown streets. The horse never changed its pace. The coachman continued to whip it, too.
The coachman heaved loudly upon reaching the rural area.
Wait for me, Simon told the coachman upon reaching Ka Tindeng’s hut. He jumped off. He grabbed his remaining pieces of clothing from the midwife’s house and set off.
‘Where are you going, Simon?’ asked Ka Tindeng, who was shocked. Hulyan, Duardo, and Saling watched as the two talked.
‘I’m leaving for Manila again, Ka Tindeng.’ Simon embraced her. ‘I will go back to Manila, Ka Tindeng. I will not
return without a plan for vengeance. I swear, Ka Tindeng.’
Simon went out and got into the horse carriage. The coachman once again whipped the horse. Simon passed by his former hut, but did not look back. He met some farmers on his way, but he did not greet them. He held on tightly to the window of the carriage.
Bleeding Sun is a gripping story of a farmer’s son who grows up motherless, loses his father, runs away from home and comes back with a silent revenge. Get a copy of this latest addition to our Southeast Asian Classics today!

Read an excerpt from Raju Chellam’s The Singapore Strain

Posted on by garima
Cory pushed off the blanket and shivered as the chilly draft from the air conditioner penetrated her flimsy nightgown. She wondered whether the aircon was the reason for her recent migraines, especially at night. Or was she coming down with the flu? Again?
She plodded towards the bathroom, paused before the switch, and decided not to turn on the light. The faint illumination filtering through the window cast a calming glow upon the space. She felt a wave of relief as she sat on the cold toilet seat and relieved herself.
With her head nestled in her hands, she drifted into a drowsy state. Time stretched and blurred, an indeterminate period of restful tranquillity enveloping her. Yet, just as her fatigue began to consume her, her head sank forward, jolting her abruptly awake, as if some dark force had yanked her from the depths of sleep.
Alamak?, I went to sleep on the darn toilet bowl? Crap!
She laughed aloud as she pushed the flush lever and then dragged herself back to the bedroom.
Must crank up the thermostat. 
Must not sleep on the toilet seat.
Must drink some water.
She waddled to the kitchen and picked up the steel water bottle; a stray beam of light streaming in through the window glinted off the bottle cap and made it look like a spacecraft with pilots ready to lift off.
Just as she was about to take a swig, she heard a scurrying sound that made her freeze in fright.
Hesitantly, Cory switched on the kitchen light.
Is that a rat?
A roach?
A lizard?
A ghost?
The Singapore Strain, authored by Raju Chellam is a fictional story about a new and scary variant of Covid-19 that changes the victims’ DNA and alters perceptions and attitudes to make them environmental activists. Get a copy to read this page-turning story today!
Now available via Amazon.sg & Kinokuniya Singapore.