Why is publishing a book so CONFUSING?? Trust me, I’ve been there. It’s literally why I started RH Publishing. The path to publication for my first book was grueling. I made so many mistakes. One little nugget of information I hadn’t ever heard of was the ISBN.
What in the what? So, I buy it? Get it for free? Do I need a barcode? How many do I need? Why do I need one?!
SOMEONE HELP!!!
Loud and clear gentle writers 😊 I’ve got you.
What is an ISBN? Do I need one? Are they expensive?
An ISBN (International Standard Book Number) is a ten-digit number assigned to books before publication. The ISBN tracks sales and information about books sold all around the world. This is how we know immediately which books are on the best-seller list.
So where do I get one?
There are a few options. If you are in America, you can go to the Bowker website. If you live outside of the US, research your country’s regulations for ISBNs. Some places are like the US, where you can find ISBNs on a non-government website, while other countries require you to request one from the government. This can be a lengthy process and some countries only allow a limited number of ISBNs to be purchased by an individual author yearly. In these instances, it might make more sense for you to work with a publisher.
Let’s continue with the US process, for I am, in fact, a Yankee, 😊 and the majority of my clients hail from the US and Canada—though I do adore my international friends/clients!
Bowker is the go-to for ISBNs in the US and Canada. There, you can buy single ISBNs or, as I always recommend, buy them in bulk. You will need one for every format of your book. For example, if you plan to have your book for sale in eBook, paperback, and hardcover formats, you will need three individual ISBNs. They are around $125 each when you purchase them on Bowker, but you can buy them in bulk at a discount. I STRONGLY recommend this option. Last I checked, you can get ten ISBNs for around $300. If you plan to publish a book in multiple formats and/or publish multiple books, grab the bundle.
Why do I recommend “purchasing them yourself?” So you own them outright.
Because there are companies out there that buy ISBNs in bulk and then sell them to you for less than $125. “But that seems like a steal,” you say.
The problem is those companies use their business name for the imprint associated with the ISBN. So they have purchased 100 ISBNs for $600 ($6 per ISBN). They then turn around and sell it to you for $75. That’s quite the upsell, but less than what you’d pay on Bowker. But then they put their company name on the imprint because they own it. Therefore, they own your ISBN. You still own your book per se, but they control the number. So just bite the bullet and buy them yourself. Then, you can use them to publish on any platform you’d like with your author or business name listed as the owner of said ISBN.
Oh, and buying them from a third party is technically against Bowker's policies. I always suggest just doing things the right way.
What is an imprint?
An imprint is the name associated with ownership of the ISBN. For instance, Penguin will have each of their author’s ISBNs listed with one of the DBAs like Penguin Classics and the like.
I’m on a budget! I can’t afford to buy them myself.
There is an option if you are on a micro-budget for your self-publication. Sites like Ingram Sparks and KDP (Amazon’s publishing site) offer free ISBNs to their authors. I’m sure by now you are asking, “What’s the catch?”
The catch is that THEY own the ISBN, and you cannot publish your book on other platforms using that ISBN. I will say this isn’t a terrible option. Amazon accounts for 80 percent of online book sales. That, coupled with their new relationships with their expanded distribution feature (meaning they will offer your book to other book distributors like Barnes and Noble), can really cover your bases on a budget.
Just know that it will be a HUGE pain if you one day decide to buy ISBNs and republish your book under them. You will lose all your sales numbers and reviews.
Have more questions? Shoot us a message. We can help!
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