The Newest App for Readers and Authors: The Litsy App!

What’s the latest buzz amongst readers and writers alike? The Litsy app! Readers use it to find recommendations on the best books to add to their Amazon carts; writers and publishers can use it to connect with fans and each other. Publisher’s Weekly calls it “Instagram for books”, and BookRiot says it’s like “Instagram and GoodReads had a perfect baby.”

Of course, we had to find out why it’s one of the fastest-growing literary apps around (and what that could mean for our authors) so Xulon Press sat down with one of the app’s creators, Todd Lawton, to chat about connection, modern-day publishing, and how today’s readers are discovering the best books to read.

 

BN: Thanks so much for chatting with us! Your app is creating quite the stir amongst readers and publishers, and it’s only been out a couple of months. So what is Litsy all about?

TL: Litsy is all about making reading fun and memorable again. The second best thing about reading a good book is having a good conversation about it! However, we’re not always around people to have those conversations, so we wanted to make a digital platform that adds even more fun and personality to the conversation.

BN: Yeah! I’m a big reader, so I get it. It’s nice also to be able to chat with people whom you would not normally meet, but who you know shares your love for books. You’ve already got one thing in common with them. 

TL: Yes, and I would add one more thing to that: we focus on the moments readers have with books; it’s not about reviews. The way that Litsy is set up, it’s visual and verbal, and we incorporated fun elements like emojis, all these things lead to a really positive community where people are there to share the joy of reading—not necessarily be critics. 

BN: That’s definitely what makes it fun to use: the visual elements, and the fact that I don’t have to be a critic or a literary expert to use it. So we know that you also own Out of Print, a clothing and merchandise company that creates cool book-themed products. From your vantage point in the industry, what important publishing trends are you seeing? And how does Litsy fit into those trends?

TL: One trend that we’re seeing is that printed books are not dead. They’re actually doing well, and we’re seeing booksellers who are on the platform that who can create the experience and have a nice dialogue with their fans and customers, they’re able to thrive in the current environment. We’re also seeing that the younger generation is reading a lot, and they’re very vocal about it, and they’re very broad in their interests. It’s great to see, because that hasn’t always been the case with younger generations, but this millennial group is really showing that they’re passionate readers. 

Readers really do want to share that joy of reading. Out of Print focused on sharing books through fashionable shirts and tote bags with iconic imagery from books, and our experience was that bookworms out there wanted new ways to talk about their favorite books. We feel fortunate to be doing what we’re doing when we’re doing it, because it really is an exciting time for the publishing world and books. 

BN: Absolutely! We would definitely agree with that here; we can see the same things as far as print and the millennial generation goes, and that readers are constantly seeking new ways to interact with books and each other. As far as authors go, what advice would you give to authors on how to use Litsy? 

TL: I think the most effective way for an author to connect with readers on Litsy is to look at it as a platform for readers. By having a genuine sharing of an interest in all books, readers will connect with you on a deeper level, and that sets the perfect basis to be more promotional with their material or when there’s a big announcement. This is where readers of all different backgrounds comes to be just that—readers—so whether you’re a celebrity or an author or a publisher, the conversations are all based around books. The books are the common elements that connect all these people.

Litsy is available now for iOS users, with web and Android versions to be launched in the coming months. Check your app store for Litsy today to find the best  books to read and start chatting with other book lovers!

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