Normal book club meetings are great—especially if your club is serious about its snacks—but to have next level book clubbery that boosts a normal conversation into one you’ll never forget, bring in the author of the book you’ll be reading to join you!
Many authors—both those published by larger houses and those who independently or self-publish—delight in chatting with their readers in the intimate setting of a book club and even make visiting book clubs part of their regular practice.
We also curate a seasonal “One Lit Place Book Club Recommended Reads Featured Author List” that showcases authors across the genres who are happy to visit book clubs.
For book club members who already clearly love to read, bringing in the author is rewarding on numerous levels. The author’s insights may provoke questions you hadn’t thought of while reading or inspire a whole other stimulating conversation.
It’s also neat to hear the behind-the-scenes info from the author: what they experienced with the inception, the writing, and the publishing process. (There may even be some gossip or hidden details you’d have never learned otherwise!). And what a lovely way to respect the art and craft of a book than to share your views, questions, and even concerns with the author.
For a book author, you can reap huge benefit from visiting book clubs.
Spending an hour with people who have closely read your book is one of the coolest ways to know your work has resonated with its readership. These people haven’t just read your book; they’ve read it mindfully, thoroughly, and with inquiry precisely because they know they’re going to be talking about it. Getting to chat with them about the years of work you put into the book is a thrill.
[This incredible article reinforces how valuable visiting book clubs is for authors, how to find book clubs to visit, and how to nurture those new relationships] ~
I loved being invited to their "meeting," answering their questions, and hearing their observations about the book. [...] Everyone was engaged as we discussed why I wrote the book and where I got my inspiration. I found most people had read it as well. Ahead of each book club, I noticed new sales of my book on Amazon, so I can confidently say book clubs help sell books!
Also, to look at it from a marketing perspective, a single visit to a book club is gold. By agreeing to join the group, you will:
From one visit, you can also look forward to long-reaching rewards. Once you connect with the book club participants, you and your book will forever occupy a front row spot in their personal library both literally and figuratively. Their connection to you becomes a kind of currency, making them far more likely to want to keep connecting with you on social media, leave your book (and future books) positive reviews, and share your book or social posts with others. After all, it’s a special thing to get to chat so intimately with the author of a book!
Given the competition for eyeballs on your work, putting yourself into the running of being invited—and doing it with grace and enthusiasm—sets you up for great success with your readership, one club at a time.
While the ultimate goal is book sales, I loved connecting with strangers and hearing how my stories resonated with them and how they made them feel. Plus, everyone wanted to know when my next book would be released.
Become a One Lit Place Book Club Recommended Reads Featured Author!
When you sign up to be one of our season’s recommended authors, you have our backing to get the most visibility possible and get you in front of book clubs.
Check out all the benefits HERE and please reach out with any questions!
Our 4-month Mentored Book Programs, Online Courses, & Writing Coaching and Editing Hours. From November 21-27, 2023