It’s no secret (at least around here!) that book clubs are critical and wonderful influencers when it comes to talking up new books, and why our book club listings are a key component of WWW’s Winner Circle.
We encourage every WWW author to develop a list of at least 10-12 thoughtful questions that relate to their book(s). Here’s how to get going with your own set of book club questions, and what to do with them once you have them!
How to Write Your Book Club Questions
If you’re unsure where to begin, here are a couple sites to get you started. PLEASE note, these are generic questions and we strongly suggest you use these as your “starter dough” to establish thoughtful reader discussion questions that pertain directly to your own work:
- From LitLovers.com – Questions for Fiction: http://www.litlovers.com/run-a-book-club/questions-for-fiction
- From LitLovers.com – Questions for Non-Fiction: http://www.litlovers.com/run-a-book-club/questions-for-nonfiction
- From AboutEducation.com – A list of general book club questions for discussion: http://classiclit.about.com/od/bookclubs/a/aa_bcquestions.htm
- From Book-Club-Queen.com – More general discussion questions for fiction at: http://www.book-club-queen.com/book-club-questions.html
- From Book-Club-Queen.com – General non-fiction discussion questions: http://www.book-club-queen.com/book-club-discussion-questions.html
- For reading guides/book club questions from hundreds of other books, visit: http://www.booklistreader.com/2008/05/07/book-groups/stalking-the-online-reading-guide/
Where to Post Your Book Club Questions
Your book club questions, book discussion guide, or whatever else you want to call it, should be listed in the back of your book. Whether or not that’s possible, there are other places to share as well:
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On your author website. Have a separate page/tab for your book club questions. We typically suggest that you paste them into the site, but also have a pdf of the questions, (perhaps nicely laid out with a graphic of your book’s cover), that readers can easily download and print for their next meeting.
Share this page widely on your social media outlets. You might also put up a question a day or one a week over the course of time to create more following and even encourage online discussion of your book.
Include your questions when pitching reviewers or book clubs. Make sure you let reviewers, clubs and conferences you may be pitching know that you have discussion questions. You needn’t list them out in each pitch, but do provide a link to where they can view and/or download your guide. One paid option we’ve seen ($200 and we don’t have feedback yet as to its worth to authors) is ReadingGroupGuides.com – you can visit this link for more info: http://www.readinggroupguides.com/how-to-add-a-guide.
Show us your questions! Don’t forget to share a link to those Qs with us, so we can share them around, too! Give us a link with your comment below, and here’s a few of our authors with some fun book club questions:
- Mary Arno’s Thanksgiving: http://maryarno.com/book-club-questions/
- Kat Varn’s Ameera Unveiled: http://katvarn.com/book-club-questions/
- Colleen Mooney’s Rescued by a Kiss: http://colleenmooney.com/book-club-questions/
- Bruce T. Jones’ Lost Reflection Series: http://www.brucetjones.com/book-club-qs/
- Jane Flagello’s Bamboozled: http://www.janeflagello.com/book-clubs/
- Barbara McLennan’s The Wealth of Virginia: http://wealthofjamestown.com/discussion-questions-the-wealth-of-virginia/
Thanks for this tip! I just wrote and posted discussion questions for my new book Lose Your Mind, Open Your Heart: https://spiritflower.wordpress.com/book-club-questions/.
Excellent, Peggy – we look forward to reading!
I never actually thought of doing this. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks, Lana – that’s what we’re here for!
Funny you should have this up this week, Finished my questions last week: http://desertedlands.com/book-clubs-qs/
Fabulous – well done, Robert! We’ll add you to the list 🙂
Shari,
Perfect timing! I’m near the point of creating my book club questions. I know that book clubs appreciate having these to guide their meetings.
Thanks for the suggestions and valuable links to questions and guides from other authors.
I’ll be sure to share my questions and guide when they’re ready.
Wonderful, Flora — please do! Think we’ll have to build a cool page of author book club Qs here!