Discover Indie Books that Shine.

We professionally review books, awarding stars from 1 to 5 (bronze-ruby) based on quality, not popularity. Our mission is to help readers discover excellent indie books, and to help hard-working authors gain the recognition they deserve. We champion human-crafted books; every book we feature in our catalogue is verified to be human made.

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The story star standard

In the crowded market place of self-published books, which has become increasingly flooded since the rise of A.I., quality indie books are being buried and overlooked. The Story Star Standard exists to change that. We provide readers the quality assurance they’d expect from traditional published books, while celebrating the creative freedom and independence indie publishing offers authors.

Featured Books (Coming Soon)

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We’re currently Starting Out

If you’re interested in creating a space to promote quality indie books – or you’d like your own work to be featured – we’d love to hear from you. Our website is open now for authors to submit their book for review, and any interested readers can support the movement by following our Blog and Newsletter, or by encouraging their favourite indie authors to get involved.

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Early Bird Discounts for The first few Authors

To celebrate our launch, we’re offering an Early Bird discount of up to 70% off for the first few submissions! Every author will receive a professional review across the seven craft categories, alongside a marketable tagline and a reader’s summary. Books that meet our standards will also earn a star rating and a permanent place in our catalogue.

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Human Verification

At the Story Star Standard, we want to champion human-crafted storytelling. All books submitted to us are tested for A.I. content. We also provided a separate Human Verification Certificate through assessments to give authors and readers a peace of mind around human-authored work.

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In 2023, more than 2.6 million books were self-published in the US alone. Amongst so many books, how can genuine quality stand out? Our Star System aims to provide an answer.
Professional & constructive

Our Star System

Our professional reviewers – with backgrounds in editing, book coaching, and creative writing – evaluate each book on seven different aspects of craft: prose, formatting, narrative, character, dialogue, world & tone, and concept & theme.

Books that reach a certain standard via our rubric are awarded one to five story stars:

1 Star (Bronze) – A Commendable Work
2 Stars (Silver) – A Book we Confidentially Recommend.
3 Stars (Gold) – A Book that Rises Above it’s Peers.
4 Stars (Diamond) – A Rare and Masterful Work.
5 Stars (Ruby) – A Flawless Book.

Every book we review will receive detailed and professional feedback on all seven elements of craft, along with a marketable tagline and a review paragraph for prospective readers; no matter the star rating.

About The Star System
Relaxed & Friendly

What The Story Star Standard Offers

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Book Catalogue

A curated catalogue for readers to explore indie books that have earned one or more Story Stars. Every book within the catalogue has achieved a certain quality, so you can trust that the book comes recommended by us.

Stars & Reviews for Authors

Get your book professional reviewed at a reasonable price. Every book receives detailed, actionable feedback, a marketable tagline, and a review paragraph for potential readers. Books that achieve 1+ stars are added to our book catalogue and author’s receive a digital badge to display on your book’s cover or on website if desired.

Author Services

In the future, we’d like to offer more author services, shaped by what the community are after: options may be in-depth editorial reviews by our editors or writing courses by our professional coaches. If you’re interested? We’d love you to reach out to us.

Blog & Newsletter & Social Media

Follow our blog and newsletter, for our top book picks, reviews, and updates on the Story Star Standard. We’re also active on Instagram & Bluesky!

Human Verification

All our books are tested for A.I. Content. Alongside of this, we’re developing a Human Verification Certificate, for authors and readers who value human authenticity. This human verification is more than just words of trust, it’s an assessment process. If you’d like to be involved in the development of this process, please get in touch with us.

Community Engagement

We’re committed to being active within the indie community and to help foster a space for self published authors. In the future, once we’ve grown, we’d love to create community competitions and events. Currently, we’re looking for indie authors who have been reviewed by us to take part in an interview for our blogs and newsletters. This aims to be an opportunity to share author’s stories, and connect with readers. If you’re interested, please let us know.

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our Newsletter

Our monthly newsletter showcases the indie book world: highlighting quality indie books and hidden gems we’ve reviewed each month, alongside writing insights, author interviews, and behind the scenes updates from the Story Star Standard. Readers can discover new favourites, while authors can gain craft tips and industry perspectives.

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our blog

Our blog offers a closer insight into the Story Star Standard. Here, we delve closely into how we evaluate books and uphold quality. Our blog also includes practical advice for authors, from craft tips to the industry itself. Whether you’re an author seeking to improve your craft or a reader wanting to know what makes a book shine, there’s something for you.

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