A book club is a wonderful way to connect with others, explore new ideas, and dive into exciting stories. Whether you’re an avid reader or just want to socialize with others who love books, starting a book club can be a rewarding experience. Here’s how you can create a successful book club step by step.
Tips for running a successful, sustainable book club:
There are lots of book clubs out there now, and there’s more than one way to run a successful one. I’ve only had experience with mine, so I’ll share how ours is organized and why I believe we’ve had such endurance. If you are in a book club and have some ideas to share, I’d love to hear from you.
1.Define your why:
First and foremost, it’s important to figure out why you want to start a book club and what you’re hoping to get out of it. After all, there are likely already established local book groups at your library, ones that you could find on places like Facebook and Meetup, or ones you could join remotely.
What do you think those other offerings are missing? Which novels are you interested in reading? (Is it nonfiction or fiction? Which genres? What kind of tone do you want the conversation to have? (Academic or casual?)
Figuring out these specifics for why you want to run a book club is the first critical step to actually doing it.
2.Number of members:
We’ve had as many as 18 and as few as 7 active members. You need enough regular members to allow for an absentee or two each time. It’s hard to have a good discussion with fewer than 4 or 5 people in attendance.
3.Clear Expectations:
The culture of every book club can be described using a spectrum with casual social activities on one end and deep intellectual conversations on the other end. When forming the club, founding members must know what they want.
Do they desire a social club where friends converse over food and beverages before briefly discussing the book at the end of the evening?
Or is the book club catered towards serious readers and/or literary critics?
The founding members need to be explicit about their goals and adhere to them.Do not be wishy-washy. This will help new members identify the book club’s mission and evaluate whether the group is right for them.
4.Find your people:
Who you invite to join your book club will probably change depending on how you want to meet. Are you trying to make your current friendships stronger? Individuals you believe might be interested can be contacted.
Maybe you’re looking to make connections with people in your neighborhood you don’t already know. Community bulletin boards are a great place to advertise, especially at your local library, if you’re looking for people who are geographically nearby.
Social media is also a great tool here. Many areas also have local Facebook groups where you can post about starting a book club and recruit interested people from there.
Facebook groups and chat apps like Discord are still excellent resources if you have made the decision to start an online book club.
5.Select Your First Book:
Start with a book that’s interesting and not too long. Consider letting the group vote on options to keep everyone engaged. Websites like Goodreads or bestseller lists can provide great suggestions.
6.Choose a Comfortable Meeting Format:
Decide how and where your club will meet:
1.In-person: Host at homes, libraries, or coffee shops.
2.Online: Use Zoom, Skype, or other platforms for virtual meetings.
3Hybrid: Combine in-person and virtual options to accommodate everyone.
Pick a schedule that suits your group, such as monthly or bi-monthly meetings.
7.Continuous Feedback and Improvement:
The general characteristics of a successful book club have been covered. You have to accept, nevertheless, that various people will have different goals.
So, you should ask your members directly what they think of the book club. Do they have any suggestions for improvements?
You can definitely change things that everyone has reached a consensus on. For other things, perhaps you can make compromises to satisfy as many people as possible.
Creating a successful book club isn’t just about reading; it’s about building a community of people who love to share ideas and experiences. By following these tips and staying committed, you’ll create a space that everyone looks forward to.