How To Find A Book Club and Make New Friends

Are you looking to meet new friends, but would rather stay in and curl up with a good book than go to parties or awkward social events? Well, you can actually do both! By joining a book club, you can read new books and meet new people who share common interests.

I know how hard it is to meet new people or put yourself out there in awkward situations. I’ve had my fair share of anxiety that has stopped me from doing a lot of things because I found it easier to stick with what I know.

However, trying new things has often put me into better situations than I expected. It’s helped me search for more of what brings me joy. Without doing so, I would never really learn or grow because I’d be stuck inside my comfort zone. That’s why doing this was a step in the right direction.

Sure, some book clubs are reading awful books you’d never pick up, but a lot of times people are willing to read anything that sounds interesting. Some people might even agree that the book sucks and couldn’t get through it.

You won’t know unless you go see for yourself. What’s even better is that finding a book club is easier than it seems thanks to options like Meetup, heading to the library or connecting with others at work. 

Meetup

Go to Meetup or download the app right now and open it up. You can search through the “Explore” section for “Book Club.” Once you’re in there, you can look through the different groups within the categories on your page. You’ll see the options based on your specific area (which can be adjusted right on the top of the screen) so it will vary from the ones I can join. 

Read the descriptions, look at past books, and be sure to take note of the location. If it seems like it would be a good fit, you can easily join or request to join. This will sometimes bring up questions about what you’re interested in, but it’s just a way for the creators to keep track of the members that really want to be a part of the group. There may also be an option to pay to join, but if you want to test out how you feel about book clubs, I’d go with a free one first.

Start your own

Can’t find what you’re looking for? You can also feel free to create your own book club! This is a great way to find exactly what you’re looking for within a book club such as women who love reading and brunch, sci-fi fanatics, or people who read books linked with major motion pictures.

The options are endless, but it may take some time to get steady members. I have seen people share their book club in various Facebook groups or even on a site like NextDoor. Think about where you look for local groups or activities and see if there’s an opportunity to share more information about your group!

Library

Whoever isn’t taking advantage of the library needs to get in their car right now and drive to the nearest one. There are so many amazing books that you can read for FREE. You’ll be signing up for a new card asap.

The library is also a great place to look for a book club in your area. Check their website or stop in to find out more about any book clubs they may offer. Be sure to also get the schedule or see if there is a current book they are reading so you can catch up and make it to the next meet up.

If your library doesn’t have host a book club, you can talk about creating one. Trust me, so many people share this interest.

My library even offers book club reading kits, so it’s really easy to start my own. I love this idea, but I haven’t been able to round up enough readers (who have time to read) and get together. I’d also love to meet new friends…because meeting friends as an adult is hard.

Check at Work

This one kinda sorta involves putting yourself out there if you’re not too familiar with everyone in your office. It’s also a great way to meet people you work with that share some interests in common.

If there isn’t a book club in place, don’t be afraid to start one even if it’s just you and your workplace neighbor. Once it gets started and people hear you’re getting together for happy hour or heading to the new pasta shop downtown, they might get serious FOMO and want to join.

Reading is not a dying hobby, especially if it’s a hobby YOU love. With so many amazing books out there, finding a book club is pretty simple. People are always looking for new reading suggestions, others to discuss it with and ways to make new friends. By searching through these options to find one you’re comfortable with and that fits your style, you’ll most likely be ordering or picking up a book for your new book club in no time!