How to Start a Women’s Empowerment Book Club

On Aug 23, 2023 524 0

Have you been longing for a supportive community to discuss inspiring books with? Do you want to promote women authors and empowering perspectives? Starting a women’s empowerment book club can make these dreams a reality.

Book clubs create space for members to build community, foster personal growth through reading, and amplify women’s voices. Beyond being rewarding socially, research shows book clubs can combat loneliness, improve empathy and cognitive abilities, and promote wellbeing.

In this comprehensive guide, you’ll learn all the steps for launching your own women’s empowerment book club from the ground up.

Choosing a Meaningful Book Club Focus

One of the most exciting parts of founding a book club is deciding on a focus. This gives your club identity and shapes the conversations you’ll have together. Consider these popular options:

Fiction vs. Nonfiction

Some book clubs focus exclusively on fiction – from literary novels to commercial blockbusters. Others read only narrative nonfiction like memoirs, biographies, and historical accounts. Many clubs take a blended approach – mixing fiction and nonfiction each month or quarter.

Fiction-focused meetings tend to analyze plot, characters, and literary devices. Nonfiction clubs dig into themes, life lessons, and a book’s relation to society.

Targeted Genres

Within fiction and nonfiction, you could zero in on specific genres. Common ones include historical fiction, contemporary fiction, mystery/thriller, sci-fi/fantasy, memoir, self-help, women’s studies, and more.

The beauty of a genre focus is members gravitate to the club already loving that style of book. Conversations center on comparing different books in the genre and analyzing the tropes.

Theme or Topic-Based

For a more cohesive focus, choose books all centered on a particular theme or societal topic.

Popular examples include:

Feminism and women’s rights
Specific time periods like 1950s housewives or the suffragette movement
Major historical events like World War II
Women in STEM or women pioneers
Sociology and women’s studies
Leadership or entrepreneurship

This focus ensures in-depth discussions around your chosen subject. Members gain a multi-faceted understanding of the topic over time.

Women Authors

Focus exclusively on promoting books written by women authors. You’ll explore unique female perspectives and directly support women’s voices. Combining this focus with one of the above genres or themes gives added dimension.

Member Interests

When first choosing your focus, consider the existing interests of early members. Their passions will inform productive discussions from the start. Send out a survey to ask about favorite genres, topics, and book suggestions.

As your club grows over time, periodically revisit the focus to ensure it aligns with current members’ interests.

Discussion Goals

What kinds of discussions are you hoping to have? Intimate personal sharing, literary analysis, or solving societal problems? Your goals can point to a focus – like feminism for inciting social change.

Available Books

Research what relevant books are available both currently and ongoing so you can continually find selections. Utilize preview lists from publishers, awards lists, and bestseller charts. Ensure your local library or bookstores have plenty of options.

To inspire you, here are examples of popular book club focuses:

Contemporary fiction by women authors
Memoirs of inspiring women like Michelle Obama, Tara Westover, and Helen Keller
Nonfiction about little-known women pioneers in fields like science, civil rights, politics, and the arts
Biographies of women like Frida Kahlo, Marie Curie, and Josephine Baker
Feminist manifestos and women’s studies reads like The Feminine Mystique
Women’s activism and social change movements

Choose a focus that excites you, then promote your chosen specialty when recruiting members. This attracts others eager to dive into that subject together through books.

Handling Logistics for a Smooth Book Club

With your book club focus set, it’s time to handle logistics. Smooth logistics keep members engaged month-to-month.

Location

One major decision – will your club meet in members’ homes or public spaces like coffee shops, bookstores, or libraries?

Home meetings create a warm, intimate atmosphere. Members bond over sharing personal spaces and hunkering down with refreshments. However, homes may not accommodate larger groups. Traffic and parking also become concerns.

Public places offer convenience of proximity for members across a city. Newcomers also don’t have to feel awkward about entering someone’s home. Yet background noise could impede discussion.

Many clubs alternate homes and public places month-to-month for variety.

Virtual meetings via Zoom, Skype, etc. allow even broader access – including members not local to one another. However, the personal touch gets lost. Hybrid meetings – part in-person, part virtual – are a great compromise.

Schedule

Decide how often your club will meet and on which dates. Monthly meetings are most common, giving members time to finish a full book. Bi-weekly meetings work for shorter selections like short stories or essays.

Choose a consistent time slot like every 2nd Tuesday or last Thursday. Regular meetings ensure maximum attendance with members blocking off that standing date far in advance.

For timing, evenings on weekdays or weekend afternoons tend to work best for a general adult group. Adjust based on your target members’ availability – like after-work hours for young professionals.

Group Size

Keep group size in mind when recruiting members. Smaller groups (6-8 people) allow all members to share and bond more intimately. In larger groups (10-15 members), each person gets less individual speaking time during discussion.

However, more members mean exposure to a wider range of perspectives. It also sustains the club if some members can’t make a particular meeting.

Consider your goals in keeping the club exclusive vs welcoming many voices. You can always expand later.

Membership Rules

Decide if your book club will be open to the public or if membership is by invitation/application only.

Closed membership creates a tight-knit community. Current members invite new people they feel will contribute positively. This takes more deliberate effort.

Open membership is easier for attracting new members organically. Promote public meetings on platforms like Meetup. Newcomers learn about your club and can join instantly. You give up some control though.

Hybrid options work too. For example, have members pre-approve new members but also promote public events like author Q&As or open discussions.

Communication Channels

Set up communication channels to use between meetings, like:

Email list for book discussions, scheduling updates, and event announcements
Facebook group for reminders, polls, and photo sharing
WhatsApp or GroupMe chat for quick questions and conversations
Your own website or forum if launching a public club

Smooth communication ensures all members are looped in.

Ground Rules

Establish etiquette guidelines at your first meeting to create a respectful culture. Common ground rules include:

Avoiding domination of discussion by just a few members – make sure all voices are heard
Maintaining confidentiality when members share personal stories
Respecting differences in opinion and diverse perspectives
Staying open-minded to new ideas and genres outside your favorites
Limiting cell phone use to minimize disruptions

Revisit these periodically to address any issues that arise.

How to Select Captivating Books

Choosing high-quality books is critical for sparking lively discussion. Where do you start searching for options?

Book Recommendation Sources

Bestseller lists like New York Times, Amazon, and IndieBound
Annual awards lists – especially for genres matching your focus
Lists from women’s online publications like Ms. Magazine, Bustle, and Shondaland
Your local library’s staff recommendations
Book influencer blogs in your genre
Social media groups for readers
Members’ own suggestions

Choosing Books in Advance

Give yourself plenty of lead time when picking books – at least 6 months out, or a full year for a new club. This allows members to acquire books comfortably ahead of meetings.

Ideally, decide on a year’s worth of selections at once. Have members vote on suggestions or entrust a small committee to choose. Revisiting decisions monthly loses momentum.

Announce picks for the next 3-6 months to members. Many also create members-only pages with the full future schedule.

For your very first meeting, select 1-2 starter books to launch. Shorter selections allow finishing quickly while getting to know one another.

Accessibility for Members

When selecting books, ensure all members can easily access required readings before meetings.

Leverage your local library system to make titles widely available to borrow. Librarians may even provide copies specifically for your club.

For members low on funds, arrange a book borrowing system within the group. Purchase multiple copies of your picks to share.

If possible, choose books available affordably as ebooks on sites like Kindle, Nook, or Project Gutenberg. This removes barriers.

Here are examples of stellar book picks for first meetings:

Fiction

The Color Purple by Alice Walker (300 pages)
The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood (300 pages)
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath (short novel)

Nonfiction

We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (essay)
The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan (excerpt of this classic)
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou (first volume of her memoir)

Starting with an iconic yet accessible work helps create robust discussion as you get to know members.

Launching Your Women’s Empowerment Book Club

You’ve done the prep work. Now it’s time to officially launch your book club!

Spreading the Word

Get the word out to attract an initial member group:

Social media – Create a Facebook group. Post in local groups by region or interest.
Email – Recruit among your professional and social contacts via email outreach.
Print flyers – Post at coffee shops, libraries, colleges, bookstores, and community centers.
Word of mouth – Tell friends excitedly about this new endeavor!
Media publicity – Contact local radio, magazines, and newspapers to promote. Especially those with an arts/literature focus.
Meetup – For a public club, create a Meetup page detailing your mission, focus, and meeting specifics.

Planning Your Introductory Meeting

Allow 1-2 hours for your first meeting to lay the foundation. Considerations:

Icebreakers – Start with introductory games or questions to break the ice.
Name your club – Brainstorm fun book club names referencing your focus. Vote on favorites.
Choose first book – Decide on your inaugural 1-2 selections (if not already done).
Rules and procedures – Review your guidelines. Ask for any additions from members.
Group bonding – Leave time for casual chatting over refreshments as you get to know one another.
Schedule – Choose date for your next meeting.

Maintaining Excitement

Now the fun begins – your book club is reality! To keep members engaged:

Stick reliably to your meeting schedule, time, and chosen location. Consistency is key.
At meetings, come prepared with discussion questions, activities related to the book, or conversation starters.
When possible, see if authors can join your club virtually or in person for a chat.
Allow social time before and after meetings for personal connections.
Between meetings, share interesting articles, videos, or quotes related to your latest book using your communication channels.

Growing Your Empowering Book Club

As your book club becomes established, consider ways to expand:

Revisit your rules periodically to decide if new members may join. Set a clear process for bringing in and approving newcomers.
Promote on social media regularly by highlighting past books read and meaningful discussions. Share photos and quotes.
Partner with other organizations like women’s groups, equality nonprofits, colleges, libraries, and bookstores to co-promote events.
Spotlight your club in local paper and radio calendars, newsletters, event listings, and “best book club” features.

Starting and nurturing your own women’s empowerment book club takes commitment – but it’s a tremendously rewarding endeavor. You’ll forge new friendships, broaden perspectives, and lift up women’s voices. And reading amazing books along the way is just a bonus!

What are you waiting for? Gather a group of friends, choose an inspiring focus, and start your empowering book club today. The women in your community will thank you.

Have you been part of an impactful women’s book club? Please share your experiences or book recommendations below!