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• Dynamics Book Discussion Club (Overview)
  
  
• Get Ready: Steps for Start-up
  
  
• Get Set: Suggestions for Success
  
  
• Go!!: Tips on Leading the Discussion
  
  
• Discussion Packets
  • The Bean Trees
  • The Bridges of Madison County
  • Slow Waltz in Cedar Bend
  • Cold Mountain
  • Bibliography
  • Additional Resources

Dynamics Book Discussion Club

Get Ready: Steps for Start-Up

1. Get permission from your administrators. Unless your fledgling group is purely social, you probably have a "boss" of some sort who will appreciate being kept up-to-speed on your new project. Plus, their collaboration may prove invaluable in finding space, participants, and funding.

2. Select a loose time and place to hold meetings. If possible, keep these elements flexible until you receive feedback from your new club members about their preferences on location and time. To avoid confusion, it is best not to change settings very often. You may have an activity room to use at your leisure, but if not, try these:

   • your public library
   • a community center
   • a local church
   • a coffee house
   • a small cafe
   • a member's home
     
     

3. Advertise!!! Finding participants may be your biggest hurdle, so give yourself plenty of time to promote the Dynamics club. Plan to market the program for at least two months before the introductory meeting. Here are some ways to advertise:

   • Put up flyers at places frequented by seniors (such as senior centers, assisted living facilities' common rooms and laundromats, Elks Lodges, VFWs, breakfast diners, churches, bingo halls, dances, drugstores, grocery stores, etc.). Follow this link to a sample flyer – just fill in the first meeting and contact information, then photocopy.

   • Ask leaders of other senior programs to repeatedly mention Dynamics and the introductory meeting information.

   • Pay other programs a personal visit to promote the club yourself.

   • Ask local churches to place an article in their newsletters.

   • Contact your local AM radio station about on-air advertising.

   • Request that local newspapers include Dynamics in the community calendar of events.

4. Establish a discussion leader. You may be planning to lead the discussion yourself, at least initially, but if not, find a capable person who will. The group may eventually choose a different leader or decide to each take turns, but for the first book, do not count on finding a volunteer at the introductory meeting.

5. Hold an introductory meeting. This is to establish things like time and location of regular meetings and to select the first book for discussion.