There are few greater pleasures in life than curling up with a good book. In fact, the only way to make reading better is perhaps to share the experience with friends. Enter the book club.
Book clubs are a fun, engaging way to share your favorite novels, memoirs and true crime thrillers with friends, neighbors and fellow readers.
But they offer non-literary benefits, too.
Book clubs are an effective vehicle for meeting new people, forming lasting social bonds, engaging your mind with new ideas and expanding your community of support. They help fend off the social isolation that’s been shown to increase the risk of serious physical and mental health conditions including high blood pressure, heart disease, weakened immune system, cognitive decline, depression and Alzheimer’s disease.
Conversely, adults who engage socially with others, in activities like book clubs, often experience elevated mood, higher levels of happiness and improved cognitive performance, among other benefits.
If you don’t know of any book clubs in your area, consider these six simple steps for starting your own:
Decide what kind of book club you might want to host
Are you passionate about romance novels? Do you love a good sci-fi book? Is nonfiction more your speed? The first step in getting your book club started is deciding what kind of book club you want it to be. There are book clubs that focus on specific genres, those that stick to one preferred author, those that have a different theme for each meeting. Decide which one sounds right for your reading habits.
Choose a location and format
Are you able to host a safe, socially-distanced book club in person in your home, your back garden, your local park? Or would you prefer to host an online book club? After determining what type of book club you want to host, you’ll need to determine location and format, including how frequently you want to meet, how long those meetings will be, how many people can join.
Determine your first read, along with a method for deciding future books
The next step is selecting your book club’s first read. You’ll also want to consider the method you’ll use for deciding on subsequent books. Will members vote on their favorites? Will one person be designated to select a book? Consider these questions as you’re determining the specifics of your book club.
Pick a date and time for your first meeting, and let people know
Once you’ve sorted out the logistics, confirm a date and time for your first meeting, and let people know about your club. Send out a group text or a mass email. Put out a call on social media or leave a flyer at your local library or place of worship.
Check out other book clubs
As you continue hosting your new book club, consider engaging with other book clubs, ones that offer different formats, different types of books, different types of people. This will help you get new ideas for your own club, and grow your list of books — and friends — in the process.
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