Reading in the Age of Algorithms

I've had a voracious appetite for literature since I was 10 years old. I used to wander the halls holding my book in front of my face, slowly making it to my next class, all with the hope of finishing my chapter before I'm forced to sit and pay attention. From this vantage point, I've watched the reading community shift dramatically over the past decade. The ever-tightening grip of social media has forced entire industries to adapt or be left behind, and books are no exception.

A 2025 study by the University of Florida, published in iScience, reports that daily pleasure reading has decreased by 40% since the early 2000s, along with attention spans and literacy skills. On paper, it looks like a quiet crisis. If you’re an avid reader, however, your own experience might feel different.

I'm inclined to believe that while our numbers have dwindled, our voices have only grown louder. Reading has transformed from a passive hobby to an active lifestyle and identity marker. My feeds are saturated with fan edits of my favorite characters, unhinged book memes, and endless recommendations. Digital communities like #booktok and #bookstagram have made it effortless for me to find others who share my obsessions. A single line of dialogue can be transformed into a short-form video that travels further than the book itself. Words have become visual stories, curated into aesthetic grids.

For independent authors, these platforms have opened a door that traditional publishers have firmly sealed shut. Through an effective strategy and a willingness to put themselves out there, indie authors now have a better chance of being discovered than ever before. They can speak directly to their readers, cultivate engagement, and build communities around tropes, archetypes, and favorite worlds. Algorithms reward niche, high-emotion content, romantic tension, morally gray characters, and cliffhangers, often framed by visuals and carefully worded hooks.

At the same time, books are no longer limited to the page. New formats such as e‑books and audiobooks have made stories more accessible, especially for readers who struggle with physical print or the sheer logistics of finding uninterrupted time. I move between formats constantly, depending on the kind of book, where I can access it, and how busy life feels in that moment. During more hectic seasons, when I can’t seem to carve out time to sit and read, you’re far more likely to catch me listening to the dramatized audiobook of Fourth Wing for the sixth time. The delivery system changes; the need for narrative does not.

Our reading habits may look different from those of a few decades ago, but the magnetism of a good story hasn't disappeared. Social media and these new formats have given us more ways to weave literature into our everyday lives. The real challenge lies in not just teaching literacy skills to children, but sustaining a serious and lasting relationship with literature.

For me, that’s where the work lives: using thoughtful copy and rigorous editing to help small businesses and indie authors craft stories, and messages around those stories, that invite readers to slow down, pay attention, and stay.