I finally quit bringing prepared notes to book club, and you should too

For months, I'd spend hours crafting arguments for our debates, but it made discussions feel rigid and scripted. After one particularly stale meeting (you know the kind, where everyone just recites their points), I decided to ditch my notes and just engage naturally. The very next debate was vibrant, with authentic reactions and deeper connections to the text. I've seen our club's energy transform since adopting this approach. Now, I warn fellow members: over-preparation can stifle the spontaneous magic that makes book clubs special.

4 comments

4 Comments

the_adam11h ago

Last fall, our Denver book club mandated bullet points only, no full scripts. We found that when people came with pre-written essays, the conversation just bounced between monologues without real interaction. Switching to casual talking points let us actually react to each other's insights, like when we debated the morality in 'Americanah' and it got heated in the best way. Now I tell new members to just bring one open-ended question instead of a prepared case. It forces everyone to listen and build on the discussion live, which saved our club from dying out honestly.

logan9799h ago

Totally agree, you basically weaponized spontaneity. Next logical step is having someone lead a discussion completely cold, no notes at all, just vibes and panic.

spencer_davis8h ago

My coworker tried that "no prep" approach for a team brainstorm last quarter. It just led to twenty minutes of circular rambling and one guy quietly updating his resume on his laptop. Turns out, even vibes need a little structure to steer the panic somewhere useful.

jamesf415h ago

Yikes, my three-page character analysis probably single-handedly killed the vibe at my last meeting.