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A Softer Approach to Being Online as a Reader
Being part of the online book community has brought so much joy into my reading life. I have discovered new authors, found some of my all time favorite books, and connected with readers who genuinely love stories as much as I do. The book space can be inspiring, cozy, and incredibly creative.
But over time, I started noticing something. The same spaces that once made reading feel exciting slowly started making it feel overwhelming. Somewhere between the constant recommendations, endless scrolling, and pressure to keep up, reading started to feel less like a hobby and more like something I needed to manage.
So recently, I made a few quiet changes. Not dramatic exits. Not announcements that I am leaving the book community. Just small shifts that are helping me enjoy reading again.
Here is what I am no longer doing in the book space and why stepping back has actually helped me reconnect with books.
Table of Contents
Disclaimer: This Is Not a Criticism of the Book Community
The online book space has given me so much inspiration, creativity, and connection. This is not about saying these platforms or habits are bad. They simply stopped working for me in the way they once did.
Reading habits change. Content creation styles change. Interests change. I think that is a normal and healthy part of being a reader.
I Deleted Instagram
This was probably the biggest change I made.
Instagram used to feel like a fun place to talk about books, discover new releases, and connect with other readers. But at some point, it stopped feeling inspiring and started feeling overwhelming.
Scrolling through endless book hauls, perfectly styled shelves, and massive monthly wrap ups began to create pressure that I did not even realize I was absorbing. It made reading feel like something I needed to keep up with instead of something I could simply enjoy.
I also noticed how much time I was spending scrolling instead of reading. I would pick up my phone to check one notification and suddenly an hour had disappeared.
Deleting the app created space in ways I did not expect. I have been reading with fewer distractions. I feel less urgency to keep up with every new release. I also feel less pressure to constantly create content just to stay visible.
I still love connecting with readers, but I am choosing platforms and spaces that feel calmer and more intentional.
I Cut Back on BookTube Content
I still think BookTube creators are incredibly creative and passionate. Many of them introduced me to books I probably never would have found otherwise.
But I realized I was consuming a lot of recommendation content without actually giving myself time to read the books already on my shelves.
Watching multiple TBR videos, haul videos, and reading wrap ups every week slowly turned my reading list into something that felt impossible to keep up with. My TBR kept growing faster than I could realistically read, which made reading start to feel like a productivity challenge instead of a relaxing hobby.
BookTube content also gave me a false view of reader life. The huge monthly wrap ups and book hauls can make me feel like I’m not doing enough. So I had to step back and remind myself many of these readers do content creation full time (whoo hoo!) and reading is literally their job.
Now, I watch BookTube much more selectively. I focus on creators whose content feels thoughtful or calming instead of content that makes me feel like I need to add ten more books to my list immediately or make me feel like I’m not reading enough.
Replacing passive content consumption with actual reading time has been one of the best changes I have made.
I Am No Longer Reading Just to Keep Up With Trends
There was a time when I felt like I needed to read every popular or highly talked about book, especially new releases. Staying current felt important, especially as someone who talks about books online.
The truth is that trend driven reading does not always lead to the best reading experience. Some of my favorite books have been backlist titles or books I discovered randomly without hype surrounding them.
I am giving myself permission to:
- Read books months or years after release
- Skip books that are popular if they do not interest me
- Reread my favorite books
- DNF books without guilt
- Mood read without worrying about productivity
This shift has made reading feel fun again instead of scheduled.
I Am Letting Go of Performative Reading
This one was harder to recognize.
At some point, I started treating parts of my reading life like they needed to be documented or optimized. Tracking stats is fun, but I noticed moments where I cared more about finishing a book quickly than actually enjoying it.
I also felt subtle pressure to turn every reading experience into content. Reviews, posts, updates, photos. While I still love creating book content, I no longer want every book I read to become a project.
Now I focus more on thoughtful reflections rather than constant updates. Some books are just for me, and that has been surprisingly freeing.
I Am No Longer Buying Books Just to Stay Current
The online book world can make it very easy to believe you need every new release immediately. Between haul videos, influencer recommendations, and subscription boxes, it is easy to accumulate books faster than you can read them.
I am skipping my book boxes more often if I don’t think any of the books will be immediate reads for me. I have become much more intentional with book buying. I still buy books. I still love owning books. But I am prioritizing books I genuinely want to read instead of books I feel like I should own.
This shift also ties into my growing interest in low buy reading habits and building a TBR that feels manageable and exciting instead of overwhelming.
What I Am Doing Instead
Stepping back from certain parts of the book space has not made me love reading less. It has actually helped me reconnect with why I loved reading in the first place.
Here is what I am focusing on now:
- Reading slower and more intentionally
- Revisiting favorite authors and comfort genres
- Creating content that feels meaningful instead of frequent
- Spending more time writing about books in long form spaces like my blog and newsletter
- Letting my reading life evolve naturally instead of forcing structure
A Softer Approach to Reading
Letting go of certain bookish habits has reminded me that reading does not need to be fast, productive, aesthetic, or trendy to be valuable. It just needs to be enjoyable.
Sometimes stepping back is what allows you to move forward in a way that feels more authentic.
If you have ever felt overwhelmed by the online book world, you are not alone. It might be worth asking yourself what parts of the book space genuinely bring you joy and which parts might be adding pressure you do not need.
What is one bookish habit you have stepped away from recently?
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Love this post. I have been on Insta less and less. I honestly just do not care about most posts on there. Stacks don’t do it for me, and I want to see reviews. I only look at specific people’s pages, and haven’t posted in a couple week myself.
It just felt fake. That’s what it became. Obviously, as through our many convos, we could talk about books and life. But in other facets it felt like a performance that I do not want to be a part of!
Love this post and completely agree. I have already read more books this year because I took the conscious decision to read what I wanted to read without the outside influences.