Fiction book clubs are groups of people who get together to discuss different types of fiction. Each member in the book club will read the same book or collection, and the discussion will focus on themes, plot, characters, and other issues that arise from the reading of that book. The types of fiction book clubs available can vary significantly according to the preferences of the group members. Some book clubs are designed to cover a particular genre of fiction, such as horror or mystery. Others focus specifically on plot, or on characters, and so on.
Other types of fiction book clubs may focus on the writing of one of the book club members. A group of writers may get together to critique the writing of one of the members of the group, and while this is usually considered a writing group rather than a book club, if each of the members or some of the members are published authors, actual books can be read and critiqued. Sometimes a writer will act as a guest participant in fiction book clubs as a promotional event.
The size of fiction book clubs can vary. Smaller book clubs may feature only three or four people who get together informally to discuss a certain text, while other, much larger groups may gather in conference-like settings to discuss one book or several books. Online fiction book clubs may allow people to meet in a virtual setting, either through message boards, video chat, or other means to discuss the prominent themes and other literary devices of a book. Unlike other types of book clubs that require people to meet in person, online book clubs allow people from all over the world to meet and discuss without having to physically travel to a specific location.
Very often the fiction book clubs can vary by the type of fiction the group members enjoy reading. Science-fiction readers may group together, while horror readers may have their own group. Enthusiasts of family sagas can create a club together, and so on. Choosing a book club that is suited to the group member's preferences will ensure the conversations are interesting and well focused. It will also help a group member analyze a text more accurately and to a greater depth. It is, of course, acceptable to join a book club to branch out and try a different type of fiction, and many group members may be seriously reading fiction for the first time altogether.