The benefits of authors joining a writing group are well-documented. But what about a reading group? Could joining a reading group help you with your writing? Here are five ways it could help you.

See what other books are out there

One of the big benefits of joining a reading group is that it helps you to see what other books are out there, and what is currently popular. A lot of reading groups like to pick books that are current, which can be useful when you’re trying to work out where your own work might fit.

See what committed readers like

It also means you can see what books people tend to like. Of course, you’ll never get complete agreement as tastes in literature are so wide-ranging, but in terms of getting a general feel of what committed readers like to read, it can be very helpful.

Keep up with your own reading

Reading groups are, obviously, also a very good way of getting some reading done yourself. It’s often said that all writers are readers, but when you’re in the midst of writing a novel, it can be all too easy to let your reading fall by the wayside. It’s worth making the effort to keep reading, and if you feel like a bit of discipline would help you do this, a reading group is a good option.

This can also help you build your critiquing skills by looking at what you think works in other people’s books and comparing your views to the others in your group – valuable information for when you’re writing your own book.

Get feedback from people who love to read

If you ask nicely, there’s a good chance your reading group will be willing to read your book for you and offer some feedback. You could either ask if they’d be happy to read an early draft, or perhaps give them a free proof copy in return for giving you an online review to help you build your profile.

Build your base early on

Another benefit of a reading group is that it can be a nice way to start to build a reader base. If they know you and (with any luck) like you, they’ll be more willing to buy your book once it’s published and hopefully recommend it to other people they know. Even if your group only consists of a few people, it all helps.