Josi Wismar: With tears to success - the star of Booktok is enthusiastic!

Josi Wismar: With tears to success - the star of Booktok is enthusiastic!

The Frankfurt Book Fair was the scene of an emotional award ceremony last Saturday, in which 25-year-old author Josi Wismar accepted the coveted prize as #booktok author. Tears of joy and surprising moments of happiness shaped their appearance, because the Mainz native had not expected this success.

Wismar, who has published four more books since her debut in 2022, is also an active content creator. On her tictok channel @josiwismar, she regularly shares videos and runs a podcast with her best friend Sarah every week, where you will discuss books. Wismar is characterized by a special style that establishes a personal connection to the readership.

The way to the author

In the interview, she reported how she found her dream of becoming a writer. "I always had this wish to be an author," she explains, "but more like a hobby that is difficult to realize." The inspiration through platforms such as Tikkok and Bookstagram, where she saw that other authors successfully published books, was crucial for her. A friendly author finally led her to her literary agent, who believed in her potential.

Wismar's novels, including the "Amber Falls" trilogy and the "Wild Hearts" series, usually play in the USA and Canada. This choice was not a coincidence, because the author reveals that she was in love with the country during a Canada vacation, which had a big impact on her spelling. "It was really helpful to experience first -hand locations, which enriched my narrative style," says Wismar.

often asked how it reaches its high productivity, Wismar emphasizes the necessary "compulsion" that drives it. "I invested a lot of time in the letter and that was rewarded," she explains. In the beginning, it was a challenge to put your studies, writing and your social media presence under one roof. Nevertheless, she is still active with a friend in the podcast, although she has dismantled part of the pressure to produce bestsellers regularly.

interaction with the community

A central aspect of Wismar's success lies in its interaction with the community, which consists in particular of young women. It emphasizes how important it is to react to news and comments in order to establish an authentic connection. "It is important to meet them at eye level," says Wismar and made it clear that nobody is over the other in her world.

, however, this community is often more than just entertaining stories. Wismar expresses critical thoughts on trends within the Booktok scene, including Dark Romance's increase, in which sexualization and violence are often romanticized. "The problem is that many young girls jump on this train and think it is normal," she warns. Wismar advocates that age recommendations for books would be more important in order to offer younger readers a safe and reflected reading experience.

Wismar addresses in a knowledge that this type of literature often raises more important topics such as sexuality and identity. "There are studies that show that women are interested in such topics because they are often affected by crimes themselves," she says, pointing out that the right discussions about it are necessary to promote responsibility.

her relationship with Denis Scheck, a prominent literary critic, was also addressed. A kind of online conflict between the two arose when check rated Bokokok's books in a critical way. "Sure, this is his right, but it is wrong to reject an entire community and scene from above," continues Wismar and believes that authors should write what is relevant for them, regardless of the opinion of an established critic.

Josi Wismar stands for a new generation of authors who not only entertain with their works, but also want to initiate social issues. It is a lively example that the modern way to write through social media not only offers challenges, but also many opportunities for creative forms of expression.