About DartFrog
DartFrog: A Trusted Evaluator and Publisher of Independent Books since 2015
DartFrog is both an evaluator of existing independent books and a publisher of new titles. We were the first source trusted by independent bookstores to assess and select indie books for direct placement on their shelves. Today, books chosen by DartFrog benefit from direct promotion to more than 200,000 book clubs through our exclusive partnership with BookClubs.com, as well as access to our network of book influencers, reaching approximately 750,000 readers.
Through our publishing, editing, design, and marketing services, we help independent authors succeed in a highly competitive marketplace. At the same time, our white-label solutions support small publishers in expanding their production capabilities and marketing reach.
We also offer a growing platform of tools—including True Origin™ for verified authorship and PubBound for publishing workflow—extending our support across every stage of the publishing process.
WHAT WE DO
Our Publishing Standards
Polished Presentation
Your book must match the quality of traditionally published books, from cover design to formatting and font choice. A solid first impression is crucial for attracting readers.
Professional Editing
Every book needs a professional editor. Period. Editing cannot be left to friends or relatives; meticulous and honest editing is essential for success in a competitive market.
Excellent Pacing
Your book should grab readers from the start and maintain their interest. If your book needs it, a DartFrog editor can help ensure your story is compelling throughout.
Objective Evaluation
DartFrog evaluates manuscripts based on story construction rather than personal preference, understanding that readers have diverse tastes in genres and styles.
DartFrog's Global and Decentralized Team Structure
Decentralized Team
Virtual Collaboration
Project Management
Our Standards
Here are a few keys to determining whether your book will rise to the level of excellence we expect in a book.
Your book should be as polished as a traditionally published book from a major publisher. Many independently published books, especially self-published books, start at a disadvantage because most people expect them to be sub-par. The professionalism of the binding, artwork, formatting, font choice…all of it matters a lot (the cover especially). If your book presents a solid first impression, customers are more likely to pick it up and take a closer look. If someone can tell a book has been self-published without even opening it, it will never succeed.
Editing is crucial and can’t be left to friends or relatives. Working with a professional editor is a must and we can tell quickly when an author hasn’t. But even if you do, we also urge you to check your editor’s work. If we find more than a few grammatical errors we will require that they be fixed before we can promote the book. We are tough on these types of issues because readers are even tougher, but also because once it is published, your book will be competing against books from the world’s most renowned authors and publishers. If your book has more than a few small errors scattered throughout, it will reinforce the perspective that independently published books are sub-par and no one will want to read your book (or the sequel). So, do yourself (and your book) a favor and work with an editor who is brutally honest, sharp and meticulous.
Pacing matters. There is too much competition in the marketplace for a book without excellent pacing to succeed. It needs to grab you from the beginning and keep you. This is another way that an editor can be of tremendous benefit.
When stories lack focus, they get stale quickly. This is another way we can tell if an editor has been involved. There’s a real discipline to leaving out material that isn’t essential to the storyline. If we see extraneous content in a story, or a lack of focus in the storyline, we will reject it, because so too will customers.
Of course, reading is subjective. We all have genres and styles that we like. But at DartFrog, we don’t base an evaluation on whether we like the genre, or whether we would want to buy the book in a store. We base our evaluation on whether the story is well constructed, understanding that people have tastes in topics that are different than ours.
Let's Connect
DartFrog provides a range of publishing and book marketing services designed to give independent authors a competitive edge in today’s dynamic marketplace. Feel free to reach out if you have a project you want to discuss. We look forward to connecting with you!