I’m with Louie on this. Another factor is that text-based sites promote conversation. You can really get to know people - readers, fellow writers, critics, booksellers. Image and video feel much more like broadcasting. You can get/leave comments, but it’s not an exchange between equals.

True. It's broadcast, not exchange.

Admittedly, I am a middle aged woman but (as a reader) have a strong text bent, obviously. I would assume the same would be true of younger keen readers. This sounds like the publishing industry marketing looking for the Next Big Thing.

This might explain why I find 'influencers' so damn irritating. Obviously it is mostly them being awful, but it's the way they talk AT you.

We agree. We do not find the comments section engaging for discussions. We have met and interacted with lovely authors on Twitter. And we hate to think of losing that kind of interaction between readers and authors.

It’s possible to use Instagram without being the focus of the visuals – many carousel posts are text-based & the comments are threaded which can offer more nuance and less brigading than Twitter. I used to loathe IG but now I use the stories a lot – I annotate images & do collages

It's weirdly dismissive of Bluesky, but one thing I like about BS is how many writers, booksellers and readers are here. I've no idea what Threads is like but I've never heard anyone say anything good about it.

Yes, this is why I gave up on Instagram