In the recommended reading this week, the site kevinbrittenylauren.wordpress.com cites Henry Jenkins in his idea of transmedia storytelling as “a process where integral elements of fiction get dispersed … across multiple delivery channels for the purpose of creating a unified and coordinated entertainment experience” (2009). The site describes the Pokémon franchise as a prime example, as they have shows, movies, trading cards, games and many more.

If I were to apply transmedia storytelling to my own blog, I would expand my content to different platforms, namely Instagram, Goodreads, and TikTok.

Instagram is a social media platform that is used by a lot of people, and is the platform which I frequent the most. There is already a community of book-related Instagrammers, called Bookstagrammers, which make up the Booksta/Bookstagram community. Similarly, TikTok is frequently by a lot of users. There is also a prominent well-established book community, otherwise referred to as BookTok. There’s a fair amount of overlap between BookTok and Booksta, but they still have different audiences, so being on both platforms would be beneficial. YouTube is also a prominent social media platform that I could approach. I would start with short-form videos, like TikToks or Instagram Reels, but as I become more familiar with my audience, I could branch out into long-form videos. These three platforms tend to be home to the more popular books and be subject to different trends.

So, I would also focus on Goodreads and other similar book-reviewing platforms. Goodreads is like Facebook, but books. It’s an active platform that people use to track their reading habits, leave reviews and connect with fellow book-lovers. This could also allow me to connect with publishers, and gain access to ARCs (advanced reader copies). Goodreads allows people to curate their own feeds by following authors and connecting with friends, so there is no way to be “discovered” on Goodreads. Being on this platform can still boost my blog. By viewing my profile, my audience can gain a more whole idea me through the books I’ve read or want to read, better connecting them to me as a person.

Connecting with new users though these channels can help me expand my audience and my reach, thus increasing the audience on my blog.