Discussion Group Tips

Invite a few friends to join you in reading a book and have a discussion at determined place and time

·         Decide how you're going to choose the books  -- we put our members names in alpha order for choosing order. That person who picks decides on where to meet and the date to meet

·         Decide where to meet for dinner/drinks or both. Our group goes to restaurants and members homes. It’s the person who chose the books’ choice.

·         Make it fun by having a theme at the meeting if you can.  ex: we read Killer Pancake by Diane Mott Davidson and served food made from the recipes in the book. For the book Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt we decided to travel to Savanah, GA. We tried to experience everything from the restaurants and locations in the book and we even took in a Lady Chablis show.

·         Take various pictures during the meeting and one of the group for fun. Put them in a scrapbook or create a website.

o        Prior to this website I gave each member a copy of the group picture and label it with the name of the book, date of meeting and who was in the picture

·         Write a review of the book and meeting to put in the scrapbook or website

o        Prior to creating this website I would attach a word doc to an email with the review of the book and meeting and any other updates for the group

·         To keep the the conversation flowing have questions ready - either your own or some from a readers guide site.

·         Try to sit in a circle or at a round table. Square works well too.

o        If you have a large group like we tend to a rectangle table presents a hearing issue. The people at one end can't hear what the other end is saying.