How to Captivate Book Clubs: A Guide for Aspiring Authors
Brianna McCabe, the author behind The Red Flags I’ve (Repeatedly) Ignored, offers insight for fellow authors on breaking through the book club market to get their works into the hands of relevant readers.In an era where readers crave connection and conversation, book clubs have emerged as vibrant hubs for literary discussion and community. In fact, book club event listings grew 24% in the United States in 2023 when compared to 2022, according to ticketing platform Eventbrite.
For authors, these groups present a unique opportunity to not only get your books into eager hands but also to engage with passionate readers in meaningful ways.
If you’re an author looking to tap into this market, Brianna McCabe, author of The Red Flags I’ve (Repeatedly) Ignored, sat down for an interview with online magazine Women on Writing to share practical strategies to make your work a book club favorite and turn casual readers into devoted fans.
1. Do you find having a non-fiction title helps/hurts you as you look to schedule book club visits? Are book clubs more open to fiction or have you found book clubs open to all genres or specifically to non-fiction?
There is an audience for everything – and this not only rings true in my career as a marketer, but in my journey as an author as well. What I mean by that is, there most certainly are book clubs that cater only to specific genres – so as you can imagine, along the process I have most certainly received my fair share of rejections in that my book didn’t quite “fit.” For instance, I have stumbled across several book clubs that solely feature fiction – especially romance – and was told that they would pass on the opportunity to highlight my book. With that feedback, I would then pivot my strategy and continue my search for book clubs that were open to different genres, specifically memoirs, self-help, or non-fiction relationship reads, in the hopes of connecting with those readers.
While this could’ve been perceived as defeat, I instead used this as motivation to pitch myself to others and be more intentional with getting my book into the hands of those who wanted to read it and needed to read it. And let’s face it, with there being more than 5 million book clubs out there, there’s no shortage in sight – and that’s something that I firmly believe all authors should capitalize on.
2. How do you make first contact with book clubs? Do they reach out to you? Do you reach out to them? Do you have an open invitation on your social media? Can you tell us about your first visit to a book club?
I would say that it’s a little bit of both in terms of outreach and connections. The first book club that I was asked to participate in was founded by a few members of my high school graduating class that at the time had contained about one dozen active members who committed to reading one book per month. In my case, once word had gotten out that I had published a book, the outpouring of support was quite surreal from my local community – for which I am incredibly grateful. Therefore, when I was asked to come to one of their in-person monthly meetings to discuss my book in more depth, I was both delighted and honored.
For that initial book club I honestly didn’t know what to expect, but I was fairly confident that we would use my workbook-like questions included at the end of each of my sections, called “The Red Room,” as a guide to at least spur some discussion. With those questions, I encourage readers to begin reflecting on some of their own experiences that coincide with the stories – and ultimately lessons – from my book. Once I realized that’s essentially what was used as the structure for the club, dynamic conversations and meaningful connections were created from there – not just on an author-reader level, but on a human one, too. (And naturally, there was more sentimentality being that many of us had shared four years together perusing the same high school corridors, too.)
From there, opportunities have continued to spread as I post about my speaking engagements, which involves not just book club meetings but also podcast segments, radio spotlights, event participation, and media inclusions. By doing so, I leave myself open to a natural funnel of organic opportunities but then also use these experiences as leverage when I directly reach out to book clubs via email and social. It’s been a symbiotic relationship of sorts – and in my specific case, I don’t think one can exist without the other.
3. Do you have a successful format that you follow for each visit or is it different with each book club visit? Do you have a set of book club discussion questions?
When structuring my book, I made a decision to include book club-esque discussion questions at the end of each section that elicits thought-provoking responses – which, of course, tie-in to the central themes of the stories shared within the bindings of my book. Many of the book clubs that I have attended have used those questions as a springboard for conversation, whereas others have decided to call-out specific stories within my book and dissect them as a group.
Personally I prefer to go into book club meetings ready to flow and adjust to the experience that they want to cultivate. For some authors who may not feel comfortable doing so, though, don’t hesitate to ask the book club for a sample structure of how the meeting may go so that you can come a bit more prepared.
4. What is the biggest tip you can give authors hoping to become featured authors at book clubs? Either things they should do or things they shouldn’t do.
When it comes to being a featured author at a book club, you should:
Show the value that your book would bring to their group of readers.
Be flexible not just in the coordination of scheduling a date, but flexible in terms of how you intend to structure the discussion itself. For instance, some groups may want to ask more off-the-cuff Q&A questions to feel a more of an intimate bond with you as the author, so a rigid format may not be able to welcome these questions or invite this experience.
Make it a goal to reach out to at least one new book club per week.
Welcome any and all feedback of your book, if done respectfully, and use this for qualitative research in the sense of how you may move forward with future books, shift your marketing strategy, or even pitch to future book clubs.
Keep an eye on authors who have similar books in your genre(s) and see which book clubs and opportunities they may have secured – and then pitch your book to that same audience. (It’s important that you don’t view your fellow authors as competition, but instead as resources since no one book is the same after all.)
Ask for permission to post a group photo for the purposes of social media – and encourage everyone in attendance to repost!
And it’s equally as important that you shouldn’t:
Get discouraged if a specific group doesn’t welcome your book. (In fact, someone once told me that you may not be someone’s cup of coffee, but you may be someone’s cup of tea.)
Send only one email – oftentimes, the gold is in the follow-up.
Turn away book clubs with only a handful of members. Instead, you should practice gratitude for each and every reader that wants to take the time out of their busy lives to read your book and discuss it with you – so make an effort, if it suits your schedule, to give them a personalized, unique experience.
Look at it as a self-serving opportunity.
Not send a follow-up email thanking them for inviting you to their book club.
5. How successful do you feel book club visits are in terms of reaching readers and selling books compared to other options like book signings, podcasts and other events?
My publisher has consistently reinforced this principle that you need to “find your hives of people” since word-of-mouth is still the most powerful form of marketing – and I firmly believe in this philosophy. One buzz can create another buzz, which leads to a bigger buzz, and then without even realizing it, your book has pollinated several book clubs.
Number of books sold aside, though, I cherish the art of relationship-building and connections. That lasting impression alone can sometimes mean more than the book itself and create a different story that you can mutually latch onto – and as an author, what more can you honestly ask for?
6. Is there anything else you feel authors should know about successfully becoming a part of the book club community?
Of course most authors aim to be featured in a top book club like Reese’s or Oprah’s (heck, I’d even be lying if I said that wasn’t a goal!), but take it one step at a time, bring your most authentic self to each meeting, move with intention, seize opportunities that you deem to be a good fit with your brand, and be diligent in your efforts. Your book will find its audiences if you continue to put yourself out there and show what makes you and your story different from the rest.
7. About many book clubs have you visited so far?
At this point I’d say more than two dozen, both in-person and virtually – but I definitely anticipate that to grow as I continue to market my book and tap into new markets.
Brianna McCabe was recently interviewed for an article in Women on Writing, an a free online magazine and community that supports women writers, authors, editors, agents, publishers, and readers at all stages of the writing process. Click here to read the full article.