Spill the Smut

Interview with Content Creator: Liz (@thebohobookblogger)

• Jordan • Season 1 • Episode 12

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What if your brand felt like a room you actually live in—soft light, a good playlist, books stacked next to lip gloss and a tote that’s seen a few city sunsets? That’s the world Liz built as The Boho Book Blogger, and she’s here to unpack the craft behind the cozy: how to design a feed around feeling, grow a loyal community without chasing trends, and still keep reading joyful when algorithms get loud.

We get into the origin of her handle and why the bohemian aesthetic wasn’t a costume but a reflection of her wardrobe, work history, and taste. She walks us through her full creative workflow—Pinterest moodboards for color and texture, playlists that score the shoot, hauling blankets and hardcovers outside for flatlays, then editing and curating with an editorial eye. The heart of the conversation is sustainability. Liz shares how she navigates burnout, embraces DNF as self-care, repurposes strong visuals, and posts for the “five friends” who matter most. 

If you’re a reader, creator, or brand-builder chasing warmth over noise, this conversation doubles as a playbook: lead with intention, treat your vibe as a promise, and let craft outlast trends. 

Listen now, then share it with a friend who needs a boost—and if this resonated, subscribe, leave a review, and tell us your best burnout fix.

Follow Liz on IG: @thebohobookblogger x TT: @thebohobookblogger


Cover Art by: moi

Intro/Outro Music: positive vibes by nanaacom on Capcut

Contact Email: spillthesmutpodcast@gmail.com

Podcast IG: @spillthesmutpodcast TT: @spillthesmutpodcast

Jordan IG: @sipsoffiction TT: @sipsoffiction

Jordan:

She's the queen of flatlays, serving cozy vibes and stunning setups every time. With her chic on the go city girl lifestyle, she always keeps us inspired. From the coolest events to her effortlessly stylish feed, she's the one you want to follow if you love to live vicariously through. Please welcome to the podcast, Liz. Hi.

Liz:

Hi, thank you for having me.

Jordan:

Oh my gosh, no. Like thank you so much for letting me. So for the people that don't know, I've actually interviewed Liz before and she so kindly let me interview her again. Um, but if you've listened to that interview, this one is still different. So it's not, it will not be the same questions. But I'm so excited to have you back. But also for the first time on this podcast.

Liz:

Hopefully it's not the last, right?

Jordan:

Oh, it definitely will not be. It definitely will not be. So this is why I had to start with an interview. Um, okay, but I do want to dive into well, before we dive into the questions, I do like to start off um each episode with what has been the highlight of your week so far.

Liz:

The highlight of my week. Oh, that's a good question. Um I finished a book yesterday that was really good. So I guess that was the highlight of my week. It was really incredible. I kind of read some duds lately, and to read a book that you're just like, oh, it's so good. It just it was so different. It was a rock star romance. It was, it was really good. It's an arc that's coming out next year. It's called, I think it, I believe it's called Still Into You by Erin Connor. She wrote Unromance, if you have heard of that book. It came out this year, and it was like a it was like a good, fun read. But this one, uh, it's 2010's like punk pop vibes, and it just was so good. And I I I needed that, you know. Sometimes you just need a book that just hits.

Jordan:

Okay, and I'm already going going to ask you a question that's like not on these questions, but how is it when you read a book that's so good, but then it's an arc, so you can't even talk about it with anybody? Like, how how do you do that?

Liz:

That's a great question. Um, I I tend to not read them this early, but I was kind of in a slump and I was like, I had the opportunity to get this book, my friend gave it to me. So I was like, you know what, let's try it. Like, let's get into it. And I just I just obsessed, but I'm so excited because this is her second book. So like I'm happy to talk about it once people get ARCs more in their hands to at least hype up to help those pre-orders. Like, that's what I feel is my job as a content creator. So to do that is really important. So like I think that's something that I that I try to do, but it's a challenge, like you said. Like, I don't want to be spoilery, and obviously there are times like I've had to sign MDAs. It happens, so yeah.

Jordan:

Oh my goodness. Wait, but is that okay? I am so curious. I've never had to sign an NDA before. Not that I really get that many arcs, so like that's it's I don't think I would ever have like an NDA to sign. But is that an NDA to not make sure that you don't spoil anything, or is that an NDA to say that you you're not talking about receiving the ARC yet or that you got the ARC?

Liz:

I mean, it usually it's to not spoil it. Like I can say I have it, but it's more for like not spoiling the ending or the tropes for the next book, that kind of thing, especially for like a popular author. So it's it's rare. Like they are not a ton of authors who do it or publishers who do it, but it does happen on occasion.

Jordan:

Oh my gosh. But then that's kind of cool. Like, you're like in the know. You are in the know. Okay, so we will dive into the questions, and of course, we're gonna start with like Bookstagram. So, what inspired you to start your bookstagram account? And how did you come up with your handle, the Boho book blogger?

Liz:

So back in 2020, COVID happened, right? Like the world changed, everything, you know, just turned into a whole different situation of, you know, I was constantly busy, I was doing all these things, and then I decided I was like, okay, well, it's lockdown. I need to start reading. Like, I need I need another hobby. I need to do something different. So I started reading again, and I and I got into reading with Reese's book lab. Like that was like the way I got back into my adult reading journey. And so like I knew friends who had like book accounts that like my one friend, she worked in publishing, and like I remember following her content and seeing her content out there. And then I knew someone else who kind of had a book account, but like my friend and I were like, well, maybe let's decide to start an account. So we did start an account, and it was a totally different name. It's it was called Curatedly Cozy, which is so funny to think about now. But her and I have this account together, and as time went on, and I think like by the beginning of like 2021, still we're in lockdown. People are like, you know, it was heavy, and we're all home all the time. And I'm reading a ton at this point. She decides that she doesn't want to do this anymore. So we kind of ended up that we ended the friendship, which is, you know, as things happen. But I was like, okay, well, I'm gonna take over this account. Like, I everyone else has these bookstagram accounts that feel very, you know, like bookstagram-y, right? Like it's all about books exactly. And I wanted it to more be like I my intention was always to have a lifestyle and book account. It was never like meant to be like I like bookstagram is the segment, but it's not like my only segment, which I think I still even now, if you know my content or if you look at it, it I do kind of play into other spaces. But um, yeah, so I was like thinking, like, what do I want my username is? And like, I don't think this sits for me anymore. Like, it's not personal and I want people to connect with me. So I ended up changing it to the Boho Book Blogger because like I love like the Bohemian, like fashion aesthetic. I think it's something that I like dress in. I've always like I worked at anthropology when I was younger. I love anthropology, I love free people. So I was like, I do love that like Boho aesthetic, and even from like a top-end designer like Ula Johnson and all these designers who had this look. So, like, it's something that's always inspired my personal style. So I was like, I think this is a fun way to mesh the fashion bit into my content. So I changed it to the Boho Book Blogger, and then from there it just it it truly has just grown in in a way I I I never could imagine.

Jordan:

Oh yeah. And I think you do that lifestyle, but books very seamlessly because you are you still post about books, but it's cool because you sprinkle in these other things, whether it's like makeup or um I really like that you like kind of sprinkle in like what you do for work and I love like the city life because I don't I don't live near a city and I don't know if I necessarily well actually I loved I lived in Providence for four years and I loved that, but I don't think I could ever like New York scares me. That scares the living poop out of me. Like and but I think I love like being able to look at your stories or your posts, and it's like I can have that little bit of city without actually being in the city. And it's I think it's really cool the way that you do that because you still and you still post about books, and it's like very exciting to see because I mean I think everybody that is in like the bookstagram space loves books naturally, so it's kind of cool to just all have that uh uh c like common gra I don't know if that's the right word, but like we can all like obsess over books, which is really fun.

Liz:

No, absolutely. And I think the big thing I wanted for Urmai account specifically is like I wanted to feel like relatable, even if it's unrelatable, right? Because I think that's the biggest thing is like most people, there are a lot of content creators that are in New York, but everyone thinks a New York content creator is, you know, like trying to be a content creator, whereas like it's part of my life, it's part of the life I live, it's the part of the life I lead. Like, I mean, it's it's where I went to school, it's it's where I work. It's more than that to me. And like obviously now I live in New Jersey, but like New York is still a part of everything I do on the constant. So like it's I it's felt like I wanted it to be ingrained in what I do. And that's why I love reading books that are like set in New York. It always makes me so excited because I'm like, oh, I get this, like on a on like a deep level, like I can feel it. And so like that to me is always really fun. But I always want it to feel relatable, and I don't want to make it seem like, oh, like I'm living this glamorous, glammy life. And it's like I'm not. It it might look like that at times, but it's I'm a normal person.

Jordan:

I but like two, it's like I think it's I totally get that. And I think your content is very like relatable because I know there's are people that are like what you're saying, the either I feel like two, it works in LA, like LA content or New York content. They're very much like you don't think you can like approach them in a way, but I feel like you're very approachable and you're very friendly. And I feel like your content crossed that way, which is like honestly, it's like refreshing in that aspect because I don't think a lot of people, or and maybe that's just like me, like that might be a me thing, like the people just don't seem like they're approachable, but I feel like you are.

Liz:

And that's honestly like my goal, right? Like, I want to come off approachable. Like, I love when people sign into my DMs. I love when I get great conversations with people. Like, I've had people ask me, like, is this your full-time job? And I'm like, no. But I get it because from the outside optics, like in any other community with a following is mine. And mine's not mine's not that big. It's great, and I'm not, you know, it's decent excluding it.

Jordan:

No, but it's like a decent amount. Like, I feel like you have like a good following.

Liz:

Yeah, I have a dedicated following. I'll say that. And if and that's I think that's no, that's what makes a difference because I feel like honestly, it's it's hard as you continue on in this space and with algorithms and changes and you know, the differences between Instagram and TikTok and and navigating all these different social platforms and reels and all these things, it can be challenging. But I guess like the biggest thing is like I try to make it like relatable. Like I want the content to feel cozy. I want it to be, you know, something that I curate, like it's a curated experience that feels relatable. Because I think at the end of the day, whether I'm in New York or I'm in New Jersey or the day or I'm traveling, it doesn't matter. It's still part of who I am. And I think it's like the curated version of myself or like the one that I aspire to be. It's like I want to be cozy. I wanna, you know, for my own mental health, it's a way to make myself feel good because it's like if I can romanticize my day, I think you can appreciate the small things better.

Jordan:

Oh, I I yes, I am here for the romanticizing. Okay, and so then that kind of dives into like my next question. Cause I know you share a bit of having like your full-time job, but if you could do Bookstrogram full-time, would you? Or do you like having your current full-time job and keeping this as like a hobby? If that makes sense.

Liz:

No, it totally makes sense. Um, I mean, it depends. I would love to, you know, maybe create a brand. I don't know if I'd want to be a content creator full-time. I'd want to develop this into more, which I think Boho is a brand, right? As much as it is Liz. Like we're talking, Liz is me as a person. Liz is probably a little bit more edgy in her real life than Boho. Boho is a very cozy. It's very, you know, like it's it's very summer Fridays. It's it's a bit of clean girl, but it's also cozy girl. And like, not that I'm saying that's not a version of myself, it is, but at the same time, it's a curated version of myself. And I think that's where I would love to expand that into more and kind of connect with other people because I have other interests outside of books. And I love books, and I I would never abandon it, but I'd want to like expand. So I feel like if I was gonna do it, I need to do it in a way that felt organic, if that makes sense.

Jordan:

Is that like almost like a future goal is to expand it in a way?

Liz:

I would say, yes, I would say definitely. And like I love what I do in terms of my actual job. Like I work in marketing, and I think like it's a really great opportunity. And I've had great opportunities this year in terms of like career-wise, which has been crazy. Like Boho has been doing incredible, and then like career-wise, I've been had really cool opportunities to to do different things, and my role has expanded at my job as well. But yeah, it's so challenging of like trying to balance both, but for now, like I'm good with that. But in the future, yeah, like I think it's important to have goals. Like, if I didn't have goals further than what I'm doing, it would kind of make me want to quit because what's the point, right? Like, if you're not, if you're just doing it to kind of stay stagnant, like there isn't a purpose. Like, yeah, I want to be mindful, you know, and I think that comes down to me also as a creative, as someone who like loves, you know, design and loves being able to build brands and doing that on a career level to do it for myself, that would be like the dream.

Jordan:

I've and too, like it do you think that because your job is in marketing, do you think that helps you in a way to promote your bookstagram account?

Liz:

Absolutely. I think the things that I've learned between my job and between just learning about you know social media in general has helped, I think, both ways. Like, you know, Boho has made me less shy. Like I was a bit more introverted. And in readers, we are introverted, right? Like that's the nature of who we are. And I think like that's why I found such solace in reading is like I could do this thing where it's like it's I can be kind of alone and and you know, kind of go into myself when I need to. But at the same time, I love the community aspect and like getting on when I was doing a lot of lives. I don't do them as much now, but I used to do a lot of lives and I would do interviews with authors and I would have people come to my book club. And like those were such fabulous opportunities to get me out of my shell where I'm not afraid to speak in a group of people. I'm not afraid to present something now, which I was. I was terrified. Like I I think I bombed my senior thesis. Like I was crying because I was so anxious and I was so tired, and I was just like literally sobbing when my way through my presentation, which is so crazy to think, you know, all these years later, where I'm at. And and the fact that I'm willing to like even just do this is a step in the right direction. So I think everything happens like the way it's supposed to, if that makes sense.

Jordan:

Yes, I totally agree with that. Uh so what do you think is the most rewarding part of Bookstagram and then the most challenging part?

Liz:

I would say the most rewarding, you know, thing as a I I love to say bookstogram, but I also just consider myself a content creator at this point too. Like it's just more generic, obviously.

Jordan:

Like I talk books, but yeah, I think I think it's a bit different back and forth. Like I didn't know if I should put like I yeah.

Liz:

No, and I I it's it's not a bad thing. It's because that's where I've started and that's where people know me as, and that's the balance of everything. But um I would say the most rewarding part is being able to build a community is so cool. Like being able to get people to care enough to even just comment and to have people who consistently look at my posts and want to engage with me. That to me is so rewarding. I love the community aspect. I think it's the coolest thing. Like that is so important to me. The other rewarding part is honestly seeing the change of just the genuine shift in the book community in terms of opportunities. Like I've been able to do such amazing things in the past year that I you told me two years ago I I would have never believed you. Like it there's just so many cool opportunities being able to be presented to to bookish content creators or you know, content creators who talk about books online and the communities that have been developed because of that. I think between the two of those pieces, it's like it's so cool. Like it's so cool that people just want to be able to talk about something that we all love. And I think people connect whether it's romance books, whether it's you know, like literary fiction, whether it's thrillers, there's so many segments, but everyone's still, even if you're just a reader, you're willing to follow someone's content because you would appreciate it, enjoy it, even if you don't like might not like the same books that they like or whatever. You can just appreciate from the sidelines and be like, I just enjoy this content. Like I understand what goes into it. So I think it's really cool, if that makes sense. And then I guess the hard, the most difficult thing about you know, Bookstagram, book talk, content creation in general, I think is being able to, you know, kind of keep up with content is hard. And also growth. I think the growth that was, you know, happening two and a half years ago is not the same growth today. I think the way the structure is is changed drastically. I'm not saying you can't grow, but it's a different metric than it once was. And I think the problem is that people tend to have rapid growth and they stagnate. And that's the thing that gets people to like stop. They stagnate, they stop posting, and then they don't want to do it anymore because they're like, oh, I'm not growing as fast as I once was. And it's like, well, yeah, it's not, it's not always gonna be instant gratification. People don't understand that it can take years. There are content creators who have 80,000 followers and it's taken them 10 years to get to that. And then there's content creators who are blown up with a million in in six months. It's anything can happen in any, you know, little like what's it called them, like segment or whatever, like the niche that you're in. But I think it's really hard to grow in that sense because the content that worked six months ago doesn't even work today. It drives me nuts. Like there's days that I have posts that get, you know, almost a thousand likes, and then there's days I get posts that get like a hundred and fifty. And I'm like, who's seeing this? And I know it's not that people don't like it because my my people always engage with it, they'll comment, they're doing the thing, but on Reels, it's hard to know what you want to do. And it's like I think everyone has a different metric and the way that their account kind of gets pushed out, but I also do think controversy does create a lot of good engagement for people. So that's my take.

Jordan:

I do agree with that. It's like what I also think too, it's like one of those things I feel that some people like they get lucky. They get lucky, especially those people that like blow up. Honestly, I I think a luck has a lot to do with it. That like they happen to think uh they either posted a post or a reel and it just like took off. But then there's the people like you're saying that it can be but and I and that's happened to me. Like, I feel like especially when I first started in those first years, like I was just growing at this like steady pace. And honestly, I'm like stagnant now, but I am grateful because you're right, the community that builds, but it can be frustrating too, because then you see other people growing and you're kind of like, Well, why am I not? And it's like it can be, but then it's like, what is that compare comparison is like the thief of joy or whatever that saying is. And it and it is so true, but it it's still it's so frustrat, even though you know it, you're still thinking it, and it's still something that you can't, you can't not think about.

Liz:

No, 100%. I always say my like joke to my friends is like I post for my five friends, my five followers. Like that's the joke. Because at the end of the day, you can get so caught up in it. But if you treat it like you're just posting for your best friends and your friends that you're like those only people that matter who can engage with your content or like talk to you, and those are the people that matter, like that's the way to approach it. And I've been doing that more. And I'm like, I have so much more fun because I'm not posting for everybody, I'm posting for the five people that I care about. And like I think that's like something I've done that's helped me combat it because at the end of the day, like I think we all will get our stripes, like we'll all earn our stripes in some way. Like, I think it it does end up that way. I do think you have to put your work in. Like, you can't, I'm sorry, like putting content that's poorly made, that's you know, the same generic that everybody else does, doing follow trains and things like that are not gonna get you anywhere. I'm sorry. It just doesn't, you know, considering yourself an arc reader, in my opinion, it doesn't mean anything. It's not impactful. It's about the content that you create and and just being genuine. And I think at the end of the day, like I'm not saying there's anything wrong with you know wanting to arc read for you know MD authors or traditional authors, but it's not a label, it's not that. It's a part of like the job in a way, right? Like it's a job, whether you're doing it for fun or not, like you have to still treat it like it's something that you're putting effort into, which makes it work, whether you like it or not.

Jordan:

Um, how do you deal with burnout or the pressure to always be reading and posting? Has this ever happened to you? And I know you mentioned getting in a reading slump. So how how do you deal with like burnout either with reading slumps or um with like posting, keeping up with posting?

Liz:

I mean, it happens all the time, not gonna lie. It does. It's a part of it, right? Like when you work a full-time job and you're doing this also, it's exhausting. Um my thing I try to do is that I always try to read books I know I like. So after a while, you kind of, you know, you know your taste, you know what's gonna keep you motivated. So I try to read books that I know that I'll like, or like I'll save a book, a backless book by an author I really like to read if I'm like feeling a little bit like down because I know like if I'm not reading, it really messes with my mood. Like if I'm not reading things I like, I'm not in the mood to content create. It just it it kind of goes hand in hand with me as a person where it's like I I need to feel like inspired essentially to do it. And I think that really makes a difference where that can be a little bit challenging at times. But the way I kind of deal with burnout is that I really, you know, I'll sometimes just step away, take a few days' break because at the end of the day, people say, Oh, you if you post, don't post every single day, you're gonna lose. Honestly, I don't believe that. I don't think that's true at all. It's about high quality content, it's not about posting every day. Obviously, the algorithm wants you to post, like that's that's true. But posting every day is not gonna win you awards. Like at the end of the day, you know there are people who are like Taylor Swift doesn't post every day, and I know she's Taylor Swift, but at the end she doesn't post every day. It's the content that she puts out that people want to know, right? It's the same thing. Like you have to kind of treat it that way. So if you're like if you're not feeling right, then take a break. Like, I think it's so it's good to take a break. Watch the movies, you know, read a few books, DNF. I'm a true believer of the DNF now. Like, I used to not do it and now I do it. I'm like, if I can't get through 50 pages of this book, I'm done. I'm not gonna read this anymore. And it's not because I don't like the book. I could be an author I love. I'm just not in the mood for it. I'm just not in the mental space, and it could ruin the experience of reading it because I pushed through and I hated it. So I try to like balance those two pieces together. And usually it tends to work. Sometimes it's hard when I'm busy at work, it just can be exhausting. But I always try to like, I always try to keep reading. That's my goal. It's like always to continue to read. And if I don't post for every single book I read, so what? And I mean, I try to keep my space kind of positive. Some people do post negative reviews, which again is a choice. It's not my content style. And I also don't read that much where I don't like it. So it's like it's kind of like pointless almost as I'm like, I can you know not post one book and it's not a big deal, if that makes sense.

Jordan:

No, I like that. I like that. I know that I feel like that's a very heavy or a very like big thing of like whether you want to post or whether you should post negative reviews or not. But it's like what does a typical day as a content creator look like? Is there even such a thing as a typical day?

Liz:

No, definitely not. No, I'm kidding. I mean, if I'm gonna put like my content creator hat on and I'm you know home and I'm not busy, sometimes I'll try to get on my computer. I start looking at Pinterest. And I don't look at Pinterest at like book accounts necessarily. I just look at like vibes, colors, moods, and I put like a mood board together to kind of inspire myself. I've been doing that lately and I think it's been helping. And then I kind of look at the books that I'm I own and I'm like, okay, well, I did some fall, I did a little fall shoot this weekend, which I really loved. And I had like a copy of my Vogue magazine. I was like, well, this is going in. And then I took some books that I was like, okay, these are like, you know, releases that are current. They're also fall themed. It works. And I took a bunch of books and I literally like lugged four bags of books outside in my backyard, and I, you know, grabbed my blankets and I started just putting everything together. And I just started like flat laying and going at it and just having fun. And I always try to listen to music. Like I put on a playlist that like wants to fit the vibe essentially. Like usually sometimes it's something with Taylor Swift in it. That's just what happens.

Jordan:

I mean, she is the vibe.

Liz:

Like, I mean, folklore evermore. I mean, that's what's what's more fall than that, you know?

Jordan:

Yeah. Maybe maybe with a splash of red in there. But then yes.

Liz:

Exactly. So I'll like I'll listen to like a playlist that has all that. There's actually one playlist I really have been listening to and I'm in loving. Hold on. I will grab it for you because I think anyone should check this one out. I saw this girl talk about it. It's called Hot Apple Cider on Spotify. I think it might be on Apple Music. It's like it has like a ton, it's like 29,000 saves. It is such a mood. It has like some Taylor Swift, but then there's like some Stevie Nicks and some Fleet Like Mac and some Now Khan and some Jose and like whatever. Like there's all these great artists on there. And it's just such a fall vibe. And then there's like Elephant Gerald. And I was listening to that today. And like I feel like sometimes that just fits the vibe. So like I try to find like to really, as I think that's just the aesthetic person in me, is like I try to romanticize everything I do that I I put on a playlist that will help create the content around that. And then I'll just like start having fun and like moving around and you know, taking different shots and seeing how it comes together. And then I like kind of look at everything from like a bird's eye view of like, okay, this is all the content that I created. Now, like, what do I want the posts to be? And that's where like I put the playlists that I'm that I make. Sometimes I make my own playlists that you know also kind of fit the vibe that I'm liking because I'd like to create, you know, I I like everything is a mood for me. I have to create moods for myself to motivate myself. It's how I keep going. So that's one thing that like that's the way I would content create. In terms of like content creator where I'm like going to a lot of events, usually it's like I go to work after work, do my makeup in the bathroom at work, and then I'll go to like whatever book event is for the night, which there tends to be a lot now, which is awesome. But yeah, it's busy. So like I tend to that's how like my weekdays tend to be that way, and then my weekends tend to be more like the flat lays.

Jordan:

Okay, so at least you have your weekends to also like chill. Like your weeks are like busy with that. But I'm curious. So, like if you create like a flat lay, and let's say, like, because you were saying how like the past weekend you created a fall flat lay. Now, is that like enough content for a couple posts, or is that just one post? Do you like use that for?

Liz:

It depends on the day. It depends on the mood. If I sometimes like yet, the other day I brought three blankets out and I made multiple different versions, and I brought a lot of books out, and I brought different totes, and I brought my handbags out, and I brought different lip glosses and you know, perfumes and all the things. And I created probably, I think I was like maybe like four or five different you know, setups that kind of worked out nicely. And I really love them all. Like I think they look really great. And there's this one that I'm very excited about. It's very editorial fashion. I I mix the two. So like I love that one. So it ended up really like this perfect fall vibe. But yeah, like I'll do that where like I'll just create a lot of content at once if I can. Sometimes it ends up just being one post, but I'm also the type of like content creator where in the back of my head, any content that I create, even if I create from a year ago, I will pull it back out of the archive because at the end of the day, no one sees everything, no one remembers everything. And uh and I feel like if it fits the look that my feed is going towards, why not? Like use what you have.

Jordan:

Exactly. No, no, no. I pull I pull back from like previous stuff too. Like I'll even like I do it for reels, like the I posted a reel today. I posted it last year, but I like changed it, and it's like like it's very possible that like people will see it again, but like how like also like what people will even realize that they saw saw it again if they do. Like, you know, so it's like I am totally for the reusing content. I like I to have to make new content every time, that'd be stressful.

Liz:

Absolutely. And I think that's what most big content creators do too, to be quite honest. So I think that's like the nature of the game.

Jordan:

Yep. I agree. Um, so what is something listeners might be surprised to learn about what goes on behind the scenes of being a content creator slash having a bookstagram account, lifestyle account?

Liz:

I think the admin part. And what I mean by that is like you have to answer emails, you have to like pay attention to your email, you have to be responsive. If you want opportunities, you also have to pitch yourself. Like it's a bit of both. You're not just doing like pretty content all day. I'm not just sitting and reading books. Like reading is probably a small percentage of everything that I do. It's a lot of planning. And I think that's the biggest thing. It's like, and I wish I was better at it, to be quite honest. I don't think I am, but I try. But I think that's the thing that makes it like a little bit surprising for people that it is like it's almost like a job where I would consider it a job. Yeah, it is a job. I've gotten paid for this, so that is a job. So like there is this job level to it where it's like you actually have to do other work where you have to answer the emails and make sure that you're, you know, communicating and being professional. It's not just like, hey, I want this book, give it to me. Like, come on. No, you're dealing with professionals. If you're talking to someone in publishing, this is their job. Respect them the way that you would be want to be respected at your job. Like you have to think about it that way. And I think the same thing when you're pitching to brands or from whoever, like these are professionals. So, like it is work. Like you are being looked at as like an independent contractor if you sign a contract to do something for an influencer thing, whether it's like a paid post or whatever it is, like it ends up being a job and you're a representation of that brand. And I think you have to think of that. And I mean that also comes from my marketing head that I understand that inherently, but that's something that people probably don't realize. It's like if you're not professional, then why would someone want to work with you? Like, if you're professional and kind and respectful, of course they're gonna want to continue to work with you. Like it, it's it's a win-win.

Jordan:

What advice would you have? What advice do you have for someone that wants to start like a Bookstagram account or uh create, like be a content creator?

Liz:

My advice would be is to first of all just do it because that's usually the hardest part is that people don't want to. And think about what your intention is. I think at the end of the day, the intention that you put behind the content that you create is so important that you're not just like you can you know try things and you know try to see what sticks. But I think if you do something that's high quality, that's you know aesthetically pleasing in a way, or or even if it's not aesthetically pleasing, if it's a candle that actually just has something that people just enjoy and can connect to, and you know, whether it makes them want to save it, I think that is something that's really important is like finding out what works for you. Don't copy other people, get inspired by other people, but don't copy other people. I think that's the big thing is like we're all doing something similar, but my success is that people can look at my post and know it's me. And I think that has come from years and years of posting, but it's also because I developed my own style. And I think when you develop your own style, you will also have that. And it can be similar to mine in a way or completely different. But it doesn't matter how that works, whether it's funny reels and you are a person who has a a personality that can be really funny and silly, people like that. They can connect with that. Or if you're more like aesthetically driven, you can do that, or if you want to, whatever it may be, just find out what you want your niche to be and kind of think about that and have fun with it and just just roll with it. Like you have to try at the end of the day, you're not gonna, you can blow up or you can go nowhere. Or I think if you consistently post though, and if you actually put the effort out there, I I do think you anyone can grow in a way. I do believe that there's you just have to put the work in.

Jordan:

I totally agree. Okay, so then this is um who are some of your favorite like bookstogram or lifestyle or content creator accounts? And do you get inspiration from these accounts? Either it in the way of like what to read next or in your like posts, like layouts type things?

Liz:

Oh, that's just a good question. Um I'm trying to think. I mean, I am so bad with people's names. I do like that one girl, she's like a lifestyle influence. Her name is having flashes of style. She has these gorgeous, she does like these seasonal like posts, and they're just beautiful. Like it is so cozy and so aesthetic. And she has like, I mean, $300,000. Like, she's a massive content creator, but like I want to live in that post. It's almost too maximalist for me, but it's so cozy. And she does such a good job of making you feel like fall, or she does Christmas, or she does spring, or she does summer. And I just I love that, like the way she creates her content. Like it's so like if I in a dream world, I would love to create content like that. I think she does such a nice job. Um, I feel like I there's so many people that I just I just I like to look at people's stuff. Like anyone who I tend to follow or are people that I like just you know look at. I I can't even think of like what usernames are anything. But like, I mean, honestly, a lot of my friends like I I would say like I probably look at their content the most, like people I'm I'm really like close to, I would say, on in the space. Um, yeah, I don't know exactly like who inspires me per se. It's more like I think I talk to my friends more for book reps than I actually like go online and get them, which I know sounds so bad. It's so bad to knit that, but it's just true.

Jordan:

No, I feel like that's good because I think so many people like I know too, like especially when I first started my Bookstagram account, I was getting so many book recks from online that I was just like accumulating all these books and I like wasn't reading them because it was just like so many and it was just like all at once. So I feel like that's actually the better thing to just get book recks from friends and and they also like know your tastes, so then they know like if you're gonna like it or not. So I think I think you're doing it right. Uh, what is one thing you wish people knew about having a bookstagram account slash creating content?

Liz:

I think the one thing I wish people knew that at the end of the day is like I don't sit and read all day. Like this is not my full-time job. It's as much as it's fun and I love doing it, I'm a person outside of it. And so like books are not everything, and not not in a bad way. It just we're multifaceted people, and I think sometimes in Bookstogram World, specifically Bookstram World and Book Top 2, we kind of segment ourselves that like this is the only piece of who we are. And I think people only think of that you as this one piece. We're like, we all have, you know, we have families, we have people in our lives, significant others, whatever it may be. You know, we have friends, we have people, we have things that we like, we have other hobbies we enjoy and other talents that we have. And I think that's the one thing that I think sometimes people forget is like we kind of focus on this one thing so much that like everything else kind of gets a little overshadowed because it's like so niche. Where like another content creator who's a beauty like content creator might, yeah, they do their makeup, but they're talking to you about their life. Where like we don't get that same opportunity. It always feels like it's a big message, right? Like anytime you hear someone sit down and talk about something at their lives, it we always are like, what's going on? Versus if you saw a beauty influencer doing she's just doing her makeup, or well, they're just doing their makeup and and they're just talking about their life. And you're like, oh, okay, I'm just listening to like while you're doing this thing. It's a little different for us. We don't have that same opportunity. So like that's the one thing I think that people forget that we are actually people, like we have other interests besides like what we see.

Jordan:

Honestly, that's such a good I like. I know when I first started my account, I was definitely more in the like reviewing books and like posting reviews. But then it like it was frustrating because I felt like if I wasn't reading at the speed to make multiple posts like a week, it was frustrating because that's like what my focus was. But then it's you're right though, because it's like we do all have lives, so it's like we can't read. And and not saying that there's ever like too much reading or too little reading, like you read, you are a reader, that is it. And I know too, like some of these like bigger like book talk or bookstagrammers, they have made it their full-time job so they can read more books because in an eight-hour day when you and I are at like at work working, like they're reading, so they can read more books than what necessarily we can. Um, so it's like I know it's like a little bit different, but it it it is true because like I know I get stuck in the oh, like I should be using this time to read instead of like whatever I like want to do or like what I had planned type thing.

Liz:

No, absolutely. And I think the other thing too is like when you get to the level that you're at where I'm at, people like to see our lives. They're curious, they want to see. I love posting a photo dump. Sometimes my photo dump content does better. Like if I post a flat light with the photo dump, it does three times as well because people are seeing an insight into my life versus just a photo dump or not photo dump, sorry, versus just like a flat lay or like a reel, even like people, you know, I go to events and everyone posts, you know, the same reel at the event, and that's what we're supposed to do. But sometimes I put it in a in a photo dump because it feels more like this is my week, the day of my week, day of my life, and it feels more relatable in that sense because, like, again, like you said, there's no way we can read all the time. And even if you are doing this full time, I'm sorry, the burnout is real. Like, I could not read all day long. I would lose my mind. It would not be good, and I wouldn't be enjoying books. Like, then it ends up feeling like this is like you know, I would have gone in publishing if I wanted to do that. If I really wanted to like really read and and market books all day long, truly not just as a hobby, I would have worked in publishing. Like I would have gone down that road. It's not for me. And I'm not saying there's anything wrong, but it ends up being a job because you end up doing it that way. So I think that's like the balance. It's like it gets it gets tricky.

Jordan:

Yeah, no, it's it's true. It's like it's very true. And it's and you're right too, because like I think there's no matter what you do, like I think like they always say you should do something you love. A hundred percent agree. I totally agree. But even like let's say you make this your full-time job, it at one point will not become something you love because it is a job, and whether you're making money from it or it's just it's just not gonna be fun all the time because it's a job. So it's like there is like pros and cons to it. So I think there's it's just yeah. Okay, so now on to the next uh reading. So what book made you fall in love fall in love with reading? And it could be reading again, because I know sometimes like it's like when COVID started. So what book made you fall in love with reading?

Liz:

Well, the object is twilight, right? Like when I was in middle school, that's what really made me fall in love with reading as a kid. But as an adult, I would say it was um One Day in December by Josie Silver. I picked that book up and I just hadn't read anything that had any romance in it in a long time. Now it's not spicy, whatever. Like it's it's you know, a true, I would say, like I call it like it's like British litfick kind of like vibes. It's it's it's a different, you know, vibe to it. It was Risa's book club pick, and I just I loved it so much. It was so cozy, it was so beautiful, but it was also heartbreaking. And like these two, it was like um, they met in a chance meeting, but they never could end up being together because like she her like he ends up like dating her best friend, one of those, and it's like you know, wrong place, wrong time, complete situations, and I think it was just so charming. And I was like, oh, this just hooked me back into this, and I remember reading it in like two days, and this is from not reading a book in years, because I feel like after sometimes when you're at college and you kind of go through the the studying, like it's hard to read for fun because you're reading for school, and I think I had a hard time like kind of finding my way, and I didn't know what books to read, to be honest, because I mean COVID is the reason that we all started reading. We were reading a ton during COVID, right? Like, and I think that's where now we're challenging the battle, the opposite side of the oh, we're busy again. So how do we balance it? But yeah, so I would say one day in December by Joseph Silver is what got me back.

Jordan:

Oh, okay. Now, so now I know you said that one wasn't spicy. What is the spiciest book you have ever read?

Liz:

That's such a hard question. I would what comes to mind at this point, I think it's like a kiss about kiss of the basilism. That that has to be it. It is so spicy. It's 800 pages of like spice.

Jordan:

Yeah. Honestly though, like I also thought that book was so good because it's like it is very spicy and it's spice like a lot, but there was still a pretty good story in it that I was like, Oh yeah, it's wild.

Liz:

It's wild, it's an absolutely wild book. Like, I don't think it's for everyone. I I sat there and I read read those 800 pages in like a day and a half. I think I would didn't know because I read them on my Kindle. I think if I read that book physically, forget about it, I would have probably not gone through it. But because I read on my Kindle, I was like, Oh, this is not that bad. And I was like, this is 800 pages. Okay, well, we're doing this.

Jordan:

Yep. And I also like I got the first edition when it was split or swallow. That font is like this big. And I was like, I can't read that. So I ended up getting it on my Kindle because I could not read the physical. I was like, that's that's not happening. Like I can't do that. Um, okay, so if you could live in any fictional world, which one you would you choose and why?

Liz:

You know, I would say it's probably a romantic book. I want to say Avatar, I would die. Like I would die in that world. Like I would, I would not survive. Maybe if I could be like a fly on the wall, or like I don't know, like be in the crew and I'm safe, you know? Yeah, something like that. Or like maybe in Volaris, I think that would be fine. Probably the safest place for me. After the war, after everything's fine. Yeah. Yeah, after everything's fine, but like that's probably the safest place for me. But yeah, I think I mean I would love to be with those characters. I feel like it's just it's such a it's a place that in my mind I always go back to. I mean, I also love like fourth wing, but like I sure as hell don't want to live in that world. So I'd be like eaten by a dragon. Yeah, I couldn't 100%. If I was there, I would have like I would have died on the first day. Like there's no, there's no no I would have never made it across.

Jordan:

Yeah, never would have made it across the parapet. Yeah, nope. Yeah. Um, okay, so what is one underrated romance author or like someone you don't see on social media that you think everyone should read? And then what book of theirs do you think you people should start with?

Liz:

Oh, this is such a great question. Let me think. I have to like look because I will admit a lot of my favorite authors tend to be quite popular, so that's a bit difficult, but there's definitely somewhere in that repertoire. Um I think I'm trying to think. You know who it is? Okay. There's an author, her name's DL Darby. She wrote this new one. It's like a dark romance, totally blanking on the name. I think it's like Killer Dolls or something like that. I I have to, I will correct and give you the correct information. It is so good. Like, she is such a good romance writer, and I think she's truly like a small indie romance author. And I think she just does it so well. I think like she definitely isn't someone that you see a ton on social media, but I think her books are just so fun. And her newest one, like that one, I think it just it's like kind of um butcher in Blackbird vibes. Um it's like dark romance, and she's also written like some kind of like I would say like some like sour cake vibe books too. So like she has a nice repertoire of books, and like she just doesn't get enough credit. But I think her books are really good and they're always like they're fun to read. Like anytime I picked one up, I've like blasted through it because they're just good and they're fun and they're spicy, but they're also like serious. Like it's a good balance of both.

Jordan:

Ooh, okay, okay. Um, we are on the last two questions, which is like personal. Uh, what is one fun fact about you that I'm a big Lady Gaga fan.

Liz:

I think I want to that that's my fun fact because I don't know if anyone some people know that about me, but like based on my socials, everyone thinks they listen to it the long tailor swift, which I do, but I'm a big Lady Gaga fan. So I think that is my one special fact.

Jordan:

Okay, I definitely saw your story about going to the concert, and I was like, I I wouldn't have expected that, but I saw you were like, most people don't know. And I'm like, okay, I see you, Liz. I see you.

Liz:

Yeah, I've seen I've seen her four times. I'm gonna see her fifth. Oh wait, going again? Yes, I'm going again. My friend has an experience at the concert, so we bought tickets, so I'm going again in March.

Jordan:

I love it. I love it. I mean, if it's somebody that you really like, like you have to. I I'm t I totally support it. I totally support it. I mean, I'm also one that will drop, I will give my left kidney to see Taylor Swift. So I am definitely one of those people. So I I can't say anything. So see her again. Gosh darn it. Okay, so the last question and I know we kind of like dive like mentioned it before, but what is one future goal you would like to achieve, either long term, short term? And it can be within like content creating, bookstagram, reading, personal, like work-wise, like any goal that you have.

Liz:

Well, I mean, one thing I'm good, I can share this because this is gonna be after this point. So, one of my fun things that that's happening for me is that I'm gonna be a book ambassador for Reese's Book Club for the New York chapter. Stop it!

Jordan:

That is so cool. Yeah, what does that even mean?

Liz:

So basically, I'm going to manage a WhatsApp group for a New York community. So, like, I'm one of five creators to do this. So there's one in each city, so there's one in like New York, Nashville, LA, Charleston, and St. Louis. And so it's officially like announced today that they're doing like a community. But um, I'm going to LA to shine away. Like, first brand trip. And I get to go like to it's basically Hello Sunshine's like weekend about like Brees' book club, books. There's gonna be authors there, they're gonna talk about movies, meet like all media stuff. So I'm super excited. But the party is to launch it. So I guess my goal is just to continue with that and see where that takes me because I feel like this is a new chapter of Boho, which I'm excited about.

Jordan:

That is so freaking cool. Oh my gosh. So, does that mean like if you're like the Reese Witherspoon book club, like New York chapter, is that like you hosting like book clubs or is that pretty much I manage like a WhatsApp group.

Liz:

There's these things called communities on WhatsApp now, which are really cool. It's like, you know, kind of like a piece of the app where it says communities, and like it's basically like I'm gonna moderate a chat and it's gonna talk about like the books every month, and like which I'm excited about because it's a good way to push me. Obviously, Reese's book club is how I started reading again, as I told you earlier. So it felt like full circle, like kismet, like it's meant to be. And I'm excited to get back into reading a lot of them. And I read a few, like Emily Henry was a Reese's book club pick this year, which is super exciting, and then also to talk about other books. But yeah, like I get to set up like in-person things to get people to like commute, like get out. Like anyone who lives in like the New York tri-state area, I guess would be like considered a a part of it. So it's super exciting. I'm excited for it. And I will probably be like, I'm sure I think there's me ways that we may be featured on the social, like stuff like that. So it just it's opening up doors that I didn't think would ever be there for someone in the book community, if that makes sense.

Jordan:

Oh my gosh, yeah, that is so freaking cool. And I'm so excited for like where this is gonna take you and what this means. But that is so that's so cool. And for it to be full circle and it to be like Reese Witherspoon's like book club, like that in itself is so freaking cool.

Liz:

Yeah, um, it's like honestly a dream in that sense. I'm excited, I'm a little nervous in a good way because obviously you don't change. And it's funny because my own book club kind of ended a little bit because it just, you know, life, everyone's in different schedules than they once were. It's hard to get people to connect. And I'm still, you know, friends with everyone in my book club from like my my virtual book club, but it feels like it's the right new chapter, but I just don't know what it's gonna look like. So I think that's where it's like I don't know what door open, you know, what doors will open for me in that space. And I'm just I'm so excited because it's a good new fresh step. So I feel like whatever that takes me, I feel like will help inform what's gonna happen in the future, if that makes sense.

Jordan:

Yes, yes, and I think that is uh I'm just I'm so excited for you. I can't wait to see like where this goes. And that is so cool. Okay, so that was all the questions I had for you. Um I know, like, did you wanna I wanna give you the floor? Did you wanna? I mean, people know you're the Boho book blogger since that's what we've been talking about, but I don't know if there's anything else you want to plug. Um, the floor is yours.

Liz:

I mean, if you want to follow me, I'm the Boho Book Blogger on Instagram and TikTok and on Lemonate too. So hang out with me.

Jordan:

Okay. Well, thank you so so much for coming on. Liz, I had so much fun interviewing you again.

Liz:

Thank you for having me.