First find your favorite book genres
It’s hard to find your tribe if you don’t know who you’re looking for. Figuring out your favorite book genres will make the rest easier.
Discovering that you have several might mean you connect with several different groups of readers who have your favorite books in common.
I wrote a step by step process for discovering your favorite book genres.
Search Facebook groups
Knowing your favorite genres gives you a place to start.
Use the search feature to see if there’s a group reading what you love.
For example, Avid Readers of Christian Fiction has 20K+ members in their facebook group.
Look on Instagram
The key here is to follow hashtags.
The general hashtag #bookstagram might be a place to start but will probably be too broad. Put the knowledge of your favorite genres into play here. #cleanromance has more than 64,000 posts. #scifi has over 8 million posts.
How do you find like minded readers?
- Find your favorite book genres
- Search Facebook groups
- Look on Instagram
- Check out You Tube
- Search Goodreads groups
- Investigate The Story Graph
- Stalk your favorite authors
- Check out book influencers
- Consider non internet options
Check out You Tube
Book tubers are a real thing. There’s a lot of book tubers out there but it does take some digging to find the ones that are talking about the books you like.
Friends and Fiction posts all their weekly interviews on YouTube. They have less than 5000 subscribers on You Tube, but over 100K followers on Facebook.
Search Goodreads groups
When you start a Goodreads account, you can connect with other readers. You can read their book reviews. You can make friends with real life friends and see what they’re reading and what they think about it.
If you go up to the community tab, you can move down to groups. Search groups for ones with similar interests.
Ancient and Medieval Historical Fiction has almost 6000 members.
Christian Speculative Fiction has 500 members.
If you can’t find a group with similar interests, start a new one using your favorite book genres as a jumping off point.
Investigate The Story Graph
The Story Graph is a Goodreads alternatives. Their structure includes ways to shelve books that you didn’t finish and how to include books that you own.
According to their website, a book club feature is coming soon.
Stalk your favorite authors
Scope out your favorite (living) author’s website and see where they hang out— on social media or otherwise.
When you follow authors on social media, pay special attention to the comments section. This the place where you can find members of your tribe.
Pay attention to groups the author is part of or references. Notice which events they attend or promote.
For example, Katherine Reay, one of my favorite authors, is part of The 10 Minute Book Talk. They do short interviews with authors. I would never have found out about her group if I wasn’t following her on Instagram.
Check out book influencers
Jenna Bush Hager and Reese Witherspoon have national platforms with thousands who follow their book club picks every month. Read with Jenna has 54K+ members in the facebook group.
Zibby Owens hosts a popular podcast named Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books.
Anne Bogel and Janssen Bradshaw are bloggers with large followings who recommend books.
Kendra Adachi and Crystal Paine are life coach bloggers and podcasters who love to read and recommend their favorites to followers.
If you’re looking for other readers, find out which groups or clubs are connected to the influencers and hang out there.
Consider non internet options
Check your local newspaper.
Look at your local library or bookstore. See if they have book clubs or book signings or other events that brings readers together.
Unless you’re talking comic books, it’s hard to find conferences for readers, but if you have any interest in writing, look for a writer’s conference, because almost all writers are avid readers.
