How to Start a Book Club (Even If You're a Total Introvert)

Book clubs are a great way to a.) read more, b.) spend quality time with friends and c.) kill two birds with one stone and do both of those things at the same time. Whether you and your friends are mystery fanatics who live and die by Reese Witherspoon’s thriller suggestions or you’re a bunch of 40-somethings who majored in English lit and hang on every word Ottessa Moshfegh writes, book clubs rule. But where to begin? Here, five tips for how to start a book club, even if you’re an introvert (hint: there are no rules that say you have to meet in person).

First things first: What’s the ideal vibe of your book club? Is this more of a social, drink wine, eat snacks and casually chat about the latest Read with Jenna pick thing, or are you aiming for something more buttoned-up and ~literary~? It’s important to be honest with yourself here; it might seem like the “right” thing to do to establish—and stick to—structured guidelines, but if you and your crew are more relaxed, go with the flow type readers, feel free to take things more chill. Also, you absolutely don’t have to give your book club a name, but I’m obsessed with the idea of calling your squad something punny. A few suggestions to get you started:

• Edgar Allen Hoes: hoes used endearingly, of course
• Hagatha Christies: same for hags
• Miguel de Cervezas: pair each book with a type of beer
• Menorah Ephron: only books by Jewish women authors
• Alice Walkers: discuss books while walking together
• Sally MacaRooney: discuss books while cooking together

I love all of my friends dearly, but there are some of them for whom the idea of gathering to chat about our thoughts on the latest Elizabeth Strout would amount to torture. When it comes to choosing who’s going to be in your book club, think about who will be genuinely interested. Especially if your friends are entirely supportive of you (which I hope they are), they might feel pressured to say yes just because you asked. Stick to folks who won’t find “mandatory” reading a chore.

Now that you’ve narrowed down the invite list, think about time and place. Is this a monthly book club, or are you more likely to stick with something quarterly? Will you and your pals host the gatherings at your homes, or will you find public meeting spots like coffeeshops or cozy wine bars? There’s no right frequency or location—I’d advise you to choose whatever set-up you’re actually going to follow through with. Finally, figure out how you’ll choose books; I’ve found this typically works best when each person in the group gets a turn to choose a title, but you can also elect one person the official picker or even read along with a celebrity book club.

Book clubs don’t have to be held in a physical location. If you’re not big on in-person social interaction, it’s 100 percent fine to set up a book club that happens entirely from the comfort of your own home. Maybe you meet over Zoom or maybe you start a new group on Goodreads and stick to writing your thoughts. Virtual book clubs are also a great option for long distance friends; what better way to keep up with your college bestie who lives in Amsterdam than by gabbing about the latest celebrity memoir every two months?  

Picture it: It’s the night before third grade starts and you haven’t so much as cracked open your copy of Roald Dahl’s The Witches. Your mom says she’s not mad, just disappointed, and panic sets in. Horrible feeling (not that I’m speaking from experience). Now imagine you’re 37, supposed to have read that buzzy new wife-swap book by tomorrow and also have work, kids and a dog who refuses to be potty trained. Too. Much. Stress. Book clubs are supposed to be fun above all else. Unless you and your friends are on the same page that your book club will operate with the rigidity of Miss Havisham, make it clear from the jump that it’s OK if there’s an off week where no one has finished the book and you just gossip about your lives, or you all hate the pick from the first chapter and decide to abandon it and try anew next month. The point, as I established off the bat, is to read more and spend time with people you love.