What's in a Book Club? (Part II)

by Brianna

What's in a book club?

In our book clubs, we have journal prompts.
People love journal prompts, and we find that journaling about self-improvement books really helps one synthesize and evaluate their message. With this in mind, we sprinkled journal prompts throughout our reading guides, for both the discussion leader and the group members.
To be clear: you do not have to share your journaling with the group. The discussion questions never ask you to share your journals, though in a particularly intimate group you may end up sharing anyway. But we ask some pretty personal, self-exploratory questions to get you really thinking about how you’re engaging with the text at hand.
Want examples? Here’s the ballpark:

• Do you know what your dreams are? Make a list; we’ll tell you when to stop. Nope, not yet.
  
• Why is it important to you to pass on your traditions?
  
• What did your spouse do when you were dating that made you feel loved?
  

Your private answers to the journal prompts will help inform your reactions to the discussion questions. So when you get to your book club’s meeting, not only will you be ready to talk about the book, but you’ll be able to discuss what, if any, impact it’s having on your life in real time. How great is that? How much or little you share with the group is up to you, but either way, our journal prompts will benefit your book clubbing experience.
What isn’t up to you? Coming up with thought-provoking journal prompts! Honestly, all book clubs should have a journaling component. By using our kits, you’re ensuring that your whole group is getting a fuller book club experience than any other. It’s ok to be pleased with yourself; we are, too.