Alexis Briana: Behind the Scenes of The Bookish Report

The content creator discusses audience feedback, trusting her instincts, and the decisions that shape her YouTube videos.

Alexis Briana has built a YouTube community around books, candid commentary, and conversations that sometimes venture into controversial territory. Her series The Bookish Report brings humor and research to topics circulating throughout the online reading community.

For this Black Girl Magic spotlight, Alexis takes us behind the camera to discuss the response to her series, her approach to editing, and how her creative process has changed.

Trusting Her Creative Instincts

Intellectual Ink Magazine: What surprised you most about the response to The Bookish Report, and what did that reaction tell you about the direction of the series?

Alexis Briana: I wasn’t expecting the overwhelming support for the series. There have been other videos I’ve spent an embarrassing amount of time on. And I still love those videos. But from getting the idea to publishing the first episode of The Bookish Report was 24 hours. I knew if I delayed, I wouldn’t put it out. I thought it was funny, but I wasn’t sure if other people would find it funny, or even engaging. So, to see how many people loved the concept shocked me. It taught me to trust my gut more and think outside of the box.

Respecting the Audience’s Time

Intellectual Ink Magazine: Viewers have praised your ability to get to the point without dragging a topic out. How much do you think about respecting your audience’s time when you are scripting or editing a video?

Alexis Briana: A whole lot. Everyone is extremely busy. So, while editing, I’m constantly asking myself, “Is this meat or fluff?” I try my best to be succinct without sounding robotic. And if there’s time, I test key points out on my friends and family who don’t know or care about book news. I’ll run down the key facts and watch for when their eyes glaze over or they become disengaged. It’s a real humbling test.

Evolving as a Content Creator

Intellectual Ink Magazine: With nearly 200 videos behind you, how has your creative and production process evolved since you first started YouTube?

Alexis Briana: I’ve learned to balance intuition, personal enjoyment, and data. Early on, I was doing deep dives, broad-concept videos, and popular-topic videos. Over time, I realized that some of my content was too focused on me. In every video, I try to ask myself: Am I taking my community on a journey? Is this educational or engaging? Why would someone care? People watch YouTube to be entertained or learn something. As someone who isn’t well known yet, I’m intentional about making content that isn’t focused on me, it’s focused on them.

Read More in Black Girl Magic

In Intellectual Ink Magazine’s Black Girl Magic, Issue 32, Alexis discusses her relationship with reading, sharing unpopular opinions, and the role books play in her personal life. She also explains how The Bookish Report combines entertainment with thoughtful commentary.

Read her complete print interview, “The Bookish Truth, Unfiltered,” in Issue 32.

Follow Alexis on YouTube: @AlexisBriana