Reading, meeting friends and talking about the book you’ve just read – it sounds amazing. The decision to start a book club is soon made and off you go. I am a member of two book clubs. It used to be three but one fell a little apart and I think I know why. It is funny that I had planned this post already some days ago and that the topic of the book club that just didn’t feel right anymore came up today while meeting a friend. Here is a list of 9 tips to have a successful and fulfilling book club.
9 tips for a successful book club
1. Be clear about your expectations
For one it might be to get together with friends, drink some wine and casually talk about a book. For another it might be the only book they read the month and they want to learn. Learn about the book, but also learn about you as a friend and fellow reader. Be clear on why you start (and/or join) the book club and what your expectations are.
2. Meet regularly, but not too often
You want to meet regularly, but everyone has a different reading tempo. Allow enough time for everyone to actually read the book, but don’t make the time between meetings too short so people might feel under pressure. You are doing this for fun after all!
3. Have a variety in the books you read
Unless you are a specific genre book-club, make sure to have a good variety. My one book club only reads fiction but we have a good selection of classics, contemporary novels and different genre. My other book club reads fiction and non-fiction and we try to switch between these two every other month.
4. Do something else than just talk about the book
Talking about a book is great, no doubt, but if you want to spend time with your friends, it might be nice to do something else as well. One of my book clubs started as a board game club and we now first discuss the book and then play games for hours. It is amazing. Even though we might spend time talking about a book I didn’t really like or have a lot to say about, I always know that there will be games. With my other book club, we always meet at a new restaurant and try new food.
5. Have some questions ready about the book
Many books have already questions for book clubs at the end of the book. They are usually very good and lead to great discussions. If you struggle to get the discussion going, I can only recommend having some open questions prepared to start the conversation. You could also pick out 5 questions everyone has to answer before the meeting. Anything that gets the talking going is wanted.
6. Have dedicated members
In the beginning, everyone will be excited. Then life gets in the way and members might start to drop out or not manage to read the book in time. If your expectations are clear, you can stir this. However, it is vital to be open and talk about the book club and what it does to the group when someone stops reading or showing up. A book club does not have to be huge. My one book club consists of three members and it is great. Two dedicated friends are better for this purpose than 10 who start slacking.
7. Stick to the book
Meeting friends is wonderful, especially if you haven’t seen each other for a month. However, you meet to talk about a book, so stick with it. Maybe have someone in charge who stirs the conversation in the right direction again.
8. Don’t just bring your own friends
We all live in a bubble and usually surround ourselves with people who share the same interests and opinions. Why else would you start a book club together? To broaden your horizon, maybe open the book club for people none of you knows. You will get to know other people, maybe make new friends and see the book in a different way.
9. Throw all rules overboard and have fun
You want to read only books that start with E? Only meet every 6 months? Go for it! Tips are nice, but they are no guarantee that your book club will be a success. Make it your own! I believe that it will be wonderful and last a long time as long as everyone is having a good time and leaves the meeting feeling ready to read the next book.
Are you part of a book club? Which books have you read already?
