The Ultimate Guide to Starting a Book Club

Book clubs:  Are they worth it? Should you start one? Are they even still a thing?!? These and more, are the questions I seek to answer within this article and help you start your very own book club today!

A Brief History of Book Clubs

It is believed that book clubs have been around since as early as 1634, when a woman named Anne Hutchinson, a Puritan leader, held meetings discussing the weekly sermons that were held on the boat they were aboard as it made its way towards Massachusetts. Eventually, the meetings were shut down because it was thought that the ideas being exchanged were “dangerous”. But that didn’t stop women or men from continuing to gather and discuss books and poetry. Often referred to as reading circles, they became more popular in the 1700’s, when women typically formed them and discussed the writings of the time. Margaret Fuller, is credited with starting the first book club, as we think of it today when she gathered groups of people to have what she called “conversations”. She is quoted as writing that members should be “desirous to answer the great questions,” citing the two “provocative questions” as being “What were we born to do?” and “How shall we do it?”. But it didn’t end there, and many other women and men have gathered at book clubs to discuss important societal issues for centuries.

What is a book club?

So now we know a little bit of the history around book clubs, but you may still be asking, “What is a book club, and what do you do there?” To put it simply, book clubs are a place where people meet and discuss their thoughts and opinions on a book or piece of literature that has been chosen for that month. Most book clubs are free to join, or as this article suggests, you can form your own!

How to pick a book club book

Another question often pondered is “How do you choose a book for book club?” The answer to this isn’t as simple. Choosing the right books for your book club may take some effort. You may want to consider who your members are, what commonalities you share, what differences, and so on.

Some book clubs are genre-based, for instance, you may join a romance novel book club, and each book will be some sort of romance novel but may include other genres as well.

 If you’re the leader of the book club, you may be expected to choose the book, but a good idea would be to give a choice between two or three books and leave it to a vote from the members. Be sure to choose books that are short enough to finish in the allotted time, but long enough to have a hardy discussion about.

For your first book choice, it may be a good idea to choose a book with a discussion guide. Many public libraries provide discussion guides with books, and some may even have a kit specifically for book clubs, that comes with multiple copies of the book for your members. This is a great option if you have some members who want to be frugal but still participate in the club.

Another option would be to follow along with another book club’s picks. Some of the most popular book clubs include Reese’s Book Club and #ReadwithJenna, among many others. If you have a favorite celebrity or author, they may have their own book lists that you can peruse.

The most important thing when choosing a book is to choose something people want to read and talk about. Usually, this means the books will provide some type of connection to the audience, including character diversity, and relatable themes.

Questions to ask for book club:

If you can’t get a hold of a discussion guide for a book you’ve chosen, there are still plenty of questions you can ask and ways to invoke a discussion. Some questions you might ask include:

• What scene or part of the book stuck with you the most?
• Who were your favorite or least favorite characters? Why?
• Did you find the book easy to finish or a challenge to get done?
• Did you know anything about this book before reading it?
• Discuss favorite quotes from the book.
• Did anything upset or frustrate you about the book? What part and why?
• Did any parts resonate with you? If so, which parts?
• Would you recommend this book or author to someone?
• Did you enjoy the author’s writing style and prose?

These are some general questions that could apply to any book, but you may think of more specific questions as you read the book. Keep a list of all the questions you think of and encourage your members to do the same.

Where to meet for book club

This will depend on many factors, but if you’re able to, your home is a great place to host book club! Another great option is to have each member take turns hosting. Every other member who isn’t hosting, can bring some type of snack or drink with them to book club. This could include appetizers, meals, desserts, wine, punch etc. Each meeting can be a little party of sorts, and that will keep members wanting to come back for more each month.

If hosting at members’ homes isn’t an option, other places like coffee shops, cafes, restaurants, bars, or even libraries can be good options. You could even meet at parks, set out a picnic blanket, and enjoy some fresh air with your books! The possibilities are endless!

How often do book clubs meet?

Most book clubs will read one book a month, which means they will meet once a month. This could be at the end of the month, or the beginning of the month, depending on when the book is chosen. The main thing is to make sure members have had time to read the book in its entirety so no parts will be spoiled while discussing.

How to Invite Your Members to Book Club

A good way to let everyone know about the when and where of book club is by creating a private Facebook group that members can join through invitation only. With this option, members would be able to post updates and create upcoming events. This is a great way to initially invite members to join as well!

Another good option is email. You can create free e-vites online through this site. Whatever way you tell members, be sure to keep the meetings updated regularly so everyone can plan their schedule accordingly.

What not to do at book club

You never want to show up and try to discuss a book you haven’t read. If you haven’t had time to read the book, simply let the leader know, and try to catch up for the next month. The point of book clubs it to share your honest thoughts and opinions on the literature, and you cannot do that if you haven’t read the book.

Listen to the other members while they’re speaking! Do not interrupt someone or try to take over the conversation. In a good book club, everyone will get their chance to speak, and no one wants to be interrupted or ignored.

Discussion can be lively, and opinions will differ, but you want to keep it respectful and positive. There should never be a time when a member is feeling shamed, judged, or ostracized.

How many people are in a book club?

A good number of members for book clubs would be anywhere from 8-10 people, but a smaller amount of people can be just as good. All that matters is that you’re able to have a thought-provoking conversation with someone about the book, and that could even be just two people!

What do you bring to book club?

First, your book! Especially if you have a passage highlighted or bookmarked page that you want to share with the group, it’s a good idea to bring the book or e-reader you have it on. Another thing you might bring is a shareable snack, drink, or dessert, especially if you’re going to someone else’s home. Book clubs tend to last 1.5 to 2 hours, and everyone will probably get hungry from all the thinking and discussing!

Rules of book club

There are usually not many rules for book club, but if you want to set some ground rules, they

might be as follows:

• Be respectful of someone’s opinion.
• Show up prepared, having read the book in its entirety.
• Do not interrupt or talk over someone when they have the floor.
• Be kind and patient while others are talking, do not look at your phone or start dazing off into space. Give everyone the attention they deserve.
• Participate in the conversation and be honest about your thoughts and opinion.
• Be respectful to the host or leader of the club meeting and let them know whether you plan to attend.
• Have fun!

I hope this post can encourage you to start a book club! Whether you meet in person or virtually, a book club is a fantastic way to keep yourself accountable for your reading list, meet new people, and discover new books! And more than anything, a book club is a great way to connect through literature. Reading is one of the best hobbies you can partake in and forming a book club is a perfect way to help others discover a love for reading!

Any other tips you’d like to add? Be sure to let me know in the comments below!