A Writer's Words - To Be in a Book Club, or Not?

Hocus Pocus and All That

Maureen L. Bonatch

To Be in a Book Club, or Not?

Most of us have read a book where the characters are so real to us, and the story lingers so long, that we’d love to be able to talk to others about the book. Kind of like the latest edition of our favorite television show that we discuss the next day at the office.

We may have thought, if only I belonged to a book club and we could dissect this book together. Some people belong to a book club and love it, while others either never tried it, or are never going back. Here’s some reasons why being in a book club might be a good idea, or not.

Book Club- Yay!

Reading Outside Your Genre
This could be a positive, or a negative, reason to be in a book club. It’s wonderful if you discover books that you may have never read otherwise, but if your book club is very restricted on the selection then you might not enjoy it if it’s not a genre you enjoy.

Share the Story
Reading is a solitary activity. When you really love a book, it’s so fun for the story to live on after you’re done if you can discuss the characters with other people.

Camaraderie
A book club can be whatever you’d like it to be. Some make it very informal and get together with dinner or drinks to discuss the book. While others might be more structured with rules to follow and perhaps change locations or have each member host.

I was in a book club before until life got too busy for me to keep up with the meetings and the stories. The organizer was a fabulous host who spent a lot of time with structuring the club. The hostess was encouraged to have the meeting themed with the book. I won best theme one year when we read the book, Moloka’i.

Book Club– Nay!

Read What They ‘should’ Read Instead of What They Like
Some book clubs may make their selections based on the what ‘everybody is reading’, literary classics, or choose a book that they feel is intellectually stimulating. This might not be enjoyable if your reading time is limited and you end up feeling as if you must read something you have no interest in.

Strong Opinions
You love the book and the characters—they hate it. Are you prepared to let them crush the characters you’ve come to love? Your comfort with the members of the club, and their personalities, might help you decide if it’s worth the battle.

Pressure to Finish
Book clubs usually have a deadline when you must be done with the book to be ready to discuss it. This could be good in that it makes sure you make time for reading, but it could be bad if you feel forced to finish before you’re ready. It could take a little of the enjoyment out of reading.

There’s pros and cons to joining a book club. The most important thing being that it’s comprised of people whose company you enjoy. Whether you decide to join a book club, or not, there’s no reason not to keep reading.

What Are Your Thoughts on Book Clubs?

*Blog originally published on https://herebemagic.blogspot.com/

© 2019 Maureen L. Bonatch All Rights Reserved
Maureen Bonatch grew up in small town Pennsylvania and her love of the four seasons—hockey, biking, sweat pants and hibernation—keeps her there. While immersed in writing or reading paranormal romance and fantasy, she survives on caffeine, wine, music, and laughter. A feisty Shih Tzu keeps her in line.
http://www.maureenbonatch.com/