So, you want to start a book club? Book clubs can be very rewarding undertakings that lead to great friendships. They can be a great way to increase you reading and critical thinking skills. But, before you get started here are some things you should consider:

1. Is there a book club meeting already that I would fit into? Why take all the time and effort to start a group if there is one that is already meeting that will meet your needs. Book clubs usually enjoy new blood as it usually comes with great new book recommendations.

2. What genre of books do you want to read? Just having a book club without focus is a recipe for disaster. There is simply too much diversity in reading for everyone to want to participate, let alone read the book. Pick a genre and go. You almost can't be too specific. The more specific you are the more you can guarantee that the members of your group will participate. Genres like Science Fiction, Mystery, or even 18 century British Literature are great and will attract members that want to read them.

3. Don't be over specific. It is okay to have a Stephen King book club or a Sherlock Holmes book club, but you are limiting yourself to a certain number of books and therefore a certain number of meeting. Members that were in your Stephen King book club may not continue attending when you switch over to Sherlock Holmes, so be specific just not overly so.

4. Where should we meet? Some groups will meet in member's homes and others will meet in restaurants or coffee shops. Meeting in public is great for attracting new members. Some people just don't feel comfortable showing up at someone's home that they don't know. Meeting in public also takes the hassle out of someone cooking and cleaning to prepare for a group of people.

5. When should we meet? Monthly is probably the best interval to meet. It gives everyone ample opportunity to read most books. Pick a day of the week and then choose either the first, second, third, or fourth week of the month to meet on that day. The first week of the month is easier for most people to remember and usually works the best. Fridays and Saturdays are usually horrible days to meet. You should be pretty strict with the meeting date. If you change it, make sure that most of the people in the group agree.

6. How do I keep in contact with the group? E-mail groups are a very good method. These can be set up on Yahoo! or lists.topica.com. E-mail groups allow you

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