Here’s how to get your book club off to a flying start.
Finding fellow readers
Ask around your existing personal networks, including neighbours, friends, social media, or a community noticeboard.
Once you mention you want to start a club, you’ll be surprised how many people may want to come along.
Ask at your local bookshop and library for ideas – many run regular reading groups and can point you in the right direction for good books.
Identify what common interests you and your group have and use these to help draw like-minded people.
Once you start looking, you’ll find book clubs for men or women, seniors, sci-fi lovers, teenagers or cookery buffs.
The time, the place
Once you have a group, agree on how often you want to meet – typically clubs meet monthly, though the time-poor may want to make it bi-monthly.
For many clubs, meeting at home works best as you don’t have to get dressed up, and noisy public venues can make talking hard.
If members bring a plate of food or a bottle, it takes the pressure off the host.
But try rotating your meeting location as this will help to stimulate fresh thoughts.
Be inspired
Tailor your venue according to the book’s subject matter. The Light Between the Oceans by M.L. Stedman was discussed over fish’n’chips by one club, while The Red Tent by Anita Diamant was chewed over at a Middle Eastern restaurant.