5 Tips for Starting a Book Club
A great book club can expand our reading lists, our minds and our circle of friends. In honor of the two-year anniversary of our Sci-fi book club here in Longmont, Colorado, I’m sharing some of my tried-and-true tips for starting a book club.
1. Partner With a Local Business
Connect with a local business that can host you each month. It’s more than just a space to hold your growing club, it’s a way to cross-promote and draw people in. We hold our book club at a local brewery. Because they share our updates on their social media, we’ve made some fantastic new bookish friends.
2. Make it a Democracy
We’ve found success selecting books to read based on an established voting system. Each month, one member of the group takes on the very important role of Book Selector They pick three to four books for us to vote on, and we make a selection as a group. We keep a set calendar that clearly announces who is next to pick a book, so everyone knows what to expect. Rotating who is responsible for selecting books ensures that everyone gets a chance to read what they’re interested in. It also creates a sense of investment in the process and in the club. Plus, if the book is a stinker, we can all share the blame.
3. Establish Consistency
Having consistent systems and communications in place is key to creating a lasting club. Pick one main mode of communication and stick with it, delivering regular updates. Though our book club also uses social media, we communicate all of our important information including meeting dates and times via email and it keeps things simple and direct.
4. Prepare a List of Talking Points
Before each club meeting, the moderator should prepare and share a list of questions for the group. This keeps conversation flowing and provides structure for the meeting. Here are some example questions that could work for any book:
What was your moment of buy-in? What “hooked” you into the story?
What theme spoke to you most?
How does the story reflect current events?
What character did you identify with most?
Start with these and tailor additional questions to your current book before each meeting.
5. Encourage Debate
Every member of your book club will bring a unique perspective to the table - that’s what makes book club so great! Sometimes members will disagree, and that’s okay. As the moderator, encourage respectful debate among members and make sure everyone has a chance to share.
Happy Reading!
While these tips might provide a good foundation, every group is different, so approach your new book club with optimism and flexibility. We hope you enjoy fantastic reads with lifelong friends.