How to Start A Group:
- Many book clubs are made up of people of similar ages and stages in life, but it's interesting to note that those groups that have a range of ages and/or a mix of men and women often say how much they value the different perspectives.
- Decide how many people you want in your book club and keep it to that number. It is hard to have a meaningful discussion with 40 people. 8-15 people is a good amount to strive for to start.
- Decide when you will meet and for how long. If meeting monthly is too much, meet every six weeks or every other month.
- Decide on a theme and tone for the club. Will you read mostly mysteries, literary fiction, inspirational, nonfiction?
- Decide where you’ll have your meetings. Rotating members' houses? Panera? If you're holding meetings at members' houses, do they provide food and beverages?
- Don’t start the discussion by asking if people liked the book.
- Don't pick War and Peace for your first meeting.
- Don’t expect each member to buy a new, hardcover title each month. See what's available at local libraries, Overdrive and 3M ebook services, and paperback.
- Don’t skip the meeting because you didn’t read the book. You can still come and contribute. Do not keep apologizing…and read the next book!
- Have each member give an anonymous list of books they liked with a short summary. Drop into a bowl or bag and at the end of each meeting pull out a title for the next meeting or meetings. Or ask members to anonymously write down titles and summaries, then have the group vote on the ones they want to read.
- Some clubs pick the next title at the end of the meeting, others like to plan several months out. Find what works best for your group.
- When deciding on a book, make sure it offers topics for discussion. Books that will stimulate a good discussion may contain: complex plots or characters, complicated conflicts, inspiring storylines, hanging endings, controversial subject matter, periods of history, or social commentary.
- If reading a book is too time consuming, try podcast or long form magazine articles for discussion.
- If your group needs a break, try watching a movie based off of a book from time to time.
- Set a page number limit for your group and stick to it. You want to make sure people have enough time to read the book. 350-400 pages is a good maximum amount.
Meetings:
- Allow time for socializing in the beginning. It is going to happen either way, so just build it in to the schedule. Make a set time limit of 30-45 minutes so that it doesn’t consume the whole meeting.
- If you’re hosting, begin with a brief summary of the book and the characters. It may have been a couple of weeks since some members have read the book.
- Don't feel you have to talk about each question! If the group doesn't have a lot to say about a topic or doesn't seem interested in the question, move on to a question that gets them talking. Or better yet, see if any one in the group has a question they'd like to discuss.
- Give everyone an opportunity to speak before moving on to the next question, but don't force everyone to answer every question. If someone continually dominates the discussion, consider discussing it later with them in private.
- Fake it till you make it! Nail your literary buzzwords. Like wine-tasting, uttering a few literary buzzwords make you seem bookish. Talk about things like: symbolism, undertones, structure and, of course, the human condition.
- Plan a meeting at a park, beach, or restaurant for a change of pace.
- If you’re hosting, make food that pairs with your book theme. For example, A Tale for the Time Being is set in British Columbia and Japan so maybe make an appetizer with fish or seaweed salad.
- Find music to play that accompanies the theme of the book. Don’t play it so loud that it distracts the group.
- As you read each novel, jot down page numbers and passages that moved you.
- Share the work! The host for that month may select a number of questions, write each on an index card, and pass them out. Each member takes a card, then asks the group the question.
- If you're leading the discussion and you have the time to do so, reasearch a little about the author, a subject in the book, the time period, etc. It will enhance the discussion and everyone's understanding of the book.
- Lit Lovers: www.litlovers.com
- Penguin Random House: www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books
- ALA Book Discussion Groups: libguides.ala.org/bookdiscussiongroups
- Reading Group Guides: www.readinggroupguides.com
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