5 Things I Learned in My First Year Running a Book Club
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A few of the books the Serve Me the Sky Book Club read in 2020
A few months before the pandemic struck, I thought to myself, “What if I launched my own book club?” I posted some polls on Twitter and Instagram to see if people would join a book club if I started one. The response was overwhelmingly positive, and I was thrilled! I started building a list of emails and before I knew it, I had 50+ names on my list.
Our first meetup was in February 2020 and we met in person at Writers & Books, an amazing literary arts nonprofit here in Rochester. Finding a place to meet was one of the hardest parts of organizing a book club at first! I reached out to many different spaces to see if they could accommodate a small group of 10-12 people, and lots of them wanted to charge a space rental fee. I proposed a partnership with Writers & Books where we encourage our book club members to shop at their new bookstore, Ampersand Books, in exchange for using their space, and they agreed! Due to the pandemic, we only met twice in person before switching to virtual meetups via Google Meet.
Meeting virtually has not had a negative impact on our group at all! We’ve had a great turnout at each meetup; it seems easier to make space for it in your schedule when you don’t have to go anywhere. I also appreciate that it gives us all something to look forward to once a month. It’s been a fantastic year with the Serve Me the Sky Book Club. If you’re looking to launch your own book club someday, here are five things I learned in running my book club in its first year:
1) Stay organized
In order to keep my book club running smoothly each month, I use a list in Gmail to easily contact the group. I send regular emails (a thank you after each discussion, a one week away reminder, and a two days away reminder) so that book club remains on everyone’s radar. I also require RSVPs for our meetups and track them in a Google Doc. Once the attendee list has been confirmed, I send the Google Meet link out to everyone who RSVPed yes. All of these small things keep our book club running efficiently!
2) Be proactive
At the beginning of each year, I determine our meetup dates for the entire year and email them out. We meet the second Wednesday of each month. Having a consistent date helps people keep the book club on their calendars!
I also try to announce books at least two months ahead of time. Our book club is very informal; I encourage folks to skip a meetup if they’re not interested in the book or if they’re busy. By announcing books well in advance, people can read ahead if they’d like. Right now, I have our books announced through April so folks can plan! Being proactive has been a big help.
3) Make space for people to speak
This has become especially important since we moved to virtual meetups! I have a tendency to feel a need to fill silence. But it’s not about me! The discussion is for the group. Even if it may be awkward, I’ll ask a question and then let the group pause, absorb it, and respond. I don’t need to rush to answer my own question. There are lots of smart, thoughtful folks in our group, and pausing to let them think and process is always a good thing! Silence doesn’t mean the conversation is going badly. It’s all part of having a discussion.
4) Virtual community means a lot
I know we’re all tired of Zoom, but it feels different with book club. Each month, we pop onto Google Meet and I’m so excited to see everyone’s faces! I look forward to hearing everyone’s opinions on our book selections. Sometimes while I’m reading our book club pick, I think I wonder what so and so will think of this. This book club has attracted friends, acquaintances, and even strangers from the internet, and it’s been spectacular! Books are an excellent foundation for friendships. To keep up with each other in between meetups, I created a Facebook group where people can share other book recommendations and upcoming events.
One book club member, Ben Kieran, shared his thoughts on being part of the group and what he’s learned: “Book clubs are a great way to motivate reading. It's easy to let everyday life run you down and instead of picking up a new book, I end up surfing the streaming services for stuff I don't really want to watch. And I still do that. But I missed reading. This club has gotten me back into reading regularly. Not just the book club books but all kinds of fiction and nonfiction. And I'm reading outside my normal genres. I've gone from having a dusty pile of to-be-read books that sit on my nightstand for years to regularly finishing books and looking for new ones. I feel like I'm a reader again.
It's also been interesting to me how people converse on a topic, either in person or over video chat, compared to the more anonymous, removed form of text-chatting on social media. In our club meetings are so careful not to step on each other's words or come across too heated or snarky. The focus is always on the book and not each other. Yet we've built friendly relationships with each other. It's refreshing and inspiring.”
5) Conversation can enhance appreciation
Often I’ve read a book I’ve loved and wanted to discuss it with others, so having a book club has been amazing for that. But even in instances where the book isn’t a personal favorite, I’ve gained a deeper appreciation for it through our conversations! Our book club members help me see the books from different perspectives, finding new takeaways or highlighting things I may have missed. That’s been one of my favorite parts about this book club experience.
To check out what we’ve been reading, explore our 2020 Book Club Picks and the 2021 Book Club Picks so far!
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