I’m not going to bore you with all the details about ISBNs, but there are a few things to consider when you are self-publishing your book. Let’s cover some of the most common questions I hear about ISBNs and how it applies to your book.
“What is an ISBN?”
ISBN stands for “International Standard Book Number.” This unique identifier is required for efficient distribution and provides retailers, libraries, and other services an easy method to find and list your books.
“Do I need an ISBN?”
The short answer is, “Yes, usually."
When selling your book through most retailers, you will be required to have an ISBN.
The only notable exception for major retail stores (online) is Amazon’s Kindle store for eBooks. The eBook version of Amazon books will be assigned an ASIN number, which is essentially Amazon’s equivalent to the ISBN.
For books you plan to print and distribute yourself, you may not need an ISBN, but it is often still encouraged to get one.
“How many ISBNs?”
You will need an ISBN for each edition of your book.
Each format of your book is considered a different edition. Major updates to a book may also mean you need to republish the book with a new ISBN to help differentiate between the different editions (first edition, second edition, etc.). If you're updating a previous book and aren't sure if it qualifies as a new edition, you can always reach out to me for some insight!
For example, if you publish a paperback and a hardcover, each one of these will get its own ISBN. However, the ISBN for each format can be used across multiple distribution platforms as long as the books are identical editions otherwise. We very commonly publish a paperback using a combination of services, such as Amazon KDP and IngramSpark, and in this situation, as long as the paperbacks are essentially identical, they will both use the same ISBN.
When you publish an eBook through any retailer besides Amazon Kindle, you will need an eBook ISBN as well. The same eBook ISBN can be used for all retailers.
Most people will need 1-3 ISBNs for a single book.
“How do I get ISBNS?”
You can purchase ISBNs from Bowker directly. This is the only official source for ISBNs in the United States. Other countries will have other resources for ISBNs. There are smaller resellers that might offer discounted pricing, but I suggest avoiding them just to be on the safe side. To purchase ISBNs from Bowker, use their MyIdentifiers website at https://www.myidentifiers.com.
ISBNs currently cost $125 each or $295 for a block of ten.
When purchasing ISBNs, I suggest against buying any other services from MyIdentifiers. Copyrights, for example, are better handled directly with the Copyright Office. Barcodes can be generated free of charge, and you should not pay extra for them.
If you want to save money, free ISBNs are given out on many publishing platforms...
“Should I pay or use the free options?”
I suggest against free ISBNs most of the time. Free ISBNs limit your control over your book metadata and make it harder for you to easily expand distribution. These free options also mark your book as being published by the company that provides them.
A free ISBN is okay in a budget pinch, but it might affect how you plan to handle your distribution options. It won't kill your publishing project, but it could potentially create some hurdles down the road that are best avoided.
Any questions?
Feel free to email me at robertlouishenry@gmail.com.
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