Shalini Singh
Shalini Singh is an ex-lawyer, Author, Book Reviewer, Editor, Copywriter, and freelancer. Shalini has worked within the Media industry for more than 10 years now- independent projects and freelancing. She writes in mixed genres.
How and when did you come up with the idea of being a bookstagrammer? Tell us about your amazing journey as a Book Influencer.
I am not a prima facie bookstagrammer- I am borderline a Culture, Lifestyle, TV/Movies & Books Blog. A culmination. I started taking Instagram seriously after Law school, in 2016. Till then I was little on Social Media and only used Facebook which withered away with time. I started reviewing books and writing about my reading habits, past lives as a lawyer & a busy student who was reading like crazy when she was growing up alone- I connected with many like-minded souls and also non-readers because I have always successfully converted non-readers to being avid readers. I love this aspect of bookstagram more than anything. I have an audience that comes from every corner and I am grateful for the community which has some excellent readers and some really brave & kind souls.
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What are the top social media platforms available in India and the USA for book reviews?
I think an army of readers and publishers are given a pedestal on platforms like SMs which is community friendly and a huge driving force in the sale of books. Readerly is up & coming. Goodreads is quite influential though not so relevant now as it suffers from the poor interface. Bloggers in every space have created their own following and niches.
At what stage of my book publishing journey should I consider social media promotions? Pre publishing or post and How?
I had to say- When you finish a book or are writing one- Getting in touch with an Editor or people who read can be helpful. Acclaim services of Bloggers, Editors, and designers pre and post publishing both
You are doing a pretty good job in your niche. What are the 3 top things you consider while reviewing a book?
I love reading debut authors as much as books that no one talks about and I experiment with all genres. I am open to hybrid pieces as well. I love to decide what I want to read based on the author, title, and blurb as much as reviews.
What are some effective ways to review books on social media?
I think if you have good video editing skills and are video-friendly, you open up a lot of opportunities for yourself. I am bad with reels but I know how to write, what to write and I connect my reads with the audience and don’t experiment much in terms of trend. I like to keep things simple and I don’t even focus on aesthetics. I like content and I am a content monger myself.
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What are the things an author should be cautious about before finalizing a social media handle (page) for reviewing their book?
Vet. Vet. Vet. Do background research and don’t blindly accept review requests from people. Even if someone has 1 lac following, check yourself how much of it is organic, and even then one should not base their decision on the numbers. The number or the algorithm game has hurt many creators and bloggers. Credibility matters a lot. There are many bookstagrammers who plagiarize, steal content, and are abusive and fake. It is very easy to even blame people without evidence and that happens a lot too. So, make sure you get an invoice. Also, one important piece of advice which I want to give is- Do not BUY your reviews. Do not engage in bulk reviews and third-party deals or make deserving bloggers review for free. Pay where it is due. The exploitation of creators is high on bookstagram. Even by big publishing houses who don’t even give credit and stop handing out ARCs if they are upset by an honest negative review.
What impact does bookstagram have on your life? Are there any negative sides to it?
I get stressed about a lot of things- The drama gets to me on some days. Many people on Instagram are around for validation or for their own vested interests so it is always harder to separate the grain from the chaff but I also love sharing my thoughts, life and likes/dislikes with the online community and I am diligent in my commitment to show up online every day for a few hours to engage with my people and to explore accounts, which is a recent past time of mine. Some people are straight-up inspiring.
What is the Vision & Mission of your social media handle? Tell us a bit about, the Kind of books you review, your biggest strength as a book influencer, popular authors promoted so far, years of experience, any testimonials, etc.
To explore, implore, and explode. My name- belladonnaoflavender and my profile is my brand. I consider everyone to be their best representation in the choices which we make and the work we do. I think my strengths are that I am not shy, lucky, or dishonest. I know and live in reality even though half the time I might be reading about imaginary people. I have reviewed over 500 authors and stakeholders, publicly. I left my job to read and write, so I know what is at stake and how much I love doing what I love to do- Reading. My love is my biggest strength. You can read some of my testimonials here.
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At Sharing Stories, we have an ongoing campaign ‘Let’s Empower Our Kids’. Please suggest some books here that you would want your child to read before the age of 15 which could help him in understanding certain dimensions of human life like empathy, sympathy, relationships, etc.
Rishi Pipariya’s Trilogy Cities of Adventure series for children (2021)
Sharon Koenig‘s books
Japonisme & other ways of living like forest bathing
In thrillers, children can experiment with many good writers out there
Sidney Sheldon’s & Grisham’s are always good for the younger souls
Every child must choose what he/she wants to read and I believe should not be influenced much
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