As a book lover, you may count down the days between one book group meeting and the next, eagerly awaiting the time when you gather either virtually or in person with fellow book-loving friends. If you’re new to a book group or even if you’ve been in one for a while, you may find yourself wondering, How could I come more prepared to discuss the book we’ve been reading? How can I engage more deeply with my group’s discussion? If you’ve asked yourself these questions, here are some tips that can help you get even more out of your book group.
1.) Come prepared (even if you haven’t quite read the whole book). Okay, yes, this is straightforward: reading the selected book is key to being able to participate well in your book club, but sometimes things come up and you just can’t get through all of the reading. That’s totally okay! As you go along in the book, mark scenes that stood out to you or passages you resonated so that even if you don’t finish the entire reading in time for your next discussion, you’ll be able to chime in with your own thoughts on portions of the book that especially caught your eye or sections of the work that really moved you. You could even jot down a few questions you had about these passages and ask them in your group. Chances are your fellow readers will have some reactions of their own to share and some new ideas that will get you thinking more about what you’ve read. Just know, if you don’t finish the whole book, you might hear spoilers as the book is discussed!
2.) Ask yourself, What was my favorite thing about this book and why? What did I like least about it and why? It’s true: you’re probably not going to love every book you ever read or even every book your group has chosen. Not to worry; it happens! As you’re reading a book, ask yourself why you love it or why you don’t. Then consider your favorite thing about it and your least favorite. Thinking through these aspects of a book can help you identify ways you resonated with the book and ways you didn’t, or help you process through why you didn’t like characters or details the author included. Chances are members of your group had similar reactions to the chosen work and you can have a constructive conversation about the things you can learn or take away from a book you loved or even didn’t love. Thinking critically can help you have a longer answer than “I just didn’t like it” and help jump-start a longer conversation as others join in with their own reasons for liking or disliking the reading.
3.) Jot down some of your favorite quotes and then share those with your group. Ever found yourself highlighting lines in a book you’re reading because they’re just that good? Share those passages with your group and let them know what you loved about them, then ask if they had favorite quotes too. Maybe your fellow book club members will love the quotes you’ve selected just as much as you do. Sometimes the passages you find yourself highlighting are key takeaways the author wants you to discover in the reading. What can they tell you about the story as a whole? Why do you think you were so drawn to these passages, and what do they say about the themes of the work? Thinking through these things can help you gain a greater understanding of the book and its key themes or topics.
4.) Do your research to find out more about intriguing elements in the book. If there are things that especially interested you, do some research online to see what you can uncover about fascinating facts or historical details woven into the story. Then, come prepared to share what you’ve learned with your group. Your fellow book lovers may have had some of the same questions regarding details in the book. By sharing what you’ve learned, you can help other members learn new things, too, and find out what else they might have uncovered after reading the selected work.
5.) If any elements of the story confused you, make note of those and get feedback from your fellow book lovers. Have you ever been reading a book and paused to ask yourself, What am I missing? Sometimes details can be a bit fuzzy or there’s some key information in the story that you didn’t quite catch. If you’re confused about something in the book, jot it down on a piece of paper and then when the next book club talk rolls around, pull out your list and ask your questions. Chances are one of your book-loving friends might have stumbled over the same section of the book too, and another reader might be able to help clear things up for everyone. If your group is still stumped, sometimes a quick online search for the book’s plot outline or summary can make what’s cloudy become clear.
By doing your part to come prepared, think critically, and ask questions, you’ll enhance not only your own reading and book club experience but those of your fellow book club members. A book club is what the members make of it, so when participants are engaged, the book club is more enjoyable and memorable for everyone.
Bonus tip: Often, books will include a simple readers’ guide or discussion questions in the back. Check the book your group has picked to see if that’s true. Those questions may further help as you discuss the work with your book-loving friends. Many Tyndale novels include discussion questions, and if you’re looking for easy guides to use for you book group, check out the book club kits page here to find free kits that include discussion questions, notes from authors, recipes, and more. Planning to meet virtually for book club or to start a virtual group? Read this article for some helpful tips.
