How to start a book club
Talking about books with others and meeting new people, these are what make book clubs special. If you can’t find a book club in your area, then why not start one yourself? Here’s how.
Determine the type of book club
What is the purpose of the book club? Do you only want to talk about books or, for example, eat together first? Does everyone really have to read the book(s)(completely), or is that not so important? In short: before you start it, how do you envisage the book club? And is it clear to future members what to expect? Also consider whether you want to start an online (for example via Goodreads or Instagram) or offline book club.
Which genres?
Do you only want to read thrillers or historical novels, or are you interested in multiple genres? This is also useful to determine in advance, so that you can invite people who also like to read such books.
The size of the group
Do you want to keep the group small or invite lots of people? The advantage of a large group is that you get to hear many ideas and opinions, and that the conversation will not end quickly. A disadvantage may be that not everyone will be able to have their say so easily. It is also harder to find a suitable location. Smaller groups are a bit more intimate and you can just meet at someone’s home.
Invite people
Next, you can start inviting people. If you don’t know anyone in your area who loves to read, ask if you can hang up an advertisement at the local library, café or bookstores.
Choosing books
Now the question is: Which books will you read? Do you want to determine that together amongst yourselves (for example at the end of every meeting) or would you rather make that decision yourself? In any event, it is nice if you are open to suggestions and let others share ideas for book choices. What you can also do is make a number of suggestions and let the members vote on it. When selecting a book, consider the difficulty level and the number of pages. It is also nice if the book is available from the library.
