There are many reasons to join or start a reading group. It is a great way for book lovers to come together and enjoy each other's company. If your goal is to read more or to read outside the genres you usually select, a book group can help strengthen your resolve. It's also a great way to meet new friends and like-minded people.

Here are a few tips to get you started:

1. What type of books do you want to read? This should be decided in advance. If your group is drawn together by a common desire to read — for instance — Science Fiction, then the process will be easy. If not, then assess your group's goals, and establish the types of literature you wish to read.

2. Ask a few friends. Three or four people is enough. Meeting once a month is a typical arrangement, but of course it will depend on members' schedules. Allow at least two or three hours for discussion. You would normally talk at least that much to catch up on events. This time you will have a more compelling focus for conversation.

3. Decide if your group would like to discuss books over hors d'oeuvres and drinks or snacks. This is always more fun. Each month another member can play host to the gathering and provide refreshments.

4. Upon selecting a title, you can ask the person who recommended it to find out more about the author. You may even find the author has a Web site and e-mail. Go to the publisher's Web site to see if there is a reading group guide and print it out.

5. There are thousands of questions you can ask about a book, but the best one to get the ball rolling is: Does the book work? If so, why? Were the characters rendered fully? Were they real? Did the writer create an atmosphere that you could visualize? Was there a narrator? Was there a point? Were you inspired?

6. Disagreement is good! It will spark the greatest of conversations, and can often lead to an understanding of more potent and complex issues.

7. There are many different criteria set up by individual groups in regard to how many people should read a selected book. We highly recommend that everyone in the group read the book. It will make for a much livelier and fulfilling discussion.

8. Don't forget to keep track of what your group has read. Perhaps one person can be designated recordkeeper, and you may want to include a brief critique.

9. Become part of the Xpress Yourself Publishing Reading Community. To receive monthly updates about the latest guides available and special offers, subscribe to the Monthly Newsletter below.

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