Welcome to (virtual) Blurb Club

It's finally happening.

A virtual book club — let’s see how this goes.

Along with starting a Substack, another item sitting on the rapidly-accumulating-yet-always-neglected to-do list has been to figure out a way to offer Blurb Club virtually. I’ve done some research, looked at what other accounts offer, had some extensive brain-storm sessions, and nothing has felt quite right. I guess that’s because nothing can replicate the experience of in-person Blurb Club, and I’m always left wondering ‘what am I actually offering?’

I mean, what’s a book club if there’s no wine, no new people to meet, no stunning venue to explore and no home-baked sourdough?

But, finally, I feel as though I’ve settled on a virtual Blurb Club experience that feels right.

I’m hoping that this platform can be a way to extend Blurb Club beyond the physical—a way to not be restricted by 30-odd capacity limits and the capacity of one over-committed full-time working gal. I’m hoping it means anyone who wants to make it but can’t, for whatever reason, can follow along, read the chosen book and dissect the same thematic-based discussion prompts—whether that be in their journal or with a group of friends.

And, if we’re feeling ambitious, I’m hoping it means groups of friends hosting their own Blurb Clubs at home—planning a night once a month to come together with easy-to-drink wine and good cheese, as they pull up this Substack to fully unpack the discussion prompts provided. Essentially, the goal will be for Virtual Blurb Club to replicate In-Person Blurb Club, so that you can create mini Blurb Clubs of your own (yes, I’m sitting here writing this feeling like I’m on some Reese Witherspoon type shit).

Okay so, here’s the plan. Every month, for those who can’t attend in person, Virtual Blurb Club will be delivered straight into your inbox (PSA: this will be the paid subscription option because, well, Blurb is laborious, and sometimes the labour needs to be compensated for to be sustainable).

There will be the same discussion prompts we discuss at Blurb Club, guest reviews, author interviews (can I guarantee this if I am yet to reach out to a single author and gauge interest? Probably not), summaries of what was discussed in-person, and book-related journal prompts.

I know it’s ambitious and I really do be acting like Blurb is some book EMPIRE, but if there’s a way for dozens of mini-Blurb Club’s to be happening across Melbourne at once (I initially typed ‘across the globe’ and had to reign it in….chronically over-excited over here) then that’s what I’m gunning for.

So message those group chats and lock in a date to get together at a wine bar, or to gather at a house with plates of food and skull-able wine, to spend a couple hours dissecting the book of the month. Ask your work-mates if they’re part of a book club and, if not, tell them you’ve got the perfect one for you all to join. Or lock in a night once a month to sit in your bedroom with some candles lit and your journal at the ready to answer all of the discussion prompts.

The first Virtual Blurb Club will drop later this month for April’s book — Pain and Perfume by Anna Dorn. This first one will be free, which I would love to say is out of the generosity of my heart, but actually has more to do with me not understanding how to set-up a paid subscription option and still being very unfamiliar with this platform.

Let’s see how this goes! I cannot wait to extend Blurb Club beyond the physical! LET’S GOOOOO!

All photo cred: Molly Salmon