Keeping everyone engaged in your book club as an author can be a tricky task. It can be easy for conversations to travel and get off-topic. Keeping in control of the book club is key. When you’re on a time crunch, it’s important that you’re able to address all of the topics and questions you want. We’re here to help provide you with tips to keep the conversation flowing and the group engaged in your book club.

Have Discussion Topics/Questions Ready

Holding book clubs as an author is a great way for you to get people interested in your book and gives you an insight into what readers think about it. You’ll be able to open the floor to people who have read your book, and they can provide you with highlights of the book they like and even give constructive criticism for future reference. By listing out discussion topics and questions to ask the group, you’ll be able to avoid awkward silence and keep the conversation flowing. You’ll also be able to ask all of the questions that you want to ask. It’s easy to think of a question when you’re at home but then completely forget about it in the moment. 

Get Everyone Excited About The Book Club Beforehand

Create some build-up of your book club beforehand. This will help them get excited about meeting. When they come in enthusiastic, feeling optimistic about the group, and walk in with an open mind, they’ll be more willing to participate. You could email the group a graphic of your book to build the anticipation. For example, you could use a cover reveal template from Book Brush to tell your group what book you picked that they should read before the club meets. There are countless templates that you can use on Book Brush and make it your own to promote your book club and get the readers stoked about the upcoming meeting.

Redirect The Conversation When Needed

It’s not uncommon for the conversation to veer off its tracks, even during a book club. However, when you keep the conversation flowing with on-topic discussions it’ll be less distracting for you or others to discuss something else, like the weather. People just don’t like awkward silence, so when it’s quiet they tend to discuss anything they can think of to fill the quiet room. If the topic does go in a different direction, you can politely redirect it by acknowledging their conversation and bringing it back to your book. Gently transitioning back to a question or on-topic discussion is the best way to get back on track without hurting anyone’s feelings or embarrassing them by abruptly ending their conversation. 

Allow Everyone A Chance To Participate In The Conversation

A book club is a group discussion, so everyone in the group should have a chance for their voice to be heard. When one person discusses their opinion the entire time, it won’t be much of an engaging conversation with the whole group. Try to encourage the quieter ones in the group to speak and give them the floor to discuss if they feel comfortable. As the author and the head of the book club, it’s important to note that you should practice active listening. Don’t constantly step into the conversation and explain your perspective. Give the readers a chance to discuss their views of the book and listen to what they have to say. 

Encourage Different Perspectives

Encourage the readers to speak candidly and share their perspectives on your book. Even if the readers share different perspectives, be open to it. This will give you valuable information on how others view your book and could spark a debate, which will keep the group engaged in the discussion.  

Ask More Thought Provoking Questions

When hosting a book club as an author, don’t be afraid to ask more thought-provoking questions. This is your one chance to ask deeper questions about your book. Don’t waste this opportunity by asking basic questions. The more interesting, unique, and stimulating questions you ask, the more intrigued your readers will be and the more willing they’ll be to participate.

In Conclusion

By utilizing these tips, you’ll be able to host an interesting book club where everyone is engaged and having thought-provoking discussions. Don’t forget to have a list of discussions handy, get your readers excited about the book club with Book Brush’s graphics, and encourage different perspectives throughout the meeting. These will all help create a fun and engaging book club.