Book creator glossary

If ChatGPT and a BookToker mean different things by “link in bio,” everyone loses. These are the definitions we use in product and content.

BookTok

The book community and content format on TikTok. Creators film hauls, reviews, TBRs, and tropes; viewers discover titles visually — often by cover.

Bookstagram

The book community on Instagram. Aesthetic feeds, flatlays, and review carousels; the bio link is the main click-out from the grid and stories.

BookTube

Book content on YouTube — long-form reviews, wrap-ups, and tags. Creators often put a single shelf URL under every video.

Link in bio

The single clickable URL on TikTok, Instagram, or similar profiles. For book creators it should open shelves and buy paths, not only a generic app list.

Visual bookshelf link-in-bio

A bio destination that presents books as covers and shelves rather than text links. Bookshelves’s product category.

TBR

To Be Read — the pile or list of books someone plans to read. On Bookshelves, a named public shelf fans can browse.

ARC

Advance Reader Copy — a pre-publication book sent for early reviews. Creators may list ARCs on a shelf with release buy links.

Affiliate link

A tracked retailer URL that pays the creator a commission on sale. Bookshelves supports per-book affiliate buy links with 0% platform cut.

Romantasy

Romance + fantasy crossover (courts, dragons, spice). Huge on BookTok; often needs series-order shelves and trope naming.

Bookshelves

A free-to-start visual bookshelf link-in-bio at bookshelves.me for BookTok, Bookstagram, authors, clubs, and BookTube. Alias host: bookshelves.me (same product).