The book publishing process is fraught with details that confound new authors. We define ISBN, address ISBN registration, and answer some common questions about this confusing requirement for your book.
What is an ISBN?
The ISBN (International Standard Book Number) is a numeric identifier that is used around the world by bookstores, publishers, retailers, and just about everyone in the publishing industry. All ISBNs assigned since 2007 have 13 digits, those assigned prior to that are 10 digits long.
Am I required to have an ISBN to sell my printed book?
Yes. If you plan to sell your printed book in bookstores or through online retailers — and if you want to make your title available to libraries — you need an ISBN.
Do I need an ISBN for my eBook?
Yes, though Amazon is a notable exception.
First, you’ll need an ISBN for every format of your book: your printed book, eBook, and any other format requires a separate ISBN. In addition, publishing a book in a different language requires a unique ISBN.
For eBooks sold on Amazon, note that Amazon ignores the ISBN you assign to your Kindle eBook and assigns its own identifier, called an ASIN (Amazon Standard Identification Number). This ASIN is what you and the public use to identify your Kindle eBook on Amazon when linking to the book. However, if your book does have an ISBN (which it will need for sale on Barnes & Noble and all other outlets), that number will appear on your Amazon page and can be used as a search term on the Amazon website.
I’m doing a print book and an eBook. Do I need two ISBNs?
You will need a unique ISBN for each format.
Do I need a separate ISBN for my hardcover and softcover version of the same book?
Yes, you need a separate ISBN for each to identify different volumes for anyone who might want to find it in directories, catalogs, and databases.
If I get an ISBN, does that mean my book is automatically copyrighted?
No. Copyright is administered by the Library of Congress and is an extension of intellectual property law. That said, common copyright law states that the moment your work is in tangible form — once you commit words to paper or save to a digital file — it is protected under intellectual property law without any formal registration. That applies even if you do not use the copyright symbol in your book. However, copyright registration keeps you in control of your original work, protects you from theft and misuse, and enables you to pursue legal action if someone infringes on your work.
How do I get an ISBN?
When you publish your book through BookBaby, you can purchase an ISBN for eBook and printed versions of your book.
You can also purchase an ISBN directly from Bowker — the company responsible for ISBNs in the United States — by going to myidentifiers.com.
What do ISBNs cost?
BookBaby sells ISBNs for $79 each. If you go direct to Bowker, a single ISBN costs $125, while 10 ISBNs cost $295. Note, there is no difference in the ISBN purchased from BookBaby vs. one bought from Bowker. BookBaby purchases blocks of ISBNs from Bowker to provide to our authors.
Can I purchase an ISBN if I live outside of the United States?
If you do not reside in the US, you may purchase an ISBN through BookBaby. Otherwise, there are over 160 ISBN agencies around the world, and each is appointed as the exclusive agent responsible for assigning ISBNs to publishers/authors residing in their country or geographic territory. Bowker is the only source authorized to assign ISBNs to publishers supplying an address in the US.
I have my own ISBN number. Can I use that?
Yes, as long as your ISBN has not previously been used for a print or digital book.
Can you tell me how to register an ISBN?
ISBNs that have been assigned to books should be reported to Bowker as the database of record. You can register an ISBN and book title at www.bowkerlink.com. If you publish your book through BookBaby, we’ll register your ISBN for you.
If I make minor revisions to my book, do I need to give it a new ISBN?
That depends. If you aren’t making substantial changes to the text, it is not considered a reprint or a new edition. That said, the degree of changes that require a new ISBN can be subjective. The ISBN guidelines state that the inclusion of “substantially new material, a major revision, or the addition of completely new elements” meets the standard of a substantial change. Note that if elements are deleted from the original book, this would also require a new ISBN. Any change to the text that makes it a new and different book from the original volume is likely to create a new edition.
Does changing the cover constitute a significant change? Will I have to get a new ISBN?
Yes, changing your cover is a significant change and requires a different ISBN to publish with BookBaby.
Where does a book ISBN go?
An ISBN should be printed on your book’s copyright page and should be included in the Cataloging in Publication (aka CIP data) block, if you use one. ISBN numbers are also usually printed on the back covers of books as part of the bar code when the book is being sold.
Can readers search for my book by the ISBN?
Yes. On any retail site or bookstore — or in a general Internet search — a search of the ISBN will find your published book in the return (you may find that removing the hyphens in the number helps in the search results).
Still have unanswered questions about self-publishing?
You can search for more answers about book publishing on the BookBaby FAQ page on the BookBaby website or reach out to our publishing specialists at info@bookbaby.com or at 877-961-6878.
