How to Start Your Own Book Club

Running a book club is a fascinating and enjoyable experience. Planning and good organization will ensure that your book club is a pleasurable experience for both you and your club members.

Book Clubs vs. Reading Groups
Some call them book clubs, some call them reading groups. However, no matter what name you chose, a book club/reading group is a meeting where members congregate to talk about the books they've read. Socially, this is a good way to meet people and find others of like interests. Most clubs designate a particular book for all the members to read. At the following meeting, members can discuss their thoughts/opinions of the book. Traditional clubs meet physically to get together, while online book clubs ‘meet' online. While online clubs can be more convenient, the traditional clubs offer more social interaction. Clubs often meet at libraries or in local restaurants.

Organizing Your Club
Ask yourself what you want in a book club. How many members? Usually a club of 8-12 members is large enough. With too many members, you run the risk of not having enough time for everyone to participate in the discussion. Next, where do you want to meet? If you're interested in meeting at your local library, contact them and see what they have available. Also, you may want to check with several local restaurants to see what they have available. The main thing is to find a place that isn't too noisy and distracting. If your club is small, you may want to host it in your home or rotate club members' homes. 

Don't forget to advertise! Posting a flyer on your library's bulletin board is a good way to reach avid readers. Also, you may want to post an announcement of the formation of your club in your local newspaper and at bookstores in your area.