Are you an avid reader?

If so, have you considered starting a book club where you can meet like-minded individuals and share your passion for reading?

From exchanging ideas and opinions to socialising and having fun, there are plenty of reasons to get together regularly to discuss books.

Here, we’re exploring how to start a book club, and why it could be beneficial for you:

Deciding to Start a Book Club

The first factor to consider is how you want your book club to run. 

You’ll need to decide if you’re going to hold the meetings in your house, in a restaurant, or if each member is going to take it in turns to host. 

Once you’ve got an idea of how often you want to meet, and where you’d like to meet, you can start recruiting members!

The social aspect of running a book group will be beneficial for your mental health, whilst the act of reading will help to exercise your brain and sharpen your cognitive functions.

Inviting People to Join Your Book Group

Spread the word; let your friends know you’re starting a book group, or if you’re involved in any other activities or groups, ask them if they’d be interested in joining. It’s a good idea to have a venue, time and date in mind – even if it’s just for the first one – so people have a solid plan to commit to. Once you’re there, you can then cement the venue and timings for future meetings.

You might like to create some posters; you could advertise in your local shop or library. If you have a local cafe, they might advertise for you – and they may offer the use of the venue, too.

You could explore advertising your book group on social media, but be sure to only reach out to people you know.

Decide on Your Reading Material

Deciding which book to read can be tough; you want everyone to be happy, but it’s also a good idea to encourage people to read new genres. 

There are a few options for this. Firstly, you could ask each member of the group to nominate 6 books, and then ask each member to vote for one book from each person. The 6 books with the most votes will then be your reads for the next 6 months (assuming you’ll be meeting monthly).

You could suggest that you take it turns; whoever’s turn it is to host the next meeting chooses the next book. Encourage your members to choose a wide variety of books, as this is the best way to expand your reading material and discover new ideas. You may discover a new favourite genre if you’re pushed out of your comfort zone!

Starting a book group is an effective way to help you socialise in your retirement years. For further ways you can combat loneliness, why not read our previous blog?

If you’re looking into retirement options, or are worried about feeling lonely in your retirement years, why not contact a member of the Friary Meadow team for more information about their retirement properties?