1
Spent $40 on a timer for our book club and it actually worked
Our group of eight was always running over time, with the last book getting maybe ten minutes of talk before we drifted into weekend plans. I bought a basic kitchen timer for about forty bucks, the kind with a loud ring. We agreed to give each person five minutes for their opening thoughts before open talk. The first time we used it, it felt a bit rude, but it forced us to get to the point. We covered three times as much of the book's themes in that first hour. Now, the timer sits in the middle of the table as a quiet reminder to stay focused. Does anyone else use a tool or rule to keep their club's chat on track?
3 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In3 Comments
fisher.paige3mo ago
Oh man, that's a great idea... we had the same problem. We actually use a talking stick now, but it's just a pen. You can only talk if you're holding it, and you have to pass it after a couple minutes. It cuts down on people talking over each other way more than you'd think.
7
reese_singh873mo ago
The talking stick idea is clever, but what happens when someone just holds onto the pen for too long? Does your group have a way to gently nudge them, or is there an unspoken rule that keeps things moving?
2
perry.avery2mo ago
Our book club tried the talking pen thing last year, but we added a two minute sand timer from a board game. You flip it when you get the pen, and when the sand runs out, your main point should be wrapped up. It sounds strict, but it actually made people prepare a clear thought beforehand. The visual cue is less jarring than a buzzer, so it feels more like a gentle nudge than a hard stop.
-1