BTS of a bookstagram post

For many years I had to undergo the torture of never relaying my opinions on the books that I was reading, for the simple reason that no one would listen to them! But finally, after many long hard years, I came across bookstagram!! My knight in shining armor. I began my bookstagram, @_insideareadersmind_, at the beginning of this year. Like many others, I found myself bored out of my mind when lockdown began, and so took it upon myself to read much more. At this point, I was already following many other bookstagram accounts for inspiration on what to read next. I then thought, wouldn’t it be amazing to share my opinions and some rare reads with others that feel the same as I do? Even if one person read my reviews, I would be forever grateful. Thus, the introduction of insideareadersmind began!

In the beginning, I found it difficult to take flat lays of my books like many others did. I then used other accounts pictures as inspiration and added a few of my own ideas to make it personal. Over time, I grew to find my own style with objects and placings that fit my personality well, and so began creating displays with my own concepts.

The first thing you need, obviously, is the book that you are featuring in your picture. I prefer to make the book in question stand out from the rest of the objects, while some others prefer to just have them somewhere in the picture. For my page, I usually create a caption that links to the book in the picture. Whether it be a review of it, or questions and ideas relating to the genre and content of the book. However, you can also opt to talk about anything you’d like in your caption, this is your space after all!

The second is choosing a setting to take your picture. After consulting a few other bookstagrammers, I found that creating a theme for your page is key; it’s what makes it stand out from others. I chose to have a more dreary, cozy vibe for my page and therefore usually take most of my pictures as flat lays on my bed. Or if I get more creative and take pictures in a different format, I always use a white background to stick to the theme.

The next step is choosing your props to bring your picture to life. These are key in further displaying your theme and helping your book to stand out. I usually choose my props according to the central book, but it can be anything really! I tend to use candles (most of the time not lit), flowers (real or fake), sweaters or other pieces of clothing, as well as other books! You can leave the book open and place the main book on top of it, or to the side. Stacking the ‘extra’ books, or just placing them around the centered book also help to create a pretty display.

Finally, the last step is to set your book and props up. You can create a style that you particularly like, and work on it from there. By simply changing the position of one item can produce an entirely different picture on its own, so play around and you will definitely find your style! If you’re just starting off, I’d suggest following other bookstagrammers and gaining inspiration from their posts. Seeing what questions they pose or topics they speak about in their captions is always a good way to gain ideas!