When women come together with open books and open hearts, the best thing happens: connection. When co-host Laura moved to a new town in 2019, she had no idea how she was going to make friends. But a chance encounter with a fellow mom at the neighborhood pool changed Laura’s life—because it led her to her life-giving group, The Book Club Babes! Laura shares easy tips you can use to create your own book club: how to meet your people, decide what to read (spoiler alert: you can read anything you want, it doesn’t have to be books!), why automating your meeting time makes getting together *so* much easier—and why making time to get together matters so much.
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Laura’s Easy Tips for Starting Your Own Book Club
1. Find Your People
Finding the right alchemy of people is kind of tricky, but I’ve got a few things you could try. Start thinking about the people you’re close to. Is there anyone in your circle you’d like to talk to about books, or just get to know better in general? Your BFF, your sister-in-law, or your best mom friend and your kid’s school? Next, let’s make the circle wider. Think about people you work with, or people at your church, or some other parents at school who you don’t know very well. Is there someone you see on a regular basis who has a vibe you kind of dig? Does she sound like the kind of person who thinks about what she says, or reads interesting articles or watches interesting TV shows that you enjoyed too? She might be a good fit for your club!
2. Read What You Want!
You could read poetry. You could read a self-help book. You could read one chapter of a book at a time. You could even offer up an article, a Substack, or a small piece of writing you thought was fascinating. There are no rules here—you get to make them up as you go!
3. Automate the Times You Meet
This is magic, you guys. Because knowing you’re going to meet with your book club every fourth Tuesday of the month at 6:00 PM takes the pressure off of anyone to try and coordinate this.
4. Allow Yourself to Make This Easy
Repeat after me: your book club doesn’t have to be fancy. The books don’t have to be fancy. The food doesn’t have to be fancy. Your house doesn’t have to be fancy—none of it. All people want are some good drinks, some good snacks, and some good vibes. That’s it! And it can all be accomplished by a quick visit to the deli section of your grocery store and putting on a good playlist
5. Come to Book Club to Listen—to Topics about the Book and Everything Else
Listen, we all know that book club is not really about books. You could have an Underwater Basket Weaving Club, and you’d still have the same sort of group. Because the magic of book club happens away from the page. Book club is just the vehicle. The rich friendship is the reward of showing up in the same place with the same people for a while. That’s the key to anything, isn’t it? Just show up. Show up with your whole, messy self.
Books That Laura’s Group, The Book Club Babes, Have Enjoyed Recently
A Blessing for Your Week
Wherever you are, and whatever your season
I hope you have people in your life who are definitely and without a doubt YOUR people.
I hope you enjoy the same stories and humor,
And feel comfortable enough to share what’s on your heart.
I hope you feel the pure joy of being known by someone else.
I hope they know your embarrassing childhood stories
And the heart-skipping way you met your husband.
I hope you tell them the funniest things your kids say
And that you never know how words from such a tiny heart
could crack yours in two seconds flat.
I hope you know the warm peace that comes with being accepted as you are today,
Not how you’re supposed to be when your mask of trying is on so tight.
You are worthy of love and friendship, of knowing and belonging
Right now, just as you are.
Simplicity Tip of the Week
Are you stuck on a title to suggest for your next book club pick? Maybe you could “work smarter, not harder” and choose one that was a hit with another book club!
Think about book clubs that are curated by big morning shows, like The Today Show’s “Read with Jenna” book club. Listen, I don’t know who curates that list, but it’s mostly fiction—and every book is usually at least a 4 out of 5 for me. Usually pretty upbeat women’s fiction, though that deviates sometimes. You could try Reese’s Book Club, or Mindy Kaling’s or Jen Hatmaker’s. Basically, you’re letting someone do the hard work of curating good books for you that will probably appeal to a wide group of people—and start a discussion! That’s what you want, anyway.
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