The Ultimate Guide to Running a Book Club on Readfeed

Why Readfeed for Your Book Club

Running a book club across text threads, email chains, and shared spreadsheets works—until it doesn't. Missed messages, forgotten meeting dates, and the eternal "wait, what book are we reading?" question derail even the most enthusiastic groups. Readfeed was designed specifically to solve these problems. It puts book selection, discussion, scheduling, and community into a single platform built around how book clubs actually operate. Whether you're starting a new club or migrating an existing one, this guide walks through everything you need to know.

Step 1: Creating Your Book Club

Getting started takes about two minutes.

Download Readfeed from the App Store or Google Play, or visit readfeed.app in your browser.
Create an account using your email or sign in with Google or Apple.
Tap "Create a Club" from the home screen.
Name your club. Choose something memorable—"The Unbookables," "Page & Pour," "Third Thursday Readers." The name sets the tone.
Write a short description. Tell potential members what your club is about: genre focus, vibe, meeting frequency, and what kind of readers you're looking for.
Set your club type:
- Public — Anyone can find and join your club. Great for growing a community.
- Private — Members join by invitation only. Better for existing friend groups or professional teams.
Choose a category (fiction, nonfiction, genre-specific, professional development) to help readers find you in Readfeed's directory.

That's it. Your club is live. Now let's fill it.

Step 2: Inviting Members

Readfeed gives you multiple ways to bring people in.

Share link: Every club gets a unique invite link you can text, email, or post on social media. One tap joins.
In-app invitations: Search for friends already on Readfeed and send them a direct invite.
QR code: Generate a QR code for your club that works perfectly for in-person events, library bulletin boards, or workplace posters.
Contact sync: Optionally sync your phone contacts to see who's already on Readfeed. No spam—Readfeed never messages your contacts without your explicit action.

Pro tip: Invite more people than you think you need. The typical conversion rate from "interested" to "active member" is about 60-70%. If you want 10 active members, invite 15.

Step 3: Setting Up Your First Book

Once you have members, it's time to read.

Search for your book using Readfeed's built-in library. The database covers millions of titles with cover images, descriptions, page counts, and genre tags.
Set it as the current read. This pins the book to your club's main page so every member sees it immediately.
Set a reading deadline. Choose a finish-by date. Readfeed will send gentle reminders as the date approaches (members can customize notification frequency).
Add reading milestones (optional). Break the book into sections—"Chapters 1-8 by March 10, Chapters 9-16 by March 20, finish by March 30." Milestones help members pace themselves and reduce the end-of-month panic read.

Step 4: Using AI Discussion Questions

This is where Readfeed's technology genuinely changes the book club experience.

How It Works

When you set a current book, Readfeed's AI generates a tailored set of discussion questions covering:

Thematic questions — Big ideas and moral dilemmas raised by the text.
Character questions — Motivations, reliability, relationships, and growth arcs.
Craft questions — Structure, point of view, prose style, and authorial choices.
Connection questions — Links between the book and members' personal experiences or current events.

Why It Matters

Preparing discussion questions is the biggest time drain for book club facilitators. A 2023 BookBrowse survey found that 61% of facilitators spend over an hour preparing questions for each meeting. Readfeed's AI handles that in seconds—and because the questions are generated from the specific book (not generic templates), they're substantive and specific.

How to Use AI Questions Effectively

Don't use all of them. The AI generates 15-20 questions. Pick 5-7 that resonate with you and your group's interests.
Customize freely. Edit, rephrase, or combine questions. The AI gives you a starting point, not a script.
Share in advance. Post your selected questions in the club feed 2-3 days before the meeting so members can think about them while finishing the book.
Supplement with your own. The best meetings blend AI-generated prompts with personal observations from the facilitator and members.

Step 5: Tracking Reading Progress

Readfeed includes built-in progress tracking that creates gentle social accountability without pressure.

Update your progress by entering your current page number or percentage. It takes two seconds.
See the group dashboard. A visual overview shows where each member is in the book. No names attached unless you opt in—some groups prefer anonymized progress bars to reduce shame.
Get pacing nudges. If you're falling behind the milestone schedule, Readfeed can send a friendly reminder. These are opt-in and customizable.
Post reading reactions. As you read, drop thoughts, reactions, quotes, or questions into the club feed. Tag them with spoiler warnings if needed. This creates an ongoing conversation that enriches the eventual meeting.

Progress tracking isn't about policing—it's about making reading feel communal even between meetings. Knowing that three other members are on chapter 12 when you're on chapter 11 creates a subtle, motivating sense of shared experience.

Step 6: Managing Meetings and Schedules

Readfeed streamlines the logistics that kill so many clubs.

Set a recurring meeting schedule. First Tuesday of every month at 7pm, third Saturday at 10am—whatever works. Readfeed handles calendar invites and reminders.
Create individual events for one-off meetings, author Q&As, or social gatherings.
RSVP tracking. Members confirm attendance so the host knows how many to expect.
Meeting notes. After each meeting, the facilitator (or any member) can post notes, highlights, and the group's consensus rating. This creates a living archive of your club's reading history.
Virtual meeting integration. If your club meets online, add a Zoom or Google Meet link directly to the event. Members tap once to join.

Step 7: Finding New Members

If your club is public, Readfeed's discovery features help new readers find you.

Club directory. Public clubs appear in Readfeed's searchable directory, filtered by genre, location, meeting format (virtual, in-person, hybrid), and activity level.
Featured clubs. Particularly active and well-run clubs get featured on the Readfeed home screen, exposing them to the entire user base.
Community posts. Share your club's reading picks, discussion highlights, or open invitations in Readfeed's community feed to attract like-minded readers.

Step 8: Connecting with the Readfeed Community

Beyond your own club, Readfeed is a broader community of readers.

Follow other clubs to see what they're reading and borrow ideas for your own selections.
Join the global conversation. Post reviews, reading lists, and recommendations visible to all Readfeed users.
Participate in reading challenges. Readfeed periodically runs community-wide reading events—themed months, reading marathons, genre explorations—that your club can join collectively.
Discover books through the community. See what's trending across all Readfeed clubs, what's generating the most discussion, and which books are getting the highest ratings from fellow club readers.

Tips for Keeping Your Club Engaged

Creating a club is easy. Keeping it active takes intention. Here's what the most successful Readfeed clubs do:

Post between meetings

Don't let the club feed go silent between monthly meetings. Share articles about the current book, post memes, ask casual questions ("What are you reading besides our club pick?"), or share reading progress updates. Even small posts keep the club top of mind.

Celebrate milestones

When your club finishes its 10th book, 20th book, or first anniversary, mark the occasion. Post a retrospective of your best reads. Vote on the "best book club pick of the year." These rituals build identity and loyalty.

Rotate responsibilities

Don't let one person do everything. Rotate who facilitates discussion, who picks the book, who posts the meeting recap, and who manages logistics. Shared ownership prevents burnout and increases engagement.

Ask for feedback

Every 3-4 months, ask members what's working and what isn't. Are meetings too long? Too short? Are the book picks too samey? Is the pace too fast? Small adjustments based on honest feedback prevent the slow disengagement that kills clubs.

Welcome new members warmly

When someone new joins, introduce them in the feed, tag them in a welcome post, and suggest they start with the current read. First impressions determine whether a new member stays or ghosts.

Advanced Features

As your club grows, Readfeed offers tools for more sophisticated use:

Multiple concurrent reads. Some clubs run a main pick alongside a "buddy read" or optional secondary book. Readfeed supports multiple active books simultaneously.
Polls and voting. Run in-app polls for book selection, meeting times, or any club decision.
Reading statistics. Track your club's annual reading stats—books completed, total pages read, genres covered, average ratings. Great for year-end retrospectives.
Export and share. Generate a shareable reading list of everything your club has read, complete with ratings and notes. Perfect for recommending your club's curated list to others.

Getting the Most Out of Readfeed

The clubs that thrive on Readfeed share a few common traits: they post regularly between meetings, they use AI discussion questions as a starting point rather than a crutch, they rotate responsibilities so no single member carries the organizational load, and they treat the platform as a living space for their reading community—not just a scheduling tool.

Readfeed works because it removes the friction that makes book clubs hard to sustain. No more "what's the Zoom link?" texts. No more forgotten book titles. No more discussions that fizzle because nobody prepared questions. The logistics fade into the background, and what's left is the thing that drew you to a book club in the first place: great books, good people, and conversations that make both better.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I create a book club on Readfeed?

Download the Readfeed app or visit readfeed.app, create an account, and tap "Create a Club." Name your club, write a short description, choose whether it's public or private, and select a category. The entire process takes about two minutes. Once created, share your unique invite link to bring in members and set your first book to start reading.

Is Readfeed free?

Readfeed offers a free tier that includes club creation, member management, book tracking, and basic discussion features. Premium features—including AI-generated discussion questions, advanced reading statistics, and priority club directory placement—are available through an affordable subscription. The free tier is fully functional for most clubs getting started.

What makes Readfeed different from other book club apps?

Readfeed is purpose-built for book clubs, not adapted from a general social media or reading tracking platform. Key differentiators include AI-powered discussion question generation tailored to specific books, integrated progress tracking with social accountability, built-in scheduling and RSVP management, and a community discovery feature that helps public clubs find new members. The combination of these features in a single app eliminates the need to coordinate across multiple tools.

Can I use Readfeed for a virtual book club?

Absolutely. Readfeed works seamlessly for virtual, in-person, and hybrid clubs. For virtual meetings, add your video conferencing link (Zoom, Google Meet, etc.) directly to the event so members can join with one tap. The club feed, progress tracking, and AI discussion features work identically regardless of whether your group meets in person or online. Many of the most active clubs on Readfeed are fully virtual with members across multiple time zones.

The Ultimate Guide to Running a Book Club on Readfeed