10 Tips for Running a Successful Book Club

Reading is a very popular hobby, but not one that is not often done in groups.  This is a shame, since a shared love of a book can bring people together across generations and cultures.  Book clubs are a great way to share your love of reading and meet new people, and there’s no reason to be afraid to start a book club – it’s easy!

1. Obviously, gathering a group to become a book club is the most important step.  The easiest way it so start with three or four core members, who invite their friends to join.  If you’re new to an area, simply ask acquaintances (you’d be surprised how many people are interested, but never take the first step) or advertise!
2. When forming your group, aim for diversity.  A wide range of opinions and life experiences will make your discussions much richer.
3. Have a “ground breaking” meeting, where you set your schedule and lay some ground rules.  You might want to determine whether everyone alternates hosting the meetings and choosing the books, what kinds of books you read, and how to go about changing the schedule if need be.  Lists of book club rules can be found all over the internet – tailor them to suit your needs.
4. Book choice is obviously going to be the biggest issue in a book club.  Determine right away what kinds of books you’ll be reading, who chooses, if anything is “off limits,” and how to discuss them.
5. Food is also going to be the main draw for a book club.  If members don’t all feel up to rotating through hosting and feeding a group, perhaps you should all meet at a restaurant.
6. Scheduling will be very important!  Schedule what books you will read and when, who will be hosting, leading, and choosing.  Laying the foundation like this will ensure that things flow smoothly later.
7. To start with, you might want to read books that come with discussion guides already printed in them, or find discussion questions online.  As your club progresses, you may find that discussion begins to naturally flow, without the need for a “cheat sheet.”
8. Discussing books can get heated, so be sure to lay ground rules about how discussions should proceed.  There may be a need for a designated “arbitrator” should things get out of hand, or a time limit on discussions.
9. Above all, have fun!  Book clubs are meant to be a social event, and they don’t need to be extremely serious or organized in order to be enjoyable.  Your club may even evolve over time, from reading the classics to discussing events, or simply a group of friends who meets weekly – and that’s the point.
10. If at first you don’t succeed, try try again.  Sometimes a group of people won’t click, or lives get busy and the book club falls by the wayside.  There is no shame in starting fresh, or even belonging to more than one club – if you can keep up with the reading list!

Jillian Gile is a guest blogger for My Dog Ate My Blog and a writer on earning your online degree for the Guide to Online Schools.