how to start a women\'s book group

Make Friends and Stimulate Your Mind - Start a Women’s Book Group!

Isn’t this a wonderful combination? Make this combination become a reality by starting a women’s book group! I have been a member of a dynamic book group for 8 years, dating back to the first year that I moved to a new town. More recently, my daughter and I have joined a Mother/Daughter book group that is equally terrific.

Here are some guidelines for getting started:

Members

Plan on recruiting between 8 and 12 members. My preference is for an “all women” membership because it makes the book selection process easier! My mother’s group is mixed and it is definitely harder for them to choose a book with mutual appeal.
Cast a wide net – part of the joy of my book group is that the women come from many different backgrounds and phases of life. If everyone in your group has a 2^nd grader at the same school, you know where the conversation is going to head!
Keep in mind that you want members who LIKE to read and like to read books that are outside of the “chic lit” genre. Not that I don’t enjoy these types of books too, but most don’t lend themselves to serious discussion!
Don’t let your membership dwindle! If at some point your numbers drop, host a meeting where each current member brings a potential new member!

Meeting Specifics

You must make some decisions here!

Day or night?
Private home, public library or restaurant?
What time and day will you meet?
How long will you socialize?

My group meets regularly on the 3^rd Wednesday of each month at 8 p.m. With a set date and time, members can adjust their schedules accordingly. We rotate our location through the members’ homes.

Refreshments

I’d call this a must!

Coffee and bagels if you meet in the morning
Wine and cheese if you meet at night!

Choose a group secretary

Since you are the person forming this new group, you’ll probably need to at least start out as the secretary! The secretary

Keeps an up-to-date e-mail address list for members
Sends out brief summaries of book discussions and the specifics for the next meeting (book title, author, meeting location and RSVP information)
Sends out a reminder e-mail a few days before the next meeting

Book Selection

This is the most important part of the plan!!

For the first meeting, I recommend that you choose the book. (See below for ideas on how to find excellent book group titles.) At your first meeting have an informal conversation about how future books will be selected. Here are some options:

Any member can bring books and a vote is taken for the next read
Toss some titles out to the group and informally agree on a title
Let the hostess choose the book that will be discussed at her home

However you handle this, try to choose at least 2 or 3 books at a time. Members can plan ahead with their reading knowing that March’s book is “Waiting,” April’s is “My Sister’s Keeper” and so on.

Also consider:

Will you limit the length of the books?
Only read books available in paperback?
Eliminate certain genres? (e.g. mysteries, non-fiction, etc.)

Finding Good Books

Need to look for titles? Try:

The section of Amazon devoted to book group suggestions
The New York Times Book Review
Your local librarian
The Today Show and Oprah book lists
Word of mouth!
Book Buffet, a website that provides reading suggestions to those who join their website. ($15/year)
My own suggestions for Recommended Reading

Book Discussion

At the first meeting be prepared to be the discussion leader as well as the host:

Find a reading group guide for your book. Many books now include a reading group guide at the back of the book with great questions. If not, go to the book publisher’s website and check there for a guide. Use the suggested questions as a guide, not as a rule.
It’s important to keep on topic, but the conversation can get really interesting if you let it develop on its own. Be alert to the more quiet members of the group, as well as those that may be dominating the conversation. If the group really gets off topic, gently guide them back with one of the questions from the guide.

Being a Great Book Group Member

Buy the book as soon as possible and READ it!
As you read, jot a few notes into the book. This will help you to remember that point you found so interesting while reading.
Don’t monopolize the conversation. Likewise, don’t worry that your input isn’t worth sharing.

Added Enhancements

If your book is available in play or movie form – go see it as group!
Author readings are another fun way to enhance your experience. (Our book group has heard John Irving, David Sedaris and Joyce Carol Oates!!)
Invite a speaker with a specialty to speak at one of your meetings. (One summer our group read several books by Willa Cather and in September a woman who wrote her doctoral thesis on Cather spoke to us.)
Some books lend themselves to be read in “pairs.” (For instance, we read “Mrs. Dalloway” and “The Hours” together and “Geisha” and “Memoirs of a Geisha” together.) This can be a two month process.

Don’t forget that your goal is to make friends, read thought provoking books and engage in lively discussions! I guarantee that your efforts will be richly rewarded! Grab a book and get reading!

Do you have an idea on book groups that you’d like to share? I’d love to know!