In his own words, Jonah Evarts is "just some guy that talks about books on the internet." But with more than 158,000 followers on TikTok, the Kansas-based creator has built a devoted audience around his love of reading, especially high fantasy. Since 2023, Evarts has transformed that passion into a full-time career, landing a spot on the reality competition series Destination X and publishing his debut novel, Reaper's Bend.

The return of BookCon after a six-year hiatus offered a rare chance for the online BookTok community to connect in person. We caught up with Evarts at BookCon 2026 to talk about turning a hobby into a career, choosing the independent publishing route, and what's next for his growing platform.

Mashable: When did you start your BookTok account?

Jonah Evarts: I started my BookTok account about three years ago, and I think I'd been posting for a couple of months before I really started even having anybody see my videos, which was crazy. And now, three years later, it's my job, which is crazy.

Are you doing it full-time now?

I've been doing it full-time for a year and a half, which feels really weird. Sometimes I wake up, and I'm like, "What am I gonna do for work? Oh, I'm gonna read a book."

How has it felt turning this passion for books into a career in content?

It happened so organically for me. When I first started posting, it was just for fun. None of my friends back home read, so I needed to put this energy somewhere, and I started making videos. I almost immediately started building a huge community of people who were also interested in the books I read. It just feels so strange to think that so many people like the same thing as me.

Has your relationship to reading changed since becoming a creator?

A little, sadly. At different times throughout the past three years, it's felt like I have to read this [book], because that's what's going to get views even if it's not what I'm in the mood for. I've had to grapple with that. I don't want to just read books because they're gonna get views. I think people can tell if I'm not super passionate or excited about a book. So I try to mood-read as much as possible. But sometimes people really want me to talk about a book, and it's hard not to get carried away with the crowd.

You're also a writer and an author, too. Was writing always a part of your content, or did you bring it in later?

I kept it hidden from everyone. None of my followers knew that I was a writer until I was already done with my book. So when I made a post saying, "I wrote this book, and it's coming out later this year," the general reaction was like, "Wait, what, you write books?"

It makes sense, writing is such a personal and often vulnerable thing to share.

That's part of the reason I kept it hidden. It's different to present yourself as a book reviewer rather than an artist. As an artist, you're the one being judged.

Now that you're in both spaces as a creator and writer, how have you navigated that?

There hasn't been a ton of crossover yet because most of the readers are my friends. I think a lot of that is because I went indie. Most of the people reading my book have followed me for years. So far, I haven't really had to branch out of my circle or my own audience. It's been really cool because everyone's been really supportive and affirmed me as an artist.

Do you feel that being a creator allowed you to take the indie publishing route?

When I first started writing, I was so certain I was going to try to go the traditional route. But for me, I wanted [this project] to be something where I could just overcome my fear of being seen as an artist. Going indie felt a little more like confronting my fear rather than seeking affirmation because I got a book deal. And I knew I could take that risk and invest in an editor and a book cover, expecting a return, because I knew some people in my audience might buy it. So [being a creator] let me take a bit bigger risk than I would have otherwise.

What's it like to interact with fans at BookCon when so much of your audience interactions happen online?

It's been crazy. The first time someone stopped me and asked, "Are you Jonah?" I freaked out. I feel famous right now, but I'm just some guy who talks about books on the internet. I went to Dragonsteel last year, and I expected to be a little more recognized there because that's my specific niche: epic fantasy books. The coolest part for me is seeing a bunch of other creators that I've known for years and bumping into them. Everyone's so friendly and supportive.

Also, you were on the show Destination X last year. Was that a fun side quest, or something you'd been dreaming of doing?

It was just a fun side quest. I got on the show because of BookTok. A casting agent found me on TikTok and asked if I would do an interview. And I said, "Sure," and two months later, I was in Belgium filming the show. It came out of nowhere, and it was crazy, but I represented BookTok.

What's next for you and your platform?

I am writing another book, and I'm really hoping to get a traditional deal with this one. And I'm hoping to progress my content in the same way. Maybe I'll start talking more about writing, because right now, it's mostly still just me talking about other people's books, but I love writing as much as I love reading. I would like to move in that direction eventually. I know other people in the space who have done so. I know there's a path for that, and I want to go after it.