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What Are the Different Types of Fiction Book Clubs?

Dan Cavallari
Dan Cavallari

Fiction book clubs are groups of people who get together to discuss different types of fiction. Each member in the book club will read the same book or collection, and the discussion will focus on themes, plot, characters, and other issues that arise from the reading of that book. The types of fiction book clubs available can vary significantly according to the preferences of the group members. Some book clubs are designed to cover a particular genre of fiction, such as horror or mystery. Others focus specifically on plot, or on characters, and so on.

Other types of fiction book clubs may focus on the writing of one of the book club members. A group of writers may get together to critique the writing of one of the members of the group, and while this is usually considered a writing group rather than a book club, if each of the members or some of the members are published authors, actual books can be read and critiqued. Sometimes a writer will act as a guest participant in fiction book clubs as a promotional event.

Book clubs may focus on a particular genre, such as horror.
Book clubs may focus on a particular genre, such as horror.

The size of fiction book clubs can vary. Smaller book clubs may feature only three or four people who get together informally to discuss a certain text, while other, much larger groups may gather in conference-like settings to discuss one book or several books. Online fiction book clubs may allow people to meet in a virtual setting, either through message boards, video chat, or other means to discuss the prominent themes and other literary devices of a book. Unlike other types of book clubs that require people to meet in person, online book clubs allow people from all over the world to meet and discuss without having to physically travel to a specific location.

Science fiction novels may be a focus for a book club.
Science fiction novels may be a focus for a book club.

Very often the fiction book clubs can vary by the type of fiction the group members enjoy reading. Science-fiction readers may group together, while horror readers may have their own group. Enthusiasts of family sagas can create a club together, and so on. Choosing a book club that is suited to the group member's preferences will ensure the conversations are interesting and well focused. It will also help a group member analyze a text more accurately and to a greater depth. It is, of course, acceptable to join a book club to branch out and try a different type of fiction, and many group members may be seriously reading fiction for the first time altogether.

Discussion Comments

MrsPramm

@umbra21 - One thing that I've always found a bit odd is that every book club I've ever joined only ever seemed to have women in it, or just a couple of token men. They will be women from all backgrounds and persuasions too.

One of friends told me it was because men tend to get run off when women are strongly opinionated, but I hope that isn't the real reason.

Anyway, if you are a man hoping to meet some intelligent women with similar taste, I would strongly recommend joining a book club. Even the ones geared towards traditionally male-dominated genres, like science fiction, seem to have a much higher proportion of females in the group.

umbra21

@Fa5t3r - Even aside from meeting people a book club is such an amazing experience. Reading can be so lonely if you don't have friends with similar taste, because you'll hardly ever find someone who has read the same book at a similar time and can carry on a good conversation about it.

A fiction book club filled with intelligent people is one of the greatest pleasures in life. I almost didn't take a great job in another city because it meant I'd have to leave mine, and sometimes I think I made the wrong decision!

Fa5t3r

I tend to move around a lot and everywhere I move one of the ways that I try to make friends is by joining a local book club. It's not always easy, as a lot of places don't have public book clubs. And occasionally the club is too expensive for me to join, as I can't afford to buy a new release book just for a club every week.

But often the library will have a book club or clubs to join and they usually arrange it so that you can all read the same fiction books from the library and don't have to purchase it.

The only thing I don't like about joining a library book club is that the books tend to be fairly generic in order to cater for all tastes, but I've met some wonderful people through them, and that's the most important thing.

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    • Book clubs may focus on a particular genre, such as horror.
      By: igorigorevich
      Book clubs may focus on a particular genre, such as horror.
    • Science fiction novels may be a focus for a book club.
      By: Stephen Coburn
      Science fiction novels may be a focus for a book club.
    • Members of a fiction book club usually discuss the assigned book's themes, plot, and characters.
      By: Konstantin Yuganov
      Members of a fiction book club usually discuss the assigned book's themes, plot, and characters.
    • Sometimes writers participate in fiction book clubs as a promotional event.
      By: Minerva Studio
      Sometimes writers participate in fiction book clubs as a promotional event.
    • Book clubs often take the form of discussion groups.
      By: Monkey Business
      Book clubs often take the form of discussion groups.