"Selfie Made is packed with frank, approachable guidance for a new generation of media stars." - AJ Nusca, Fortune Magazine

2018-06-24
A step-by-step guide to becoming a social media star.Debut author Rojas draws on her experience as the co-founder and CEO of DigiTour to put together a book of practical advice for teens aspiring to become social media stars. The book lays out concrete steps for doing everything from picking a platform to building a loyal following to monetizing online success. Case studies focus on individual social media celebrities and their paths to stardom, punctuated with lists, photos, questions for reflection, definitions, and, at the end, pages for note-taking. Throughout, Rojas provides opportunity for self-reflection, urging readers to think about what makes them unique, to become creators in their own right, and to seriously consider the downsides of fame. The book's voice is clear and easy to read, balancing her serious, no-nonsense wisdom with wit and enthusiasm; the stern but nurturing tone makes it clear why social media stars sometimes call her "mom." The book begins with reminders about basic online netiquette as well as internet safety guidelines. Unfortunately, the majority of social media stars profiled appear to be white, and the book's references to teen girls lining up to see teen boy stars feel both heteronormative and gendered, not to mention an oversimplification of the complexities of fandom. Overall, a fascinating, practical read by a knowledgeable author that could have been significantly improved by some attention to diversity. (Nonfiction. 13-18)