I just wanted to tell you how happy I am that I’m starting a new book club this week! It has been a couple of years since I’ve been able to join a group. We’re going to meet at a church and study a new Beth Moore book. I don’t know which one yet, but all I have to do is show up with $12, and someone’s already ordered me a book. And the absolute BEST part? Free childcare. My infant daughter will be taken care of while I sit and chat with ladies about grown-up things!

So, I started thinking – what is it that makes a good book club? I know there are a lot of you ladies out there who enjoy your book clubs. Why? And what are you reading?

Here’s a quick list of Eight Ways to Create a Great Women’s Book Club:

1. Have a purpose.
Why is your club meeting? Are you just trying to get friends together, and a book is a good excuse? Or do you need some intellectual stimulation or parenting ideas? Knowing why you’re getting together will help you pick out the best book. For example, this will make a difference as to whether you’re reading fiction or non-fiction.

2. Pick a great book!
This is key to your group’s success. Maybe you’ll have a core group of members submit ideas of their favorites, and you can all vote. Or pick out something new and exciting you hear about!

3. Publicize your group.
Decide if you want your group open to new members and brainstorm ways to help women know about it. Put ads in your church bulletin or local newspaper. Call lists of organizations. If you’re really wanting to reach out to people, a book club is a great way to expand your women’s ministry.

4. What time will you meet?
If you meet in the daytime, you’ll be excluding the women who work outside of their homes, unless they can come during their lunch hour. If you meet in the evening, I suggest NOT holding it during the dinnertime hours of 5-7 pm. That’s when everything meets these days, and it’s so hard for moms to get a good meal on the table when everyone’s running out the door. I was in a nighttime group that met at 8 pm, which was convenient for women who could leave their children home with their husbands.

5. Location, location, location.
Where will your group meet? It’s always nice to have a home-like setting. If you can’t meet in someone’s home, be thinking of how you can make the group informal. I’ve been in groups that met in a church, as well as people’s homes. It’s important that people who are a little shy (like me) have an opportunity to feel comfortable.

6. Childcare.
I almost put this as number one. The book clubs I’ve belonged to in the daytime ALWAYS provide some kind of childcare. In fact, that’s why I’ve gone! It’s such a relief not to deal with the hassle of finding someone to babysit. Plus, many mothers are foregoing their incomes to stay home, so the expense of babysitting may prevent them from being able to come. My favorite book club was a group where we dropped off our children at one house (where we all pitched in to pay for babysitters), and went down the street to another house for coffee and book discussion. It was fun for the kids and a blast for the moms. (Oh, I miss that group! We’ve since moved away from that area.)

Don’t forget homeschoolers! I’m convinced there’s no more difficult job in the world than being a homeschooling mom. These ladies sacrifice so much to stay home and teach their children, and they need fellowship and encouragement. One church book club I was in provided a homeschool room where kids brought their books and schoolwork to complete while the moms went to the book club. The paid worker was a college student who enjoyed making sure the students got their work done, and they also got some playground time.

7. Fellowship opportunities outside the group.
Be sure you provide ways for the club members to get together on a regular basis outside of the group. One group I was in went to Burger King immediately afterward, so we could talk while our kids played on the playground.

8. Small-group time.
Lastly, if the group is larger than about ten people, be sure and allow a time where you can break into smaller groups for discussion. This also offers a great chance to share prayer requests and more personal needs.

A new trend today is online book clubs. I know Today’s Christian Woman has one, which might be good for women who just don’t have a minute to join a local group.