by Michael Gorman

As an excellent outlet for people who love to geek out over the same genres, there are tons of advantages of joining book clubs. 

But before you start or join a book club, you need to know what it is. Like any other club, book clubs consist of groups of people who share common literary tastes. These can relate to an author, a series, or a genre. People in a book club normally read books based on a predetermined reading list and then get together to discuss them as a group.  

These discussions will differ between book clubs. Some prefer a more academic style, where they critique the book on a literal level. Others might prefer talking about the characters or the story in more general terms. But all in all, anyone can attend a book club, as long as they can follow the rules, and benefit in many different ways from being an active member. Here’s how! 

Read More and Expand Your Horizons

The best part of being in a book club is that you get to read more! By reading more books, you’ll also develop an interest in sharing your thoughts in a group setting, and maybe even reviewing them on your own.

You can share why you liked or hated a book, and through these opinions ignite a strong discussion with the other book club members. These discussions can help you identify new things that you might need to try, in your reading habits or in writing projects of your own. You might even resolve to try entirely new books, authors or genres.

By being part of a book club, you get to tick off more books in your “To Be Read” list. Of course, you can choose to skim through books you aren’t as sure about, but this takes away from the experience. You won’t be able to delve as deeply into discussions during meetings, and so you might feel left out.

We all have our own biases; you may be a fan of a certain genre or author and rarely stray from that. This isn’t a bad thing, but you can still stand for some diversifying in your collection. Since many book clubs have a reading list that is made by members, these are great opportunities to check out something new. 

You can also reach out to other members for book recommendations. This way, you can try new genres that you never thought were any good, and make personal connections with your fellow members.

Meet New People and Learn New Things

Book clubs happen to be one of the best environments for intellectual stimulation. Members study books in depth and provide critiques that might open you to new ideas and different viewpoints along the way.

On top of that, a book club is a great way to meet new people. A good book club brings people together from different backgrounds, races, religions and more. People come in as strangers and join the collective to become a part of a new community that shares a common interest. 

The different emotions, insights and knowledge that you share with the rest of the club will help foster a meaningful connection to each member. You can make connections and friends that you never thought you would!

Support Local Businesses

Book clubs can also help support your local businesses. After all, where do you think those great snacks come from? Book clubs may meet at the local book store, restaurant, or at someone’s house and sample all sorts of specialty treats. 

No matter where you meet, the amount of shopping and foot traffic to a local business for a book club session can make a huge difference in the establishment’s numbers. If you want to support the mom and pop shop, join a book club and suggest that business as the next meeting point.  

Boost Your Writing Skills

Is there a better way to learn how to write better than to listen to the opinions of actual readers? If you’re trying to be a better writer, then a book club meeting is an excellent place to start.

Book clubs offer a great way to learn what the recipes are for a good story. As a writer sitting in on a meeting, you’ll get to listen to the critiques being offered by the other members on the books they read. 

Sophie McGraw, who is a team leader for essay writers service at Assignment Writing and dissertation service UK, has something interesting to share. She says, ‘’You can use these sessions to learn what makes the best plot points, settings, and how to develop your characters in the most appealing ways. By regularly attending book clubs, you can improve your writing skills in order to write the best book for your audience.’’ 

Improve Your Soft Skills 

Book club meetings are some of the best places to improve your soft skills such as communication, negotiation and debating. 

Some book clubs are huge, with more than ten members. You can imagine ten people sharing their viewpoints on certain aspects of a book and having to convince them that yours is viable. Being able to navigate through that and share your ideas in a manner that’s accepted by a majority of them (you can’t please everyone), is an awesome skill to have on hand! 

Besides, if you’re a fan of debating, but are tired of the politics around it and want a calmer arena in which you can share your ideas, join a book club, where you can debate in a civilized and respectful manner. 

An Affordable Way to Have Fun 

There are many ways that you can have fun with your friends. You can go for brunch, clubbing, or catch a movie. All of these are fun, but can get expensive.

If you’re looking for an affordable way to have fun, a book club is both. All you need to pay for is either the club membership, if required, or to chip in for snacks when you’re meeting at someone’s house. Book clubs also allow you to take a break from your routine. The discussions and books can transport you to whole new worlds, allowing you to relax and recharge for busy days ahead with great food, drinks, and lots of laughter. 

All you need to start a book club are people with a shared interest and an undying love for books. If you want to join one, look around your community to see if some already exist. Joining one will provide you with intellectual stimulation, possible lifelong friendships, and most importantly, great reads.

Michael Gorman is a highly skilled freelance writer and proofreader from the UK . Being interested in everyday development, he writes various blog posts and discovers new aspects of human existence everyday. Feel free to contact him via Facebook or check his Twitter.