I have been struggling to get people to show up to our meetings. I have tried holding it at my house and supply snacks. I have held it at a central location and brought snacks. We have done a pot luck. I posted a notice in the church bullentin. I have tried different evenings. The only people that do come are the ones that have not read the book or have not finished it. What tips does any one have to get people to attend?

It may be that you have just not found the right group of people to start a Book Club. I have found through past Book Clubs that some people are really just looking for a "Night Out", and are really only wanting to socialize with other adults and those people don't particularly enjoy reading at all. My advise is to start over and have a list of suggestions to people interested. Mainly, that you are really only looking for people who are advid readers and are looking for an avenue to discuss various forms of fiction or nonfiction.
As much as you would like to think that the people showing up without reading the books will someday come around, it has been my experience that these people never really materialize as good Book Club members, although they may be great friends.
Some of the best groups I have found are the ones whose members came into the groups not really knowing anyone very well. And we have since become very good friends. My Book Club group who has been in exsistence for over 7 years has picked up members through Wine Tastings, work associates, becoming familiar with your local Nordstrom's retail person etc. etc. Start asking people if they read, and then what they have read lately.................one thing will lead to another as to whether you will click with a Book Group.
Maybe you should ask to join someone else's Book Club, rather than starting your own. Either way, it can be very rewarding - but sometimes very hard too. Good Luck!

Although we are a new group, I think the spirit of our beginning is what has kept our flame of enthusiasm alive. We began in memory of a dear friend of ours who fought a courageous battle against inflammatory breast cancer until her passing on June 22. From there we decided not just to mourn our loss, but to celebrate a life that was exceedingly well lived. We gathered women of various races and backgrounds, some of whom knew Laura, and most of whom did not. These women not only have a passion for reading, but they are like-minded women in that we all are positive thinking, progressive minded women who gather for joyful, lively, fun, and intelligent discussions. What we have in common is that we are living representations of the kind of life Laura Oberkircher tried to live.

Our first novel was written by one of our founding members, Lauren Jones, who, under the pen name Lauren Sanders-Jones, has written a remarkable novel entitled REASONABLE JOY. Laura was unfailingly supportive of and excited about Lauren's efforts to publish her work, and we thought there could be no better way of beginning our gatherings.

We only meet every other month, and we have already planned our list for 2006.

I hope you can get some ideas for your group from our experience.

Hi bartegang –

What does your advertising notice say? I think you may have to have a good hard think about what you want your group to be like, then frame your notice accordingly.

When I started my own group nearly two years ago, I chose the first six books myself! Cheeky, I know. But I’d decided that I wanted to find readers with similar interests -- not identical, but overlapping -- so that we’d have something in common as well as wider outlooks to share. Then in leaflets, postcards, and a local newspaper ad, I also asked the question: "Are you a reader, thinker and talker?" as an introductory comment, because that’s who I was looking for: readers, thinkers and talkers. When people responded, I sent them my first 6-month programme along with details of an alternative -- ie. the local library reading group that I’d just left! -- so that they would have somewhere else to go if all they wanted was to get out of the house for an evening. Roughly half my respondents were interested in the choice that I offered, and came along to the group with things to say. The other half, I never heard from again.

Please understand that I have not continued to choose our reading list myself, nor was that ever my intention! After the first six books, with a group that had grown from a modest 4 at our first meeting to a respectable 12, we collectively put together a list of suggestions for future reads, then had a separate meeting to discuss and vote on that list.

If I were to advise anything, it would be: focus, stick to what you want, then be patient. About half of my present group are friends brought along later by existing members.

I do wish you well. It’s been a nerve-wracking experience nurturing my group, and disappointing on occasions; but when it comes right it’s such an enjoyable and satisfying experience. GOOD LUCK!

Cath J.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Cath J,

I agree that you have not found the right group of people yet.

We started our group 9 years ago. The founder started looking around for members. While her kids were at soccer, she looked for mothers that were reading while they waited. She found other friends who were readers, each person she asked was invited to find another reader.

We got to be good friends and occasionally we plan a night to socialize...no book talk allowed. We have specified that book club night is really about the book. Socialize before or after...but come ready to talk about the book - even if you've only read part of it.

If you have the right people...they will want to get together.

Something else to think about is when your group meets. We had a real falling-off of attendance last year, so we took a vote and changed our meeting time to a day that worked best for most members. Our attendance is up again.

I also agree with Jane, who mentioned coming to book club even if you've only read part of the book. We REALLY encourage that! Even if a member hasn't read the book, she can still offer insight into the discussion.

Hello,
I am a member of a book group that has been going for forty-plus years. Obviously membership has changed over the years, but two of us are from the original group. the age range is from fiftyish to eight-one years. Everyone really tries to attend, but of course, trips and holidays do affect attendance. We have eleven members, with an average attendance of ten. Drinks and nibbles are on the table when we arrive at the designated member's home, and a light supper is served after the discussion. The reason we all attend is because we all love reading, enjoy some current affairs chat and enjoy each other's company.

quote:

Originally posted by Jay Ay:
Hello,
I am a member of a book group that has been going for forty-plus years. Obviously membership has changed over the years, but two of us are from the original group. the age range is from fiftyish to eight-one years. Everyone really tries to attend, but of course, trips and holidays do affect attendance. We have eleven members, with an average attendance of ten. Drinks and nibbles are on the table when we arrive at the designated member's home, and a light supper is served after the discussion. The reason we all attend is because we all love reading, enjoy some current affairs chat and enjoy each other's company.

Hi!

Wow, you've been around for a long time -- sounds like you and your group have down what everyone needs and yet have still managed to evolve as times change. Has it been hard changing, or was it all so gradual that it just seemed to happen all along?

--Anne

It's really all about finding the right people who are willing to contribute to the well being of the group, sometimes it's really hard to find