If you love to read and share ideas, you might want to consider starting a book club. It's a great way to challenge your mind and make new friends while sharing your thoughts and ideas with others. Plus, you'll be more likely to make time for reading and learning knowing that you're part of a group.
If you're interested in starting a book club, here's how to get started:
Start by Gathering Together a Small Group of Enthusiastic Readers
If you have coworkers or friends who are avid readers, they will be natural participants for your book club. Once you find a few good people, they can help you recruit more readers. Enlist the help of your friends, office workers, and members of your church and social groups to help you find more members.
Establish the Location and Times for Your Book Club Meetings
You may want to consider meeting at a local bookstore, a coffee café, an empty school room, or in a room at your library. A restaurant would be another possible site for meeting, particularly if your book club is oriented towards food and cookbooks. Select a meeting time that works for your core group of participants. Most book club meetings are held on a monthly meeting to give each member time to complete the required reading material.
Determine How Many Members Your Book Club Can Support
Book clubs can be large or small with membership ranging from 2 to 30. The ideal number for a young book club seems to be around ten. With this number of participants, you're less likely to have difficulties with coordinating the schedules of participants. Plus, a smaller group tends to be more intimate and less intimidating. Determine What Your Focus Will Be and Establish Your Rules
Will your book club have a particular theme or will you focus on current books on the best seller list? Who will lead and moderate the discussions? You need a moderator to start the meeting, moderate it, and encourage the flow of thoughts. Choose someone from your core group who is articulate and well read and who's not afraid to speak in front of a group.
Set Up an Initial Meeting With Your Book Club Group
At your initial meeting, you'll want to decide which books to cover over the first few meetings. You may want to focus initially on books on the best seller lists. Find a listing of best sellers online and present them to the group. Your book club members can vote on which books they'd like to discuss initially. Once you know what books you'll be covering, you may want to ask your local bookstore if they are willing to give a discount on books to your members. Enjoy the Experience
Enjoy the intellectual stimulation and the free flow of thoughts that a book club offers. If ideas become stagnant or if members leave your group, you can advertise your book club at your local library to gain more members. It's important to keep the meetings stimulating and thought provoking.
Starting a book club is a challenging and rewarding endeavor. If you love to read, this social activity will be a natural for you and will help you derive even more pleasure out of reading.
