Wines & Spines & Why It Works: Tips to Build & Sustain a Book Club
“You have a meeting coming up with Wines & Spines”.
The e-mail hits my inbox & I have two immediate thoughts.
Am I going to finish the book in time? (or, when I’m really busy, “Shoot, did I start the book?”)
Yay, Book Club is soon!
Wines & Spines.
My little monthly weeknight treat.
We just hit the 5th anniversary of Wines & Spines, & I feel so grateful for this group of gals. We celebrated with a Galentine’s Day inspired soiree, complete with face masks, pink roses, & a night in our pajamas.
I’ve been part of book clubs before. Each time, through no fault of their own, they’ve faded into the dark or I’ve lost interest, getting busy with other things. With this group, it’s different & we’ve been trying to figure out why.
It’s more than the books we read & the wines we drink, it’s a community we’ve come to love.
If 2025 is the year you’re itching to start a book club or keep one afloat, perhaps these tips will help.
Create shared goals & accountability.
I know, that sounds so boring. But a good book club keeps you reading. All of us have accounts on Goodreads and we each have a goal for how many books we want to read during the year. Book club books count towards our personal goal, keeping us motivated and reading. We also can check in on each other’s progress if we’re feeling like it. For me, deadlines are very helpful. Knowing when I need to finish by helps me to plan out what other books I want to read for the month.
Keep it small.
Nobody wants to be exclusive. In a perfect world, there would be no barriers. However, let’s be realistic. The bigger the group, the harder it is to coordinate a time that consistently works for everybody. The more people, the more opinions. The wider range of audience, the wider range of preferences. We experienced this, because we started with more members. The group whittled down to 5 consistent members, which seems like the perfect size. The 5 core members are 30s/40s, so we’re not looking to be home past 8 but we also still have enough energy to drive downtown & are willing to spend a couple bucks to try new restaurants. That last part I say in jest, but I do think it has made our lives easier to have similar expectations & availability. Each of our unique personalities & outlooks on life create some hilarious banter, too.
Variety is the spice of life.
No book club meet up is ever the same, besides the members. We have done your classic meet up at a house. But we also have combined book club chatter with an activity, such as wreath making at Crazy Daisies or doing a craft with Right Mind Syracuse. Our group has a running list of restaurants we pick from. That’s one of the compelling draws of book club-we are constantly trying new places. For budgetary reasons, we try to balance our selections: do a luxurious option this time, a pub option the next time. We also try to pick a book that is easy to find for free, such as at the library or through an audio app or cheap on Amazon. This keeps our expenses in check.
Schedule the next meeting before the current one ends.
I work in development, & one piece of advice I’ve received sticks with me.
After every meeting, do not leave without a next step. Get a date on the calendar or determine the next action to take.
The same goes for book clubs.
Book it right then, or else you’ll never find a date that aligns in a timely manner.
This allows time for babysitters to be booked and logistics to be worked out.
Take turns: picking the book, hosting, etc.
We try to make sure it isn’t a heavy lift for any of us consistently. We all have busy lives: work, kids, hobbies, pets, homes, travel, you name it. The last thing we need is another chore. Therefore, we try to rotate & take turns. We meet at a public place one month, then host at someone’s house the next month. When somebody does host, we each try to bring a part of the meal. One of us might pick a mystery thriller one month, then memoir the next. This way, we’re all getting books that interest us or stretching to try new genres. We’ve even played around with the idea of still meeting up but having a “Read Something from your TBR Pile” to eliminate stress during busy seasons. I cannot wait for that one.
This group is about so much more than books.
Everybody deserves a group of friends with a shared interest that lights them up.
We’ve seen each other through deaths in the family, special life events, job struggles, dating stories, & more.
On International Women’s Day, I hope you embrace the groups of girls in your life that make your days just a little brighter. For 2025, I hope that you find a group that you’ll be meeting with 5 years from now.
The biggest lesson I’ve learned? Sometimes, you just have to create that opportunity for yourself.
Cheers to Wines & Spines <3
