Book Club

Run a book club where people read at different speeds. Each book has discussion posts by section so nobody is spoiled, nominations and votes pick the next book fairly, meetings are scheduled events, and past books stay on a searchable shelf.

Built for: Online and hybrid book clubs · Library, school and workplace reading groups · Genre reading groups · Readalong communities

Create each category with its permissions first, then add channels inside it and keep them synced to the category. Channel types used: Text, Announcement, Forum, Voice.

Create roles in this order, from the top of the role list down. A role can only manage roles below it, and bot roles must sit above any role they assign.

Different staff setup or bots? Adapt this hierarchy in the roles generator.

1. Club Host

   Runs the club: picks the ballot, sets the schedule, hosts meetings and moderates.

   How members get it

   Owner, or assigned by the owner.

   Display

   Shown separately · Mentionable

   Enable

   Manage Messages, Manage Threads, Create Events, Manage Events, Create Polls, Timeout Members, Kick Members, Mention @everyone, @here, and All Roles

   Withhold

   Administrator — not needed

2. Discussion Lead

   Leads the discussion for one book; the role rotates between members.

   How members get it

   Assigned by the Club Host for the length of one book.

   Display

   Shown separately · Not mentionable

   Enable

   Manage Threads, Create Polls

   Withhold

   Kick Members; Ban Members

3. Reader

   Every member of the club.

   How members get it

   Assigned by the Club Host on joining, or give these permissions to @everyone in an invite-only club.

   Display

   Not separated · Not mentionable

   Enable

   View Channels, Send Messages, Send Messages in Threads, Create Public Threads, Read Message History, Add Reactions, Attach Files, Embed Links, Connect, Speak, Video

   Withhold

   Mention @everyone, @here, and All Roles

4. Meeting Ping

   Notified before meetings and when new section posts open.

   How members get it

   Assigned on request; the Club Host mentions it.

   Display

   Not separated · Not mentionable

   Enable

   No permissions (cosmetic or ping role)

Community features are used for the forum and announcement channels, but onboarding stays simple: new members read #welcome-and-rules and #current-read, and the Club Host assigns Reader. Community Onboarding is optional for a club this size.

Default channels: welcome-and-rules, current-read, general

Suggested first steps: Read #current-read and get the book → Say hello in #general → Mark the next meeting Interested

Verification level

Low — Community requires at least a verified email. Most book clubs grow by invitation, so that's usually enough; use Medium if you share a public invite.

Explicit media filter

Scan media content from all members.

AutoMod rules

• Block spam contentBlock the message.
• Block mention spam (limit around 5)Block and time out for 10 minutes.
• Custom keywords: links to pirated ebook and audiobook sites you've seen sharedBlock and alert the Club Host.

Escalation

1. Friendly reminder (usually about spoilers)
2. Message removed
3. Timeout
4. Removed from the club

• Spoilers are the main problem in a book club. Posting only within the right section post, and the "Finished — full spoilers" tag for the final discussion, handles most of it.
• List content warnings for each book in #current-read so members can decide whether to join in.
• Mention accessible formats — audiobook, ebook, large print — for every pick.

Try Discord's built-in features first. Bot names are examples to evaluate, not endorsements; CordNexa has no affiliation with any bot. Review the permissions a bot requests before adding it.

These steps are specific to this kit. For the reasoning behind each stage — permissions, onboarding, testing and launch — see how to make a Discord server.

1. Create the server and enable Community

   Enable Community for the forum and announcement channels (it requires a verified-email verification level, the explicit media filter set to scan all members, a rules channel and a community updates channel).

2. Create roles

   Club Host → Discussion Lead → Reader → Meeting Ping.

3. Write the club guide

   In #welcome-and-rules, explain the reading pace, the section-post spoiler rule, how nominations and voting work, and how often you meet.

4. Set up the current read

   Post the book, formats, content warnings and section schedule in #current-read, then create the first section post in #book-discussion.

5. Build nominations and voting

   Create #nominations with its tags. Make #vote read-only so the channel shows only the poll.

6. Schedule the first meeting

   Create a Scheduled Event for Book Chat, and post discussion questions in #meeting-notes a few days before.

7. Test as a Reader

   Use View Server As Role → Reader to confirm HOSTS is hidden and #vote shows the poll.

1. Discuss only up to the section of the post you're in. Save later events for later posts.
2. Use spoiler tags for any plot detail outside the discussion posts.
3. Every reading pace is welcome, and so is not finishing a book.
4. Disagree about books, not about each other.
5. Nominate books you'd genuinely like to read, with content warnings.
6. No links to pirated ebooks or audiobooks. Libraries count!

Need stricter or more relaxed wording? Customise these rules in the rules generator.

Welcome to the club! Our current book and reading schedule are in #current-read. Discuss each section in its own post in #book-discussion — only open posts for sections you've read. Nominate what we read next in #nominations, and join us in Book Chat for the next meeting (it's in Events).

Want a shorter, professional or bot-ready version? Try the welcome message generator.

• v1.0 · 2026-09-28
  • First release: section-based discussion posts, nominations and polls, scheduled meetings with rotating discussion leads, and a shelf of past reads.