Ian Smith, an 81-year-old Scotsman, got the advice to market his novel via TikTok, according to official sources. He started posting clips about his and others' books but got hardly any views, the sources said. A user commented that she could not read his book because she felt too bad, prompting Ian to start publishing positive clips to see if it could help people feel better.
The account started growing quickly after he began posting these positive clips. Ian Smith received messages from people saying things like 'I needed to hear this, you saved my life,' according to Ian Smith. In just a few months, Ian got 10,000 followers, official sources reported, and several of his clips have millions of views and thousands of likes.
Suddenly you get messages from people saying things like: 'I needed to hear this, you saved my life.' It makes you very humble, because you realize that what you say must be right.
Ian Smith is called 'TikTok grandpa' in the comment sections, the sources added. According to SVT Nyheter (official), Ian Smith described the impact as making him very humble, because he realized that what he said must be right. Ian Smith's video clips are now being spread by others under the trend 'hopecore' that started already in 2024, official sources said.
Under the hashtags, people post videos about appreciating the world around them and taking care of themselves. According to SVT Nyheter (official), Ian Smith believes that many are seeking positivity in a troubled world. The title or content of his novel, how exactly the 'hopecore' trend started, and whether his novel sales have increased remain unknown.
It is flattering. I think that grandparents are an amazing source of wisdom and life experience.
I believe that the world is in a difficult place right now. I don't think there is that much positivity in people's lives, and I try to contribute that positivity.