This is our fourth Interview with a Bookstagrammer and today we are chatting with our friend Eman who posts beautifully calming images and insightful book reviews at @readsforkeeps. Eman is also the co-founder of @dohabookworms bookclub and blogs at Reads for Keeps.
Hello from Eman!
Hello hello! My name is Eman which btw is “name” spelled backwards, a fun fact lol! I’m a full time nurse in the urgent care unit but as of the moment I’m also rotating in the swabbing unit for suspected COVID 19 cases, hence the lack of posting for months now. 
🤣🤣(Lol). I am based in Qatar for work but born and raised in the Philippines. I come from a small island called “Tawi-Tawi” in Mindanao! I’ve always been fond of reading comic books and teenage romance novels ever since I was a kid. I’ve grown to develop the habit of reading and transcended to different genres later on.
How long have you been bookstagramming?
I’ve been bookstagramming since March 2017. A total of 3 years and 6 months.
Why did you start your bookstagram?
I started my bookstagram when I was in the middle of changing hospitals, it took 2-3 months for my working license to be transferred and I had a lot of time in my hands. I started with the intention of logging the books I read, check out some recommendations, to keep track, basically sharing what I thought about a book I read….until I discovered that there’s a whole community about books.
Has your account changed since you started? In what way/s?
When it comes to the physical aspect of my account, a lot of bookstagrammers have inspired me with their photos (including the @thefamilybookrogerson ) so there was a time I changed my feed to a themed one for months when I first started out, but I couldn’t keep up with it so I went with my own flow instead. Haha!
What’s your favourite aspect of Bookstagram?
Everyone in the community is really friendly and have such good book recommendations. It’s always fun discussing books online especially when both have totally opposite thoughts. Ever since I started bookstagramming, I’ve learned to read books that are out of my comfort zone and realized that I enjoyed them. I’ve grown more open to reading a wide range of genres including memoirs and self-help which I found really helpful.
How do you plan your feed? Do you use any particular editing tools or themes?
I used to plan out my feed but I felt that with having a themed and planned feed, there’s a lot of pressure, and so disappointment comes with it once I don’t get satisfied with how it turns out. So I stopped taking bookstagram too seriously and just be myself. My most used photo editing tool is the app called VSCO. I like bright photos or photos taken with day light.
What are your top tips for new bookstagrammers?
Enjoy it! Try not to get hung up on the numbers, especially now when it seems hard to grow your account. It’s a lovely place to be and talk books all day if you want to, so think of it as an enormous book group where you can swap recommendations and compare notes and be passionate about the thing you love. And find your own style. Be inspired by others by all means but try to put your own spin on it.
What are your bookish goals for the future?
One of my ultimate bookish goals which I’m slowly doing, is to read more Non fiction and Classics. Oh and read all the books I have on my shelf. Seems like a long way to go. Lol. Those two are what I can think of right now, and a part of my bookish goal for the future is to share my love for reading with my future kids and family. The Book Family Rogerson has inspired me to dream of having a bookish family, bond through books, and discuss disagreements about books. It must be fun!
Are you working on any projects at the moment?
At the moment I am not, but I’m very open to those who wanna do collaborations! Holla at yo girl!
Who are your favourite authors/books?
I found books to be a way of escape sometimes, that feeling of forgetting where you are while reading, dissolving your problems for a good few hours, I love authors who can do that with their writing .. some of my faves are Patti Smith, Kimmery Martin, Meg Cabot, Katharine Mcgee, Chimamanda Adichie, Ayobami Adebayo, JK Rowling, Deli Owens, Yuko Tsushima, Angie Kim, Hiroko Oyamada, Chelsea Hodson, Haruki Murakami, Naomi Novik, and S.Jae.Jones.
Links
We are so grateful to Eman for taking time out of her super-busy schedule to answer these bookstagramming questions. We highly recommend following her account for fantastic book recommendations, chilled out cafe shots and of course, her very cute cat!
Find out more about the world bookstagramming below!
- Interview with a Bookstagrammer – Forget Me Not Originals
- Interview with a Bookstagrammer – The Ironbridge Bookshop
- Interview with a Bookstagrammer – Oonagh Moon
- Bookstagram Post Ideas for Growing Your Account
- Ways to Become a Bookstagram Influencer
