As I continue to write books, one of the things I’ve been thinking about lately is how can I as a writer interact more with book clubs? I love the dynamic that occurs when book lovers start talking about a book they’ve all read. There is something magical about watching readers interact with my characters and story.
It’s a mix between oddly terrifying and liberating.
I get to see what you identify that I didn’t know was in my plot or characters. On occasion I get to explain why I wrote something the way I did. But the true magic is in the reality that a book is just words on a screen or page until a reader interacts with them. That is where the transformation occurs.
So how can you launch a book club if you aren’t already part of one?
- Choose a type of book to read…not every book will appeal to each person, so figure out what you and your friends will enjoy. Maybe focus on a genre or rotate among the months. You could do coming of age in January, romance in February, Christmas stories in December, etc. Consider reading one childhood classic a year. I’ve loved reading these with my kids, and it could become a group favorite.
- Select your books ahead of time…give people time to buy or locate the book. I’ve heard of very successful clubs setting the books they’ll read 6 to 12 months ahead of time. That can be one of your meetings. Have people bring a book they want to read or think the group will enjoy. Then vote or let each person select one. There are so many ways to select.
- Include food…make it a time of fellowship. I’ve attended book clubs where they served a full meal, others with appetizers, and still others that focused on desserts. There’s no right or wrong answer. The key is to provide a vehicle for people to connect.
- Consider using book discussion questions, but don’t become rigid...let the conversation free-wheel from the questions in the back of the book. Sometimes those questions aren’t what interested your members. That’s great! Talk about the things that catch your attention. Have someone as a designated leader for each book, and do a little research to have conversation starters when the discussion peters to a halt. Need some help coming up with questions? There are excellent suggestions here and here. Penguin also has some helpful information here.
- Talk to the author….many of my friends and I love participating in bookclubs. All you have to do is ask. We may join you in person or via phone or Skype. It’s a great way to learn why the author wrote the book…what they learned…research they did, etc. You can ask why they killed characters or didn’t.
- Pay attention to book length… From the research I did 300-350 pages seems to be the sweet spot. I’d love to know if longer books have worked for a book club you’re part of.
- Encourage discussion… agree to disagree on the book and your opinions. Be gentle but firm about actually discussing the book. Spend somewhere between 20-40% of your time enjoying fellowship and food. The rest of the time is about the book. And a way to keep one person from dominating is to use phrases like “let’s hear from others” or pass an object and people can talk when they have it. That one seems so strict, but it’s a way to make sure all participate.
Are you a member of a book club? Have you had an author participate? What would you recommend to those starting a club?
I can’t wait to read your thoughts! And if you’d like to have me join your book club, simply complete this form:
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I don’t know of a database of bookclubs, so I’d recommend checking with local libraries and churches. Good luck!
Yeah! Love hearing it was timely!
I do, too!
I love that you’re in two bookclubs. I’d love to find the time to join one!
I’ve been a member of one book club or another for many years. I started a book club at work when I discovered many of my coworkers also enjoyed reading. That first group lasted for a year or two, but it became evident that some were more interested in having a wine club. LOL So that group kind of split off and we were left with a smaller group that was excited to continue reading. In both groups, however, the members always took turns selecting the book we’d read. We didn’t limit it to genre – we wanted to encourage people to read outside what they normally would. I will say, this group is the one who introduced me to The Hunger Games. And we all wound up reading the entire series rather than just the first one. Over the last couple of years, that group has taken a break. One member had a mother battling cancer and she was splitting her time between PA and TX, another was going through a divorce…. we’ve recently had talks of starting back up now that things have settled down. But in that time, I joined an online book club that spans the globe. That group focuses on Christian Fiction which I love. It has been so fun meeting folks from other countries. One woman is using the books we read to help her improve her English! And that group invites the author each month. I think for those just starting a book club, it’s helpful to first discuss how you’d like the club to work so that all members will know if it’s a good fit for them. One of the rules my work group has is that the book must be available at the library and in audiobook format. That limits us somewhat, but it’s also stretched us to find new books. We also instituted a rule that it had to be a book you hadn’t read before. How often you plan to meet is something to determine early on as well. My online club meets each month, but my work club wouldn’t set a meeting date until we’d all finished the book. We kept each other posted on our status so that we weren’t taking too long to get together, but it was much more flexible. No matter what club I’m in – I’m always excited to read something I might not have otherwise. I’ve found so many great new-to-me authors this way! I’ll share this post with my online group leader… we have our books selected for the remainder of the year, but it’d be great to get you into our line-up for next year!
Joy, I’ve been thinking about starting a book club, and I loved reading about your clubs. They sounds great!I love the blend of flexibility and boundaries. And I’d love to be in your line-up!