Book Clubs & Community Outreach: Word-of-Mouth at Scale

A single book club adoption generates ten to twenty sales, a coordinated wave of reviews, and an ongoing conversation about your book that lives inside a tight-knit community for weeks. The members who love it tell their neighbors, their sisters, their coworkers. Some of those people start their own book clubs. A few form a chain of word-of-mouth that authors who only run ads never create.

Book clubs are one of the most underused marketing channels in book publishing — not because they're hard to access, but because they require a different kind of effort than most authors invest in. You're not posting content or running campaigns. You're building relationships with people who gather around books for the love of reading and conversation. That's a different energy, and it produces a different kind of loyalty.

This guide covers how to get your book into book clubs, how to make the most of those relationships, and how to extend that same community-building approach into schools, libraries, churches, and other community institutions where your ideal reader already gathers.

Why Book Clubs Matter More Than Most Authors Realize

  • Bulk sales: Book clubs buy multiple copies at once. A club of twelve buys twelve books. A library system running a community read program might buy hundreds. These concentrated sales spike your Amazon rank and review count simultaneously
  • Review velocity: When twelve people read your book in the same month, several of them will post reviews — often on the same week, creating the kind of review clustering that Amazon's algorithm treats as a strong momentum signal
  • Deep engagement: Book club readers finish books. They discuss them. They form opinions and share them. The word-of-mouth generated by a book club discussion is specific, enthusiastic, and credible in a way that a social media post rarely matches
  • Long tail: A book club that reads your book this year may recommend it to another club next year, and another the year after. Book club word-of-mouth is slow to start and hard to stop
  • Author visits: Book clubs actively seek author appearances — in person or virtual. Each visit puts you in front of a warm, captive audience who has already read your book and wants to talk about it. Nothing converts like that

Create Your Discussion Guide First

A discussion guide is the single most effective tool for getting your book adopted by book clubs, and fewer than one in ten published authors creates one. It signals that you take book clubs seriously, makes the host's job easier, and gives the club a structured experience that increases the chance of a memorable evening — which increases word-of-mouth.

What to include in your discussion guide

  • A brief author's note: What inspired the book, what you hoped readers would take from it, what questions you were trying to explore. Keep it to one to two paragraphs — warm, personal, and honest. This is the part of the guide most readers read first
  • Discussion questions: Ten to fifteen questions ranging from plot and character comprehension (accessible to everyone) to deeper thematic and personal reflection questions (the ones that generate real conversation). The best questions don't have single correct answers — they invite disagreement, personal connection, and diverse interpretations
  • Themes and topics for discussion: A brief list of the book's key themes — faith, family, sacrifice, redemption, identity, community — that gives clubs a framework for discussion beyond the specific questions
  • Further reading: Three to five other books you'd recommend to readers who loved yours. This positions you as a reader and a resource, not just a promoter. It also builds goodwill with those authors if they discover you're recommending them
  • Author Q&A offer: A sentence or two at the end offering to join the club virtually (via Zoom) to answer questions and discuss the book. Include your email address or a contact link. Many clubs will take you up on this
  • A note about reviews: A gentle, non-pushy mention that if club members enjoyed the book, an honest review on Amazon or Goodreads helps other readers find it. Something like: "If this book sparked conversations worth having, I'd be grateful if you shared a few words on Amazon or Goodreads — it helps readers like you find books like this one"

Formatting and hosting your guide

  • Format it as a clean, readable PDF — one to three pages is enough. Long guides don't get read
  • Include your book cover, your author photo, and your website URL so it functions as a piece of marketing even when it travels without you
  • Host it on a dedicated page of your author website (yourname.com/reading-guide or yourname.com/book-clubs) so it's easy to find and easy to share
  • Add a download link to your book's Amazon and Goodreads pages (through the editorial reviews section of Author Central and Goodreads author tools)
  • Mention it in your email newsletter and on your social channels — many readers actively run or belong to book clubs and will forward it

Getting Your Book Into Book Clubs

There are two approaches: outbound (you reach out to book clubs) and inbound (clubs find you). Both are worth pursuing, and they reinforce each other over time.

Outbound: Reaching Out to Book Clubs Directly

  • Library book clubs: Public libraries run book clubs at every scale — small in-branch groups, large community reads, themed series. Contact your local library's programming librarian directly. Offer your discussion guide, offer a virtual author visit, and ask whether your book would be a fit for one of their upcoming reading programs. Libraries are receptive to author outreach in a way that most other institutions are not
  • Church and Relief Society book clubs: Many LDS wards and stakes run active book clubs through Relief Society or as informal community groups. If you're a member of a congregation, start with your own — establish the model and the template locally, then reach out to nearby stakes. Contact Relief Society presidents or activities chairs directly. A personalized email explaining your book's themes and offering your discussion guide and a virtual visit is all you need
  • Facebook book club groups: Search Facebook for "book club," "LDS book club," "Christian book club," and genre-specific variations. Many have thousands of members and active monthly selections. Join the groups, participate genuinely for a few weeks, then follow the group's rules for author submissions — most have a process for authors to propose their book as a monthly selection. Trying to shortcut this process by dropping links without participating is noticed and unwelcome
  • Goodreads book clubs and groups: Goodreads hosts thousands of reader groups, many of which function as virtual book clubs with monthly selections. Search for groups in your genre and participate in discussions before proposing your book. Groups with active selection processes typically welcome author proposals from members who've contributed to the community
  • Corporate and organizational book clubs: Many workplaces, professional associations, and nonprofit organizations run book clubs or "lunch and learn" programs. If your nonfiction book addresses a workplace-relevant topic — leadership, communication, mental health, productivity, parenting — reach out to HR departments, employee resource group leaders, or professional association program chairs. Corporate book adoptions can produce bulk orders of 20–100+ copies
  • School and classroom reading: For children's book authors and YA authors, teachers and school librarians are your primary book club access point. A book that becomes part of a classroom curriculum unit is read by every student in the class, potentially across an entire school or district. Contact teachers directly via school websites, or reach out to your local school district's curriculum coordinator if your book aligns with specific learning objectives

Inbound: Making Yourself Easy to Find

  • Create a dedicated book club page on your website with your discussion guide, your virtual visit offer, and a contact form specifically for book clubs. Make it clear that you welcome and respond to book club inquiries
  • List your book on book club websites: Reading Group Choices (readinggroupchoices.com) lists titles specifically recommended for book clubs and is a resource thousands of clubs use when selecting books. Submitting your title requires publisher involvement — ask Cedar Fort whether they submit to this service
  • Mention book clubs in your newsletter: Periodically remind your subscribers that you offer a free discussion guide and virtual visits. Many of your subscribers belong to book clubs and haven't thought to propose your book
  • Mention your book club availability in podcast interviews and media appearances: "If any of your listeners are in a book club, I'd love to join you virtually" is a specific, actionable call to action that generates real inquiries

The Virtual Author Visit: Your Most Scalable Book Club Asset

Offering to join book clubs virtually via Zoom is one of the highest-ROI activities available to an author, and it requires nothing but an hour of your time and a decent internet connection. A 45-minute virtual visit with a book club of twelve produces twelve engaged, enthusiastic readers who feel a personal connection to you. Most of them will review the book, recommend it to others, and buy your next title when it releases.

How to structure a virtual book club visit

  1. Open with a brief personal note (5 minutes): Share something about the book that isn't in the author's note or interview — a detail that didn't make it into the final text, the moment you knew the book was working, the scene that surprised you as you wrote it. Give the club something exclusive
  2. Let the club lead (25–30 minutes): Ask what questions they had. Follow their curiosity rather than steering toward talking points. The conversations book clubs have when they feel free to ask anything are more interesting than any prepared presentation, and they'll remember the visit more vividly for it
  3. Close with what you're working on (5 minutes): Tell them what comes next — your current project, the themes you're exploring, when they might expect the next book. This plants the seed for continued readership without making it a sales pitch
  4. Thank them specifically: Mention something specific from the conversation — a question someone asked, a point that gave you a new perspective on your own book. Personal, specific thanks feel different from generic ones, and they're remembered

After the visit

  • Send a follow-up email to the host thanking them for hosting and asking them to share your reader magnet link with club members who want to stay connected
  • Ask (gently) whether club members might share their thoughts in a Goodreads or Amazon review if they haven't already
  • Ask whether they know of other clubs who might enjoy the book — a warm referral from a satisfied club host is one of the best book club leads available

LDS Community Outreach: Your Built-In Network

The Latter-day Saint community has one of the most cohesive and book-friendly cultures of any community in the United States. Wards, stakes, and associated organizations are ready-made community networks that Cedar Fort authors can reach through personal relationships, institutional channels, and shared values in ways that no amount of advertising can replicate.

Relief Society and Women's Circles

Relief Society organizations at the ward and stake level regularly organize book clubs, reading challenges, and enrichment activities centered on literature. A book that addresses women's faith, family, history, or personal development is a natural fit. Start by offering your book and discussion guide to your own ward's Relief Society, then ask them to refer you to the stake RS president, who can recommend you to other wards across the stake.

Come Follow Me Study Companions

For Cedar Fort titles that directly relate to Come Follow Me scripture study curriculum — Church history, Book of Mormon topics, Doctrine and Covenants subjects — positioning your book as a study companion or enrichment resource connects it to an organized, year-round reading framework that millions of Latter-day Saints follow. Reach out to Sunday School presidents, seminary teachers, and institute instructors who are actively looking for supplemental resources.

Ward and Stake Libraries

Many LDS meetinghouses maintain small libraries with resources for members. Donating a copy of your book to your ward and stake library increases its visibility within that congregation and signals generosity to community members who may purchase their own copy after borrowing.

Youth Programs

For Cedar Fort authors writing for younger audiences or on topics relevant to Latter-day Saint youth — faith development, Church history, values, leadership — Young Men and Young Women programs are a direct channel. Seminary teachers, Young Women presidents, and youth activity chairs are all potential advocates for the right book.

LDS Online Communities

Beyond local congregations, a robust online ecosystem of LDS community groups operates on Facebook, Instagram, and other platforms. Groups specifically organized around LDS books, LDS fiction, LDS parenting, and LDS women's topics can be found with a simple search. Participate in these communities genuinely over time — they are among the most receptive audiences available to Cedar Fort authors.

Library Outreach

Libraries deserve special attention beyond what's covered in the events guide. Librarians are professional advocates for books, and a librarian who loves your book will recommend it to hundreds of patrons over the course of a year.

  • Get your book into library collections. Contact your local public library's collection development librarian and ask whether your book has been added to the catalog. If not, offer a copy for review. Many libraries purchase titles based on community member requests — ask your local patrons to request the book at their library as well
  • Offer to present for library programming. Libraries run author talks, genre series, community reads, and educational programs throughout the year. A brief email to the programming librarian — offering a talk or discussion session at no charge — is often enough to get on the calendar
  • Apply for One Book/One Community programs. Many library systems, cities, and school districts run community-wide reading programs where everyone reads the same book over a defined period. Selection for a One Book program typically involves a formal application process run by the organizing library or education department. A selection can produce hundreds of bulk sales and enormous community visibility. Search for "One Book" or "All-City Reads" programs in regions where you have connections
  • Contact school librarians directly. School librarians are the single most influential book advocates for the K–12 audience. A school librarian who loves a children's or YA title will recommend it to every student, teacher, and parent who asks for a suggestion in that genre. Reach out directly via the school's website

Building Your Own Community

Rather than only seeking access to existing communities, some authors build their own — a dedicated space where readers gather around your work specifically. This takes longer but produces the deepest loyalty.

  • A Facebook group for your readers: A private or public group where readers can discuss your books, share recommendations, and connect with you and each other. This works best once you have multiple books and an established readership. A group with active discussion, occasional author appearances, and genuine peer community becomes a sustainable marketing asset that grows through word-of-mouth
  • A Goodreads group: A Goodreads group specifically for readers of your work or your genre. Goodreads groups are searchable and draw readers already in the habit of organizing their reading life on the platform
  • A reader community through your email list: Your newsletter itself is a community when it invites replies, asks questions, and responds to what readers send back. Some of the most loyal reader communities operate entirely through email — no separate platform required

Common Mistakes

  • Skipping the discussion guide. The single most common reason authors don't get book club adoptions is that they haven't made it easy. A discussion guide removes the main barrier. Without one, a book club host has to create the discussion from scratch — and most won't
  • Joining online book club groups only to drop links. This is the fastest path to being removed from a group and developing a reputation that travels. Every group membership requires genuine participation before any self-promotion is appropriate
  • Offering virtual visits without following through. If you offer to join book clubs virtually, keep that offer active and respond to inquiries promptly. An author who doesn't follow through on their offer damages their reputation in small communities where everyone knows everyone
  • Treating book clubs as a one-time transaction. The host who organized a great club visit with you is a relationship worth maintaining. A note before your next book launches — "I have a new book coming and thought of your club immediately" — will get a warmer response than a cold pitch to someone you haven't heard from in two years
  • Forgetting to ask for the referral. After every successful book club visit, ask the host whether they know of other clubs who might enjoy the book. Word-of-mouth between book club hosts is one of the most reliable lead sources available — and it only happens if you ask

Checklist

Discussion Guide

  • ☐ Discussion guide written (author's note, 10–15 questions, themes, further reading, virtual visit offer)
  • ☐ Formatted as a clean, branded PDF with book cover and author photo
  • ☐ Hosted on dedicated book club page on author website
  • ☐ Link added to Amazon Author Central editorial reviews
  • ☐ Mentioned in email newsletter and on social media

Outbound Book Club Outreach

  • ☐ Local library book clubs contacted
  • ☐ Own ward or stake Relief Society book club pitched
  • ☐ Stake RS president contacted for multi-ward outreach
  • ☐ LDS Facebook book club groups joined and participated in
  • ☐ Goodreads book club groups joined and participated in
  • ☐ Corporate or organizational book club pitched (nonfiction authors)
  • ☐ Teachers and school librarians contacted (children's/YA authors)

Inbound Book Club Presence

  • ☐ Book club page live on author website with contact form
  • ☐ Reading Group Choices submission requested from Cedar Fort
  • ☐ Book club availability mentioned in podcast appearances and media
  • ☐ Newsletter reminder about discussion guide and virtual visits sent

Virtual Visits

  • ☐ Zoom account set up and tested
  • ☐ Virtual visit format planned (opening, discussion, close)
  • ☐ Follow-up email template written for post-visit outreach
  • ☐ Referral ask practiced and added to post-visit routine

Library Outreach

  • ☐ Local library catalog checked — book is listed and available
  • ☐ Programming librarian contacted with speaking offer
  • ☐ School librarians in your genre contacted (children's/YA authors)
  • ☐ One Book/One Community programs in your region researched

LDS Community

  • ☐ Own ward Relief Society and book club pitched
  • ☐ Come Follow Me connection identified and communicated (if applicable)
  • ☐ Ward and stake library copy donated
  • ☐ LDS online community groups joined and participating
  • ☐ Youth program leaders contacted (if applicable)

Next step: Every strategy in this guide works harder the longer your book is available. The final piece of the puzzle is understanding how to keep your book selling months and years after launch — and how to use your growing catalog to build the kind of compounding readership that sustains a long writing career.

Long-Term Growth & Backlist Marketing →

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P.S. to those who have stumbled across this article and haven't yet found a publisher, we invite you to learn more about our team. You can also submit your book or find out about our self-publishing service.