By Lisa Crocco
Starting a book club is a fun way to get together with your friends and share each other’s love of reading. Whether you’re looking to discuss great literature or if it’s just an excuse to chat over cocktails, starting a book club is a great idea.
If you are ready to start your own book club and become an official bookworm then follow these tips to ensure a smooth process:
Try to keep it cheap – If you and group members are tight on money, then borrow books from the library or find them cheap on Amazon. If one of your group members has already read one of the titles, encourage them to lend the book to a group member.
Get out of your comfy zone – You may not be the biggest fan of reading thrillers, but if that’s what the group agrees, then you should go ahead and read it. We all have our favorite genres of books, but giving something new a try just helps us to become more well-rounded individuals.
So many titles to choose from – This isn’t just your book club, it is everyone in the group’s book club. Creating a spreadsheet that members can list their book suggestions is a great way to encourage members to voice their opinion. Also, using Facebook polls/surveys in the group to narrow down the suggestions and vote on which book to read that month helps foster a positive experience.
Pick a day that works – Mondays are never a good idea and weekends are definitely a no go. So be sure to pick a day that’s convenient for everyone to come together once a month to discuss what you all have read.
Convenience v. headache – If your members can’t meet at the chosen time, live too far or just don’t feel like getting out of bed, then you should post your notes from the meeting online and encourage others to share theirs too. That way, members don’t have to miss a thing and can still engage in the conversation.
Make it fun – Choosing cool locations every month to meet at is a must. Ask your members if they have a favorite local cafe, a restaurant that’s the bee’s knees or maybe a penthouse apartment with a beautiful view of the skyline to meet at.
Make new friends – What if you just so happen to meet a fellow comic book nerd also in the same book club, fall in love, get married and live nerdily ever after? It can happen…if you join a book club.
Speak your mind – This is your chance to be brutally honest about what you read. And you know what? The group will respect you (they might disagree with you and that’s okay) because you will also respect them (even if you want to punch them in the face for worshipping Nicholas Sparks).
If you have started a book club and have some tips or tricks you would like to share, please comment below!