Themes
The images, ideas and questions your story keeps returning to.
Reading group guide generator
Book club questions written from your book.
Bookshaper drafts a reading group guide from your own manuscript: questions about your themes, your characters and the way your story is built. You edit it, then ship it.
Free trial. It includes enough credits to generate a guide for your own manuscript.
The guide
Questions a book club can actually talk about.
Specific to your characters and scenes, with no craft jargon a reader would trip over.
Characters
Choices, motives and changes worth arguing about over coffee.
Structure
How the telling shapes the story, framed for readers rather than writers.
Yours to edit
Rewrite, delete or add questions in any section before you use it.
Getting it to readers
In the book, or on its own.
Both options use your book's interior design.
Back matter
Add the guide to the back of your book. It ships with your next EPUB and print export.
EPUB booklet
A standalone ebook guide to send to book clubs and libraries.
PDF booklet
A printable guide for events, reading groups and your website.
What it costs
2 credits a guide.
Generating or regenerating a guide costs 2 credits. Editing and exporting are free. The free trial includes enough credits to try it, and a license comes with 300 starter credits.
The short version
Questions, answered.
What does the reading group guide include?+
About 12 discussion questions in three sections: themes, characters and structure. They are written about your story specifically, the way a publisher's book club guide is.
Where do the questions come from?+
From your manuscript's chapter summaries and analysis: its themes, character arcs and turning points. Write chapter summaries yourself, or analyze the manuscript to fill them in.
Does it discuss the ending?+
Yes. Book clubs meet after they have finished the book, so the guide engages the whole story, ending included.
Can I edit the questions?+
Yes. Rewrite any question, delete the ones you do not want, and add your own to any section.
How do I get it to readers?+
Add it to your book's back matter so it ships with your next export, or export it on its own as an EPUB or PDF booklet in your book's interior design.
How much does it cost?+
Generating a guide costs 2 credits. Editing and exporting it costs nothing. The free trial includes enough credits to try it.
How much does Bookshaper cost?+
$29.99 one-time at launch pricing, through December 31, 2026, for Windows, macOS and Linux on one license, with 300 starter credits.
Try it on your own manuscript.
7 days of actual use, not 7 calendar days. Buy once when you are ready; one license covers Windows, macOS, and Linux.