I know reading is largely a solitary pursuit, but I have to say it: you need to plan a readcation with your book club. For those who aren't in the know, a readcation is a staycation that centers on books and reading. Whether you want to start reducing your TBR, or just feel like taking a break from technology, a good readcation is the revitalizer you need. It's a back-to-basics retreat — bonus points if you rent a remote cabin for the experience.
If you already know how to plan a great staycation, you're well on your way to organizing a great readcation. Just pick a date, make your reading list, and stock up on little comforts. Planning a readcation with your book club will, of course, require more logistical work than setting aside a weekend to yourself. But the foundation is the same, so you shouldn't stress about it too much. This is supposed to be fun, after all.
There will be naysayers. But don't let those fun-sucking vampires dull your sparkle! Pitch it as a nostalgia-style sleepover where you can snack, read, and chat with your favorite book nerd buddies. These seven reasons for planning a readcation can help you defend the idea at your next book club meeting.
Because You Have a Hard Time Planning So Many Meetings
Even if your book club only has three members, trying to plan meetings can be a nightmare. You can triple the headache if one of you has kids, an inflexible or unpredictable job, unreliable transportation, or income instability.
Look, things come up. Life happens. Sometimes that "monthly" book club meeting gets pushed back six weeks due to unforeseen circumstance after accident after "I thought we were meeting next Thursday."
If this is happening a lot in your book club, a readcation is the perfect way to get your ducks in a row. Rather than planning a meeting every month, you can limit yourselves to one weekend every quarter — just a suggestion — and plan well in advance.
Because You Get to Drink Wine and Eat Tasty Snacks
Who doesn't love buffalo chicken dip and hipster alcohol? Grab a nice bottle of wine or a mix-and-match six-pack of your favorite microbrews and find a few easy appetizer recipes on Pinterest, then delegate, delegate, delegate. You don't want three crab dips and no pinot noir, do you?
Because You Can Never Agree on Just One Book
We all know that one person who seems to hate-read everything. Maybe you're having a hard time getting your book club buddies to embrace literary fiction, memoir, poetry, non-fiction... The list goes on.
Even if you're all perfectly lovely, getting a group of people to agree on a single book is damn difficult. But you can solve your problem entirely by planning a readcation with your book club. Because you get to pick out a handful of books to binge-read, you can rest pretty well assured that everyone will enjoy at least one of them.
Because You Never Have to Leave Your PJs
If I had a dollar for every time I didn't go to a particular function because I just didn't feel like getting dressed...
Even if you love meeting with your book club, dressing up so you don't look like someone's 14-year-old brother can be more trouble than you feel like going through. Since a readcation is basically a multi-night sleepover, you don't have to worry about anyone putting on their judgey pants because you're wearing your pajamas at 3 p.m.. Honestly, you'll be lucky if your friends are wearing pants at all.
Because You Get to Have Fun Theme Nights
Want to take a week and binge-read Jane Austen novels? How about reading the source novels for a few upcoming film adaptations? Worst books ever. Casino night. Murder mystery weekend.
Seriously, the possibilities are endless.
Because You Need Human Interaction
I know this is probably the last thing you want to hear, but it's true. If you're the friend who always has something conveniently come up at the last minute, you need to suggest a readcation to your book club.
Why? Because knowing that you don't have to do a thing again for a few months is the best incentive for doing it. And you need to do this book club thing, because you need to actually interact with people every so often. It's good for you. Just trust me on this.
Because Sleepovers Never Stop Being Fun
Junk food and movies and books and karaoke and staying up late and sleeping in! Sure, at your age you'll probably need a week to recover, but we both know it's worth it in the end, right? Right.
Images: Fotolia; Giphy (7)
