8th Note Press Shutdown: BookTok, Webnovels, and the Digital Publishing Wave
8th Note Press and the BookTok Effect
ByteDance’s 8th Note Press, launched in 2023, was meant to capitalize on TikTok’s BookTok community—a subculture credited with surging print and digital book sales and introducing new genres and writers to massive audiences. 8th Note Press specialized in genres popular on BookTok: romance, young adult, contemporary fiction, and the emerging “romantasy” category.
While major bestsellers featured on BookTok such as It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover and Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros drove the so-called “BookTok” phenomenon, 8th Note Press primarily focused on debuting new digital voices. Despite this, it was unable to produce a viral hit on the scale of BookTok’s top sensations.
Significant 8th Note Press releases included:
- On Screen & Off Again by Caitlin Cross (February 2025)
- The Last Man in Paradise by Syed M. Masood (March 2025)
- To Have and Have More by Sanibel (April 2025)
These titles, while aligning with BookTok trends, struggled to achieve the viral traction seen by independently popular BookTok recommendations.
Webnovels, Online Publishing, and BookTok’s Ecosystem
BookTok’s viral nature is tightly connected to the broader ecosystem of online publishing and digital reading platforms. The rise of webnovel platforms—GoodNovel, Wattpad, and Inkitt, among others—echoes the seismic impact BookTok has had in reshaping what and how people read:
- Platforms like GoodNovel host hundreds of thousands of web novels, featuring genres such as romance, urban fantasy, and fan fiction, many of which have become trending content with millions of reads and large creator communities.
- Webnovel authors can rapidly release content, experimenting with serialization and community-driven feedback. These stories often go viral via BookTok or Bookstagram videos, which turbocharge their readership.
- GoodNovel’s trending titles like Alpha Asher, The Charismatic Charlie Wade, and The Divorced Billionaire Heiress exemplify the cross-pollination between webnovel apps and BookTok’s viral engines.
How BookTok and Social Media Changed Publishing
- BookTok’s influence is so powerful that traditional publishers, indie presses, and digital upstarts all monitor trending hashtags, tropes, and creators to acquire promising new content.
- The viral success of a title on BookTok often leads to print editions, global rights deals, and even screen adaptations, as seen with Fourth Wing and the revival of backlist titles like The Song of Achilles.
- Online communities and algorithms now drive book popularity more directly than literary critics, demonstrating a profound digital transformation of publishing.
Table: Books Popular on BookTok & Webnovel Platforms
The intersection of BookTok, webnovels, and online publishing has created rapid, community-driven changes in book discovery, author success, and publishing models, proving that even legacy companies must adapt to this new landscape or risk falling behind.
Sources Cited
Jane Friedman: 8th Note Press Doesn't Make Good Use of the TikTok Platform
The Bookseller: TikTok publisher 8th Note Press looks set to close
NYT: ByteDance, TikTok, and 8th Note Press
Business Insider: TikTok's Innovative New Idea
Pour Moi: BookTok's Spiciest Books
Shelf Awareness: 8th Note Press to Publish Print Books
GoodNovel - Booktok, Stories - Google Play
Ereadersforum: ByteDance and BookTok Print Publishing
GoodNovel - Booktok,Stories on the App Store
European Conference on IS: Online Communities and BookTok
Barnes & Noble: Most Popular TikTok Books
About the Author
Nikki Lopez is a seasoned professional with over a decade of experience in the startup world, specializing in leveraging creative content and community building to empower content creators. Known for a strategic approach and a deep understanding of audience needs, Nikki has a proven track record of leading the development of engaging content strategies and guiding the growth of thriving communities. Her leadership focuses on fostering meaningful interactions and impactful journeys for both creators and their audiences.
