So you think your town needs a Tough Guy Book Club Chapter?
Good. That’s how we grow.
That said, we take opening new Chapters seriously.
A TGBC Chapter isn’t just a book club; it's a local crew that's a part of an international men's club about reading, comradeship, community, and friendship.
This club is important to us and because of that, we’re picky about who we bring on to lead chapters.
If there isn’t already a chapter near you and you’re interested in running one, here’s how to get started.
1. Make Sure TGBC Is Actually Your Thing
Before applying, spend some time getting to know our guys and what they are like.
- Read this About Us and our Books pages to understand what we’re about and how the club works.
- Check the Find Us page to make sure there isn’t already a chapter near your house.
- Join this Group to get a feel for our culture, and whether we’re likely to get along.
This step matters. TGBC isn’t for everyone, and we like it that way.
So if there's things that make you unhappy about or you want to change about our club, then this ain't the right club for you. Look elsewhere.
2. Check Yourself
Running a chapter means hosting and facilitating a monthly discussion group for men. Ask yourself:
- Do you enjoy having big discussions with strangers who have different ideas from your own?
- Can you be a reliable leader within a group of men?
- Can you hold your own in a rowdy conversation when everyone has an opinion?
- Do you like spending time hanging out in pubs?
You don’t need to be a big reader or a literature expert. What matters more is your ability to hold a conversation, your concern for others, and your willingness to step up and get things done.
3. Understand the Commitment
As a chapter host, you’ll be expected to:
- Run a meeting on the first Wednesday of every month, from 7 pm for around 4 hours.
- Spend 3 hours each month communicating with the members of your Chapter.
- Attend our volunteer meeting once a month, and follow some admin processes.
- Be able to engage with our club via various types of social media.
Our meetings are about community building; we use fiction to get men talking, and from there we build our crew.
We get men to read more, talk more, and have more friends.
4. Apply
If you’ve done all of the above and still want to move forward, the final step is to apply.
Complete the Officer Questionnaire, and we'll be in touch once our volunteers have had a chance to review it.
Reminder: Not everyone is the right fit to run a Chapter of Tough Guy Book Club, so we have a 50% decline rate. That doesn't mean you can't be part of our club.
