Asking Discussion Questions That Spark Conversation

Write open-ended questions that lead to real discussion about a book.

The best book discussions start with good questions. Closed questions have one short answer: 'What is the main character's name? ' They end conversation quickly. Open-ended questions have many possible answers and invite people to explain their thinking with evidence. Compare these questions about an original story of a girl who secretly enters a cooking contest her parents disapprove of. Closed: 'Did she win the contest? ' Open: 'Was she right to keep the contest a secret? Why or why not?

' 'Which moment changed how you felt about her parents? ' 'If the story continued, what would happen to their relationship? ' Good open-ended questions often start with 'why,' 'how,' 'what if,' or 'which moment. ' They might ask about choices, changes, the author's craft, or connections to real life. Before a meeting, write three or four, and include one you genuinely don't know the answer to. Those are often the questions that lead to the best conversations.

• 1Closed questions have one short answer
• 2Open-ended questions invite explanation and evidence
• 3Start with why, how, what if, or which moment