Critics Club · Apply

Apply to join the Critics Club

About 20 minutes: your details, your reading habits, then the test chapter and your critique of it. Your answers are saved in your browser as you go.

1/11 Your application

Let's get to know you
Email and password
Confirm your email
Where do you read from?
Your education
How do you read?
What do you love to read?
What have you read lately?
Your experience of criticism
The test chapter
Commitment and consent

What an author offers critics never depends on the review being positive.

We never ask for an ID document, and we share your data with no one.

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Your answers are saved in this browser ·

Step 1 / 11

Let's get to know you

Your name as you would like us to address you, and the name shown on your reviews when they are published.

The application takes about 20 minutes, most of it reading the test chapter and writing about it. Your answers are saved in your browser as you go, so you can stop and come back.

Your full name *

At least your first and family name.

Name shown on your reviews optional

Leave it empty to show your full name.

Step 2 / 11

Email and password

You sign in to your Zart account with these, follow your application there, and later receive books through it.

Email address *

We will email it a verification code in the next step.

Password *

At least 8 characters in English, including a letter and a number.

Confirm password *

Type the same password again.

Step 3 / 11

Confirm your email

We have emailed you a 6-digit code.

Verification code *

The code is valid for 10 minutes. Can't find it? Check your spam folder.

Ask for help

Step 4 / 11

Where do you read from?

The club is open to every country. We ask for your country and city to know our critics, and to bring those close to each other together at club meetings.

Country *

City *

Not listed? Choose "Another city".

City *

Mobile country code *

It follows the country you chose; change it if your number is from another country.

Mobile number *

Without the country code or a leading zero. We only use it to reach you when needed.

Step 5 / 11

Your education

No particular degree is required. We ask to understand where your reading comes from.

Highest qualification *

Secondary schoolDiplomaBachelor's degreeMaster's degreeDoctorateOther

Field of study optional

University or institution optional

Your current work optional

Step 6 / 11

How do you read?

A reader who reads a lot sees each book in the light of the ones before it.

The club asks for at least 12 books a year.

About how many books do you read a year? *

12 to 23 books24 to 49 books50 to 99 books100 books or more

Languages you read in *

ArabicEnglishFrenchSpanishGermanTurkishUrduPersianAnother language

Formats you read optional

PrintEbookAudiobook

Step 7 / 11

What do you love to read?

Books open for review in these genres will come to you, and you choose your test chapter's genre from them.

Your favourite genres *

NovelShort storiesPoetryBiography & memoirSelf-developmentBusiness & entrepreneurshipScienceHistoryReligion & Islamic thoughtPhilosophyPsychologyEducationHealth & fitnessCookingTravel writingChildren's booksYoung adultScience fiction & fantasyMystery & crimeRomanceAcademic & referenceArts & designTechnology & programmingPolitics & economicsOther

Choose between one and 6.

Step 8 / 11

What have you read lately?

The last three books you read, or as many as you remember.

The last book *

Its author optional

The one before optional

Its author optional

And before that optional

Its author optional

Step 9 / 11

Your experience of criticism

The club does not require previous experience; we ask to know where you are starting from.

Which of these describes you best? *

I have not written criticism beforeI post reviews on my accounts or on reading platformsMy reviews or critical essays have been published in newspapers, magazines or websitesI have academic critical studies or researchCriticism or literary editing is part of my work

Where do you post your reviews? optional

GoodreadsAbjjadAmazonInstagramX (Twitter)TikTokYouTubeA personal blogA newspaper or magazineOther

Links to reviews you have written optional

One link per line, up to 10.

Step 10 / 11

The test chapter

Choose one of your favourite genres and we give you a chapter from it. Read it, then write your critique.

The chapter is in Arabic, like most of our books. There is no single right answer: we read how you understand the text, how you reason your judgement, how you quote it, and how you write.

Important: write your critique yourself. Using AI to write it - wholly or in part - means your application is declined and your account is permanently barred from activation in the club. Every critique is checked automatically, we record whether the text was typed here or pasted in from elsewhere, and the editors review every case.

Test chapter genre *

From your favourite genres that have a test chapter now.

Choose the genre and the chapter appears here.

The chapter could not be loaded.

Your critique *

Between 250 and 800 words, in Arabic or English. What works in the chapter and what does not, and why? Quote the text.

Using AI to write your critique means your application is declined and your account permanently barred from activation.

Step 11 / 11

Commitment and consent

The last step before sending.

How many books can you review a month? *

One book a monthTwo books a month3 to 4 books a month5 or more books a month

Do you have a work or family connection with authors or other publishers? *

NoYes

Describe it briefly optional

This does not stop you joining; it only means you will not be given books by people you know.

I have read the club charter and the review publishing terms and will keep to them

I confirm my critique is my own writing, not copied and not written by AI, and I understand that breaking this means my application is declined and my account permanently barred from activation

I agree to the privacy policy and to this application being kept so it can be assessed

Send me news of the club and new books by email (optional)

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We have your application

Thank you. Your application is now under review: our editors will read and score your critique. You cannot sign in until it is accepted; we will email you the moment it is, with the level you start at, and you then sign in with the email and password you chose. We have emailed you your reference.

Your reference:

Your details are stored securely and shared only as needed to provide the service, under our privacy policy.

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