Anyone who meets to discuss books with other people is part of a reading group. Being a member can help you as a reader get more pleasure out of reading. You can share your love of reading with like-minded people but also take your reading to another level through other people's interpretation of a text and the stimulation of discussion.

There are a variety of reading groups already in existence in the UK and it is possible that one of these may be just what you are looking for.

To find out if there is a reading group in your area contact your local library, college or bookshop, they may have details or even run one themselves. Remember though, you will have to fall in with an existing groups set-up so be sure to find out how the group is run before committing yourself to attending.

If there is not a local group that is suitable for you, you may want to start your own. This could be made up of friends that are also interested in setting up a group or with new friends who you find through word-of-mouth.

For further advice about how to make a group work and other useful information try one of these key Reading Group websites:

Good links to resources for reader development and reading groups can also be found on the National Literacy Trust website.

OVER TO THE EXPERTS
 
Above are our basic ideas and suggestions for starting and running a successful reading group, but you're the experts, HOW DO YOU DO IT?

TIP OF THE MONTH
 
'We try to adopt a theme for the year and select books from a wide range of authors and subjects. Purely by chance one year we selected books with a distinct winter theme: Icefields by Thomas Wharton; Miss Smilla's Feeling For Snow by Peter Hoeg; Shipping News by E. Annie Proulx; Snow Falling On Cedars by David Guterson - you get the picture'.
Maureen Kirby, Great Bookham, Guildford

Well done, Maureen, you win a copy of next month's HOT SPOT title.
 
For more Top Tips and ideas from reading groups click here

 
If you have any useful advice or funny stories about starting up or participating in a reading group, we would love to hear from you. Your ideas and experiences will be displayed on the website for other reading groups to benefit from and enjoy. Don't forget to include your name and address in your email:

If you would like to become a member of a reading group, start a reading group of your own or are looking for tips to liven up an existing group, TOP TIPS has the right advice for you.
CLICK HERE.