BOOKTUBE IS MAKING ME ANXIOUS??

Time for a discussion video! I would love to hear everyone's thoughts on this topic! So comment down below what you think!

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[ClaireReadsBooks]

This is such a fantastic discussion! As someone who just started a channel, I am already (not two weeks into things!) feeling some of the stress you're talking about (i.e., Am I reading enough? Am I interesting? How do you find people with whom you can form real bookish friendships and connections?), so this video was so nice to watch. Just be true to yourself, chick! You seem great and self-aware and real, and I'm excited to see what else you have coming up on your channel! :)

[BooksAndJams]

Love this. Don't stress. Comment when you can. Be yourself. Have fun! I find I like channels that aren't full of all the hyped books. Love the hug. Love that you busted out in song. Love you!! ❤️❤️

[lifebyjo]

Completely understand what you're saying. It's hard to be in touched with others. What helps me with keeping up with uploading is planning a day to shoot and upload (for instance I choose Wednesdays and Fridays) and plan weekly their content so I'm not stressed and my brain is ready. Your advise is great and very much true! So happy I have you as new BookTube friend 😘✌🏽

[thefirstchapter]

I can understand the pressures of trying to become friends with everyone and maintaining those relationships. But it is impossible to do that with everyone (as I just recently found out.) because it would take up to much time! Thank you so much for sharing Kristen! Love you lots! 💕

[stubbornlybookish]

Trust me, you are not the only one. Last month my computer broke so I wasn't able to make the videos I wanted, and now, having gotten it back, I feel as if I have lost all of my momentum. I feel like I am in a creative slump, and then I feel stressed about not creating content. Which is both stupid and ridiculous because I am the one who has put so much pressure on myself. I think I need to remember how much fun booktube is and just forget all the rest, and it's always nice to be reminded of that, so thanks Kristen.

[ritabook]

I completely agree with you for a lot of the issues you brought up in this video. I have not been on YouTube (posting, commenting, and watching) for the past month because I felt so pressured to keep up with everyone else. Being a part of booktube definitely takes up a chunk of your time and life, and it's easy to start feeling overwhelmed, especially if your in school! But girl you got this! Go at your own pace, booktube will always be here for you and the friends you have made on here will stick around if you need a break:) I love the hug at the end!❤😂

[yaisareadsbooks]

I am so with you on this! I'm new into this Booktube industry.. and I'm a full time worker as well as a mother of three... but I feel like my books are not "in the mode" or in the moment but I've figured I will get followed for being me and not trying to be like everyone else!! Also I get stressed if I don't bring out videos enough I will be forgotten about!!! I love this video!!!!

[sprinkledpages]

Thank you for this lovely discussion! I totally feel stressed on booktube at times too where I don't know if I'm doing well or if people actually even like my videos or if I say 'umm' too much or if I'm not making enough friends in the community so thank you for making this video so I feel less alone! <3

[HardbackHaven]

Aww Kristen you're just the sweetest! Hugsss to you too! I'm sorry that booktube has been making you anxious! That's definitely not how it should make you feel but I can totally understand. There's times where I find I can watch a lot and days where I can't watch or participate much at all and then I feel a bit of a disconnect. And I understand feeling like you need to entertain because of what it is - I often wonder why anyone would want to watch my videos if I'm not eloquent like some people or funny like others and when people unsubscribe I wonder what I did wrong :( but then I do my best to remember why i joined - to make friends & talk about books! I think most people know that not everyone can be super active all the time & watching booktube takes time and reading takes time and we all only have so much of that. Other social media are so helpful for that - can connect with other people and get to know them and stay in touch in a quicker way. This was such a relatable video :) so glad I found your channel when I started :) such a great little corner of booktube! And it will be here when you have time :) no pressure!

[readkelseyread]

I love this discussion video. I completely agree with your first point (and the others) but definitely the first one! I spent the last few hours trying to catch up on videos by my booktube friends/community members which i thoroughly love doing, but it takes up so much time and I still worry I'm not keeping up with eveyone enough. It's lovely to know that others are feeling the same way though. I love what you said about finding a little booktube corner and liking people and their content just because they attract the same vibes. I'm so glad I found your channel because you've got such a sweet personality and awesome content <3

[thehappyhobbit]

I thought this was such a well thought out and honest video! I know I just started on booktube, but I already notice some of the things you've mentioned as like...mini trends (ie: feeling like you have to be reading "this" popular book or "that" popular book...or that you should read 42435 books a month) ...and I agree that this is YOUR corner and you should do what makes you happy in your corner with your own corner books, thoughts, ideas, and inspirations! We ALL should! Loving your videos, Kristen! Keep your vibe going, because it's making a difference. :)

[kittyluvsbooks]

What a refreshingly honest video! I'm not a booktuber but I love to watch book videos and I know how much time out my day is eaten up watching videos, making a comment here and there and getting some reading in. I always wondered how some booktubers read 4 or more books a week, record and post videos and still have time for everyday life. I wondered if they ever sleep or they must be speed readers. I could definitely see how it could become stressful, but like you said, people that are interested in you and the types of books you love will always be there for you. You just keep it fun and you will always be authentic regardless if you post a video a week or a month. We'll be here for you! Hugs to you!🤗

[ashleestormothrowbacks]

It's nice to see your honesty on this Kristen! I understand where you are coming from - I just graduated uni and put off beginning booktube until I wasn't in school specifically to avoid that kind of stress. However, I think there is something really valuable in you acknowledging your anxiousness. That in itself is you being real like you say you enjoy about your favorite booktubers. I admire that, and I hope you can find a way to take a big happy breath, and make sure you're really having fun talking about those fantastic stories :) All the best xxx

[katyfae]

You are so genuine and sweet. I'm so sorry that you're feeling stressed about your channel. I agree with every single thing you mentioned. It's much more time-consuming than one would think! It's really difficult! But you've got this, girl. You are so awesome. You're doing this for you, and you should be able to enjoy it! Stay true to you and don't worry too much about what other people think. You go, Kristen! Thank you for sharing your wisdom!

[SummersMovingBookshelf]

This is a very relatable video.  To be honest,  making friends is really difficult because it's hard for me to keep up the conversations and keep track of everyone, so that's where any anxiety for me comes from.  It also becomes worrisome whenever your first love fades and you want to rekindle it.  So yes, very relatable.

[wordswildflowers]

yas girl this is your channel, it's your creation, do you!! Loved this discussion! <3 I think comparisons and competition on social media platforms like this are the thieves of joy. We just gotta remember to find joy in the doing!

[emmahiggins]

Wow, I found this something that I can really relate to! As someone who struggles with social anxiety (I'm getting better with it <3), interacting with people is something that I stress about anyway. I feel like when I first started toying with the idea of starting a booktube, I found this sudden mentality that books were a chore. They were something that I needed to read, by a certain date, have certain feelings about and blah blah blah. I had to tell myself to stop and take a step back. I don't want to associate reading or making videos as something that I NEED to do. I want to read when I want to, because I want to. So I have made the decision that my channel is going to be a place where I can represent ME! A place where I can make videos, and read books that make ME happy. I really loved this video, Kristen! I am definitely subscribing and I look forward to seeing more videos. Yay for booktube friends! xxx

[SilviaKay]

What a wonderful video, Kristen! I appreciate your honesty. I feel the same and I also tend to worry about Booktube way too much... although I must say it's much better than it used to be (touch wood). I used to spend a lot of tine worrying about things like dislikes and people unsubscribing, but I've put all that behind me. Instead, I just focus on the positives ("yay, I hit 400 subscribers" as opposed to "damn, why did this one person unsubscribe?").
I also loved what you said about feeling the pressure to keep up with everyone's videos. OMG YES!! What I do now is watch a bit of everyone's videos as opposed to following a few Booktubers religiously. There are videos I find more interesting than others (cough cough discussion videos), so I always try to make time for these.

[toddthelibrarian]

It happens to us all Kristen! Life puts enough pressure on us! Once we add the pressures of a Booktube channel . . .well, I understand we're you're coming from! Don't sweat it, just do what you can! When I was in college it cut way down on my joyreading! Just be yourself and the universe will unfold as it should! Yes, I totally ripped that off from "Harold and Kumar go to White Castle"! Best of luck! Now go out there and make us proud!

[LisaandThings]

I fell so far behind watching everyone's videos and it got pretty stressful. I definitely relate. Love your honesty! YES DO WHAT YOU WANT TO haha love it. I also don't film with people home 😳