Beth Neff's Blog - Posts Tagged "reading-groups"
Hey, Book Groups! This is for you...
I think book clubs and reading groups are awesome. Books are invaluable to our well-being, even more so when they can be shared. There is almost nothing better than getting a chance to talk about the stories that give meaning to our lives.
Here are some ideas to make your own book group a success.
Whether conducted by the local library, school or bookstore or as a more informal gathering of friends and acquaintences, it is important for a book group to operate as a democracy. Participants should have input on book selection, discussion strategies, the logistics of scheduling, etc. Everyone needs to feel involved in decision-making.
That said, there is nothing wrong with assigning someone to take responsibility for these or any tasks, if everyone agrees that’s what they want to do. Especially in book clubs that are oriented toward a particular genre, members may appreciate book selections suggested by someone with expertise or interest in the area. Another arrangement can be rotating responsibility for book selection among members or developing a list of potential book selections and then choosing from the list. The important point is that everyone agrees to the strategy and then refrains from complaining about the book selection or about feeling left out if they have agreed to the way books will be chosen ahead of time.
Establish agree-upon goals for your group. Do you want to read a book a month? Six books a year? Do you want to meet bi-monthly? Do you want to focus on bestsellers? Pulitzer Prize winners? Newbery Award winners? Classics? Do you have a maximum number of participants? Address as many questions as you can in your planning, write everything down, and then be willing to evaluate again if something comes up. If issues do arise, be sure everyone is there for the discussion and that it doesn’t happen over the phone or through e-mail between just a few members (unless you are organized enough to have assigned a board who takes responsibility for certain kinds of decisions.)
Be sure that time is given each meeting to talk about the book. Remember your goals and try to meet them. If socializing is an important aspect of your gathering (and be sure it is for everyone,) set time aside before or after the book discussion. Be mindful of making everyone feel welcome and involved, even (and especially) if some people have relationships outside the group.
Not everyone is going to like every book. Members should agree to read at least 50 pages of each book before giving up (100 would be better!) Yet, even if a reader doesn’t enjoy a book, it is essential for criticism to remain constructive, based on the understanding that reading enjoyment is subjective. All criticism should be reserved for the book itself and not targeted at other members who might disagree. Keep competition out of the group. People vary in the speed they read, the amount of time they have to devote to it, the types of books they enjoy. Above all, be respectful.
Consider creative discussion strategies to keep your group dynamic. If discussion leadership rotates between members, allow each person to conduct his or her meeting in the way that suits them best. A list of discussion questions is always a good idea but there are lots of other possibilities as well. Here are a few:
- Each member brings an object that connects to something or someone in the book.
- Each member reads a short selection from the book.
- Each member describes one thing they liked and one thing they didn’t about the book.
- Each member chooses a favorite (or least favorite) character and describes the reasons for his or her choice.
- Each member describes another book that the selection made them think of.
And finally, authors might be very interested in getting involved in your conversation. Speaking just for myself, I love hearing from people who have selected my book for a reading group and am happy to contribute or participate any way I can. Consider inviting an author to respond to discussion questions you have devised.
Here are some ideas to make your own book group a success.
Whether conducted by the local library, school or bookstore or as a more informal gathering of friends and acquaintences, it is important for a book group to operate as a democracy. Participants should have input on book selection, discussion strategies, the logistics of scheduling, etc. Everyone needs to feel involved in decision-making.
That said, there is nothing wrong with assigning someone to take responsibility for these or any tasks, if everyone agrees that’s what they want to do. Especially in book clubs that are oriented toward a particular genre, members may appreciate book selections suggested by someone with expertise or interest in the area. Another arrangement can be rotating responsibility for book selection among members or developing a list of potential book selections and then choosing from the list. The important point is that everyone agrees to the strategy and then refrains from complaining about the book selection or about feeling left out if they have agreed to the way books will be chosen ahead of time.
Establish agree-upon goals for your group. Do you want to read a book a month? Six books a year? Do you want to meet bi-monthly? Do you want to focus on bestsellers? Pulitzer Prize winners? Newbery Award winners? Classics? Do you have a maximum number of participants? Address as many questions as you can in your planning, write everything down, and then be willing to evaluate again if something comes up. If issues do arise, be sure everyone is there for the discussion and that it doesn’t happen over the phone or through e-mail between just a few members (unless you are organized enough to have assigned a board who takes responsibility for certain kinds of decisions.)
Be sure that time is given each meeting to talk about the book. Remember your goals and try to meet them. If socializing is an important aspect of your gathering (and be sure it is for everyone,) set time aside before or after the book discussion. Be mindful of making everyone feel welcome and involved, even (and especially) if some people have relationships outside the group.
Not everyone is going to like every book. Members should agree to read at least 50 pages of each book before giving up (100 would be better!) Yet, even if a reader doesn’t enjoy a book, it is essential for criticism to remain constructive, based on the understanding that reading enjoyment is subjective. All criticism should be reserved for the book itself and not targeted at other members who might disagree. Keep competition out of the group. People vary in the speed they read, the amount of time they have to devote to it, the types of books they enjoy. Above all, be respectful.
Consider creative discussion strategies to keep your group dynamic. If discussion leadership rotates between members, allow each person to conduct his or her meeting in the way that suits them best. A list of discussion questions is always a good idea but there are lots of other possibilities as well. Here are a few:
- Each member brings an object that connects to something or someone in the book.
- Each member reads a short selection from the book.
- Each member describes one thing they liked and one thing they didn’t about the book.
- Each member chooses a favorite (or least favorite) character and describes the reasons for his or her choice.
- Each member describes another book that the selection made them think of.
And finally, authors might be very interested in getting involved in your conversation. Speaking just for myself, I love hearing from people who have selected my book for a reading group and am happy to contribute or participate any way I can. Consider inviting an author to respond to discussion questions you have devised.
