Books deals are beginning to feel like the most recent spin off. Celebrity books are the love child of reality TV and stardom. YouTubers are now getting their shot at the press with several famed names already lined up with release dates.
Names like Tyler Oakley, Miranda Sings, Shane Dawson, and PewDiePie may ring a bell. Not just because their videos have received millions of views, but because their names have probably already flared up across the news to announce their recent book deals. It’s an ironic next step for video stars to close their mouths and turn to pen and paper instead. Given their praised comedic skill and wit, we’re hoping all the books will meet and exceed the appeal of the videos.
Binge by Tyler Oakley (2015)
This ‘trend’ of YouTubers signing book deals isn’t exactly new. Several years back Hannah Hart from ‘My Drunk Kitchen’ signed a deal with Dey Street Books.
My Drunk Kitchen by Hannah Hart (2012)
After her debut book, other YouTube stars like Rosanna Pansino and Emily Kim (cooking video stars) began rolling out titles. Although off the bat it all sounds like a publisher’s ploy to engage a new audience or just blast out more content (which it very well may be), the books have done exceptionally well and the turn from video video star to author seems to be a lucrative leap for YouTubers and publishers alike.
This Book Loves You by PewDiePie (2015)
Image courtesy of People
Furthermore, the page provides a space that videos just can’t. It offers room for intimacy and explanation opposed to the clipped and cut-down nature of YouTube videos. Rather than the chasm of white noise or a page load that stands between videos, a book allows for greater continuity between chapters. Despite the new terrain it offers to YouTubers and publishers, there is still a lot of skepticism concerning the quality of current and future releases:
“YouTuber books are pointless and overdone. None of them do anything that can’t be done through video, or add anything compared to video.” – Reddit
Skepticism, like the comment from a Reddit thread above, hinges on the notion that YouTubers are only capable of entertaining through video and anything they want to share can and should be shared through video. But this argument is a pretty weak one at best. If YouTubers haven’t been granted the space to explore beyond videos until quite recently, there’s no way of knowing what novelty they many bring to the table. Furthermore, these books can bridge a new connection between an esteemed voice and a fanbase, providing the same feeling of closeness we get from reading a favoite author’s latest novel.
We look forward to these book and can’t wait to see what the YouTubers churn out!
Featured image courtesy of i.ytimg.