So You Love Books....Should You Start A Club?

Remember in grade school when every hobby you could possibly dream of was made into a club? Crafts, baking, hockey, gymnastics. You'd scribble your name on a sign up sheet and the next thing you know you're with a dozen or more kids every recess time, having fun doing your favourite activities. Those were the days.

Who says we're too old for that?

Recently I've been talking to women who have started book clubs. They enjoy reading and recommending their latest faves to their book worm friends, so they figure, why not start a club? And what a good question: why not?

Whenever I finish a good book, not just any good book but the kind I can't put down and sends me into a period of grieving once it is finished, the first thing I want to do is gush about it with friends. "You HAVE to read it!" I tell them. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't.

If you're like me, a group of people who love to read and discuss reading material sounds like a great idea  You know, like a high school English class without the essays, exams, and that awkward pimple faced boy in the blue sweater vest who stares at you while breathing through his mouth. Unless you want to incorporate any of that, it's up to you. To start a book club, here are some things to remember:

Select your members
Ask around to see who's interested and make sure that you include people who are willing and eager to participate actively!

Choose books/book themes - Think of different themes, genres, and authors for each month. You could cover the classics, browse Oprah's Book Club, pick sci-fi series, etc. Let your book club members vote on what they want to read.

Meet once a month
Arrange a time and place  to meet. Usually a month is enough time to get through a decent sized book. A quiet place like a cafe or someone's house is a good location. You could take turns hosting and even turn it into a potluck dinner party. A glass of wine with a good book is always enjoyable.

Create a question template
Be prepared with a list of tentative questions to ask your club to get the ball rolling in discussion. Sometimes people are hesitant to voice their opinions, so an already made list of topics to explore can be really helpful.

Photo source. 

Courtney Gilmour
		About the author:
		Courtney is a published writer, stand-up comic, and shameless Internet enthusiast. She holds a double bachelors degree in English Literature and Communication Media Studies, specializing in semiotic theory, however she doesn't get Shakespeare and has never won a game of Scrabble. Currently she lives in Toronto and works as a writer for WOMAN.CA.
	Read More >>