Rules and Guidelines

1. Read the book - This is probably the most important rule for any book club out there. Going to meetings without having read the book is generally pointless and shows a lack of respect for the other members who made the effort to actually complete their assignments. Of course, you may not always have the time to go through the entire book in the assigned time frame, because sometimes life happens. If you decide to go to the book club meeting even though you haven’t finished the entire book, make your peace with the fact that you are going to hear some spoilers by the end of the evening.

2. Be punctual - Always arriving on time to book club meetings is essential. Being late can interrupt a heated discussion and leave others with a bad impression. Punctuality shows that you respect others and that you are a well-organized person who can keep up with their own schedule.

3. Always be prepared - Reading the book is actually just part of the story. You will need to pay extra attention to what you are reading and always stay alert to notice important details that come up. That’s because all these things are generally going to be discussed during your next book club meeting.

4. Allow every member a chance to speak without interruptions - Respecting your fellow members is a cornerstone of a good and long-lasting book club. Everyone is sure to be excited and eager to chat when you get together, and it’s important to make sure that when the conversation does begin, everyone is given time to share without being spoken over.

5. Be upfront about what isn’t acceptable - It’s important that members feel comfortable being themselves and sharing their opinions in your group, and to ensure that it’s wise to have a no-tolerance policy on hate speech or discrimination of any kind from the start.

6. Embrace good-spirited discourse - No two readers have the same opinions, so it is inevitable that a meeting will occur where two readers find themselves having completely different thoughts about a book. In a club, these can be some of the best discussions because they encourage readers to think about their own reactions to a work and may open their mind to new ways of viewing a book.

7. Respect members’ limits - Books have the ability to deftly explore challenging and difficult topics, but some readers may find that it’s better for their mental health if they don’t read about certain issues. If your book club is made up of friends, check in with everyone privately to see if there is anything that they would prefer the group not read.