The means to interest young people in literature are called upon to evolve. Is technology an ally for children's writers? -sociaux-carine-paquin-telephone-intelligent-sophie-lit.png” media=”(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 99999px)”/>
TikTok is a multimedia application that can be used to create and share short humorous videos, among others.
The Tiktok platform seems to be an ally of French-speaking children's authors. More and more of them are using this social network to reach their audience and parents. Portrait of four Quebec authors.
Meetings with authors in schools remain very popular with teachers and their students. Author Carine Paquin does it regularly.
At the end of April, grade one elementary school children from the Innu community of Uashat mak Mani-utenam greatly appreciated their meeting with children's author Carine Paquin.
However, to reach a wider range of her young audience, she uses her smartphone.
If we want children to read , you have to go get them at home, in their living room. I can't knock on every door. So I go to social media to talk to them almost directly, she explains.
Carine Paquin, children's author
Since 2020, she has been using TikTok to promote its literary universe. More than 21,000 people have subscribed to his account to watch his capsules.
I use this platform because my audience is there. Children are interested in TikTok capsules. These are capsules that are very short. It's super effective, argues Carine Paquin, who notably created a series of five stories for children aged 3 to 6.
“Tiktok allows us to share the love for literature through a screen. It's a bit contradictory, but we're going to find children in their taste for the screen to bring them back to books. »
— Carine Paquin, children's author
The TikTok platform allows young readers in particular to learn more about behind the scenes of the literary industry.
Author Sophie Gagnon-Roberge, aka “Sophie lit”, has also adapted to new platforms. She has been creating video clips on Tiktok since 2021.
Instead of fighting technology, this writer and speaker has instead decided to make an ally of it. She considers that young people do not read less but rather differently.
TikTok is for me a huge source of reading suggestions. TikTok made [young people] want to read books. So it's not against each other: one feeds the other, Sophie Gagnon-Roberge points out.
< p>“Technology connects authors with their community. [This link] makes you want to read their books. »
— Sophie Gagnon-Roberge, author
Author Sophie Gagnon-Roberge, alias “Sophie reads”
The head of book fairs at Éditions Les Malins, Adèle Lanthier, believes that several authors have turned to TikTok in 2020.
When everyone was locked up [at home], we could watch lots of videos all day long. It was at this time that several authors, including Carine Paquin, made the jump to TikTok, she notes.
This platform allows young readers in particular to learn more about the behind the scenes of the literary industry. Ms. Lanthier made a capsule to dissect online orders.
When you prepare an order, you can show what you put [in the box]. Do we put an excerpt or a bookmark? Generally, young people really appreciate these videos, says Adèle Lanthier. booktok-social-networks-book.png” media=”(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 99999px)”/>Enlarge image
The #BookTok hashtag has over 100 billion views to date on the TikTok platform.
“BookTok is a community of readers. It is a group of people who are very interested in literature and who share their readings. It creates a nice community of people who have the same interests. »
— Adèle Lanthier, head of book fairs at Éditions Les Malins
While primary-aged pupils are increasingly active on social networks, d Other authors plan to follow suit. This is the case of Patrick Blanchette, who is an author of comics.
I'm thinking of starting to post videos of [speed drawings] where I'm seen drawing quickly, he says.
“We often say than Facebook and Instagram, adults are more likely to be on it. Young people are more on TikTok. »
— Patrick Blanchette, comic book author
Patrick Blanchette, comic book author
But it's worth being on all social networks because that it is the parents who buy the books, he believes.
This author sees social networks as a promotional tool. To please readers, Patrick Blanchette believes above all in the importance of telling stories that appeal to contemporary audiences.
Now the literature is much more global. A child can discover a Japanese animation series, then become interested in manga afterwards. He will read what he likes. I think it's us, the authors in Quebec, who have to create things that will appeal to our young people, he argues.
Patrick Isabelle has decided to adapt his writing style.
I think writing horror novels is going to get them. I try to hook them from the first pages, he mentions.
Like many Netflix series, he makes sure his story endings hook readers to keep them reading more.
“With the endings of my books, I want to make sure they'll read the next one. I take Netflix codes and apply them to novels. It works. »
— Patrick Isabelle, author
To build a relationship with his audience, the author prefers direct contact such as at book fairs.
I follow Instagram and Facebook. But I don't advertise myself through social media. I write novels, that's my specialty. But I remain accessible. When my [admirers] write to me on Instagram, I reply to everyone, specifies the author.
Patrick Isabelle, author
Creators believe that young people's interest in culture and the writing profession survives despite the proliferation of technology.
I think there is still a great enthusiasm of young people, all over the world but also in Quebec, for manga and Japanese comics. I think Quebec authors can learn a lot from it, says Patrick Blanchette.
More than ever, I find that children read and are very interested in stories. There will always be room for literature, concludes Carine Paquin.
With the collaboration of Jean-François Deschênes and Xavier Lacroix< /em>
