6 Things to Know About the Bookish Community

Here at LitJoy Crate, we’re crazy about all things bookish, and we’ve LOVED seeing the bookish community flourish and grow more and more over recent years! There is so much to know about the bookish world, and we realize some of our book lovers want to learn more about it, and what the term “bookish” really means.

With social media introducing #bookstagram and #booktok, the term "bookish" has expanded to become a part of a thriving literary community in its own right. We adore sharing our bookish products and talking about our favorite bookish fandoms, and we wanted to make sure our devoted book lovers know just what this buzzword means and how they can become part of this exciting literary world.

Here is a guide that we created to give a run-down of the top 6 things to know about the bookish community, so that you can join in on the fun and be a part of the wonderful world of all things bookish!

1. What Does “Bookish” Mean? Let’s start with the basics. In dictionary terms, “bookish” refers to academic or scholarly pursuits, and a strong devotion to literature. But on social media and when shopping, the term "bookish" is used to describe the wonderful nerdy culture of people who love books (like us!). It refers to a special community of readers who enjoy reading, discussing, reviewing, and sharing books, and we at LitJoy Crate are here for it!

While both social media communities are thriving and have a similar goal of connecting book lovers across the globe, there are a couple of points that make #Bookstagram and #BookTok a little different.

#Bookstagram is used for visual aesthetics, enabling Bookstagrammers to post pictures with their current or favorite reads, their book nooks and bookshelves, local places where they enjoy reading, and more. Instagram also gives plenty of space in the caption for Bookstagrammers to write out detailed book reviews, link blogs, and add in additional information for their followers.

#BookTok is used for short videos that contain relatable content about books and fandoms. These can include book reviews and reactions, book theories and conversation starters, and even reenactments of popular novels.

Both are a great way to connect to an online community of readers and book lovers to exchange ideas about books!

We at LitJoy Crate also have our very own Instagram (@litjoycrate) and TikTok (@litjoycrate) handles and if you're as addicted to social media and bookish products as we are, you might just have the chance to get featured in our next "Bookmarked Last Month" blog! Just tag us in your next post about your love for our speciality editions and collection items!

3. Bookish Acronyms to Know When you first join a community, it can be confusing to understand and adapt to their lingo. LitJoy is here to help! The bookish community has a vocabulary all of its own, with bookish acronyms and abbreviations that help book lovers categorize and recommend different reads, navigate fandoms and tropes, and discuss characters and genres. This helps readers connect through the bookish community and find their niches.

Here is a list of common abbreviations you may come across in the bookish world:

Characters:

MC - Main Character

FMC or H - Female Main Character or Heroine

MMC - Male Main Character

LI - Love Interest

TSTL - Too Stupid to Live (a character who often runs out into danger without thinking or regard for their own safety)

FM - Fated Mates (two characters who are mated and destined to be together)

OTP - One True Pairing (similar to FM, two characters who are destined to be together)

INFP - In First Person (first person POV)

Story Type

BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, Person of Color)

F/F (female/female romance)

M/M (male/male romance)

HEA - Happily Ever After (everything works out in the end, no sad ending)

HFN (Happily for Now. Things seem okay for the time being, but there may be an open ending or a cliffhanger)

Owned Voices (when the author is part of the same marginalized groups as the main character in their book)

TW/CW - Trigger Warning/ Content Warning (warning for triggering or darker themes)

Genre H.Rom - Historical Romance (e.g. Outlander) R.Rom - Regency Romance (e.g. Bridgerton) PNR - Paranormal Romance (e.g. A Discovery of Witches) High Fantasy - A world different from our own (e.g. A Court of Thorns and Roses) Dystopian - The future after something awful has happened in our world and the government is corrupt (e.g. The Hunger Games) Cont - Contemporary UF - Urban Fantasy SF - Science Fiction

Reading Status

DNF - Did Not Finish (Books you have not finished)

TBR - To Be Read (Books you want to read in the future)

CR/CL - Currently Reading/ Currently Listening (Current book/ audiobook)

Book abbreviations of popular fandoms: SJM - Sarah J. Maas ACOTAR - A Court of Thorns and Roses ACOMAF - A Court of Mist and Fury ACOWAR - A Court of Frost and Starlight SoC - Six of Crows CK - Crooked Kingdom FBAA - From Blood and Ash COHO - Colleen Hoover

ToG - Throne of Glass CoM - Crown of Midnight HoF - Heir of Fire QoS - Queen of Shadows EoS - Empire of Storms ToD - Tower of Dawn KoA - Kingdom of Ash THG - The Hunger Games HP - Harry Potter PJ - Percy Jackson TSC - The Shadowhunter Chronicles TMI - The Mortal Instruments

• Books Clubs: Book clubs are a great way to read and discuss books among like-minded people who all enjoy reading! Whether you meet weekly, monthly, or quarterly, getting together with a group of individuals to read and discuss literature is a fantastic way to get involved with a literary community.  If you're interested in starting your own, check out our blog "How to Start a Book Club and Keep it Running" for tips!
• Local Library: Getting connected with a book-loving community can be as easy as checking in with your local library. Libraries often host events and classes that bring people together over their love for books, such as screenings, crafts, lectures, clubs, and more!
• Author Talks: Who wouldn’t want the chance to meet one of their favorite authors? If you have a favorite contemporary author, look up when they will be doing talks in your area. You’ll have a chance to hear them speak about the inspiration behind some of your favorite books, be a part of a Q&A, and even hear a reading!

5. “Bookish” Goes Beyond Physical Books While there’s nothing like curling up with a hardcover book and feeling the pages turn between your hands, the term “bookish” is not just for readers who enjoy physical page-turning. Digital reading, including E-books, Nook, Kindle, online fan fics, and audiobooks, absolutely counts! “Bookish” refers to people who enjoy literature, no matter the format!

6. Bookish Products for Book Lovers: Did you know LitJoy Crate is made for this? We have tons of bookish products from various fandoms, niches, and interests, and even a gift guide to help you discover products to share with the other book lovers in your newfound bookish community. Shop our collections here and learn more about becoming an exclusive VIP Lunacorn here !