Starting A Book Club: The Basics
Building a Strong Foundation for Reading Groups
Reading may seem like a solitary activity at first glance, but the increasing popularity of book clubs has reinvented the way reading is viewed. Book clubs offer readers the opportunity to socialize with other book enthusiasts and partake in thought provoking and challenging literary discussions.
Basics of Starting A Book Club
Before a book club can begin recruiting members, some preliminary thought must be given to the following:
1. Size of group. Reading groups can greatly vary in size, though in her book The Reading Group Handbook, Rachel Jacobsohn says that the ideal number of participants is twelve to fifteen, since the amount of people who show up to each meeting can fluctuate. The bottom line when determining how many people to invite to participate, one should take into account the fact that on any given meeting, "a third to a half of the membership" will be absent, so it is important to have enough remaining members to carry on a productive discussion.
2. Meeting location and frequency. Depending on the composition of the reading group, it may be best to hold meetings at work during a lunch hour (if it is a company-based book club), at alternating members' homes or at a library, book store, church or community room.
When it comes to determining the frequency of book club meetings, the majority of groups find it best to meet once a month. This allows for all members to read the selection, absorb the material and form questions, thoughts and opinions on the work.
The ideal duration of each meeting, according to Jacobsohn, should be one hour for a short-story discussion and two-hours for a novel discussion. Each meeting should aim to thoroughly cover that month's selection, as it is not recommended to spend more than one session on each book.
3. Group demographics. Deciding whom to invite when forming a new reading group can be a touchy subject. Some groups are strictly comprised of friends who all know one another already, while others are formed among strangers who share a love for reading.
Groups can be as diverse as the reading selections, incorporating members of varying genders, ages, familiarity, education levels, lifestyle or any other number of socioeconomic variables. Keep in mind that more diverse backgrounds will inevitably lead to a wider amount of viewpoints and insight into each selection.
Having a firm idea of what the book club will look like in terms of group size, demographics and meeting structure will ensure a strong foundation for a new and prosperous group.
How to start a book club
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