ISBN - What Is It and Why Do I Need One?

Thinking about writing a book? Thinking about selling the book that you're thinking about writing? Then it's time you started thinking about an ISBN number.

ISBN stands for International Standard Book Number and it is required if you intend to sell your book at a retail store or through a wholesale distributor. If you give away your book to friends, or sell a title to an individual, you may not need one. An ISBN is like a VIN number for a car - it distinguishes YOUR book from all the rest. It is a unique identifier that no other book, in any other format, may have. It is yours and yours alone. 

This is beneficial for two main reasons:

1) Searchability - Any wholesaler, retailer or individual will be able to type your unique ISBN into any search engine. As long as the book has been registered with an ISBN, it will be searchable for purchase, or to obtain general information about your book.

2) It avoids confusion - Your title, "The Greatest Book Ever Written" is available for purchase, but searching by book name only may result in 100 or even 1000 books with the identical  name. How would a potential buyer know the difference, other than scrolling tediously through countless titles? With a unique identifier (your ISBN), there would be no question that YOUR book belongs with that ISBN.  

It is important to note that each different published format of your book (print hardcover or paperback, digital, or audio) will need a separate ISBN.  Your publisher can issue an ISBN.  For self-published authors, you can purchase one through www.bowker.com, which is the official source of ISBNs in the U.S. 

Your book is unique!  Assign it an ISBN and it will forever be recognized this way!

Choosing a Printer - 8 Tips to Consider

1.  Do Your Research - It is important to know what you want your end product to look like and the work that will be involved in getting a final printed project.  Educate yourself on the printing process by visiting printer websites.

2.  Do Try to Supply Basic Information About Printing Specifications, including:

• Size
• Color
• Binding
• Quantity
• Paper Type
 

3.  Do Get Price Quotes From a Few Printers - Make sure that you get detailed information on any and all fees, so that there are no surprises.

4.  Do Make Sure That You Feel Comfortable With the Printer You Choose, and the Customer Service Representative that you will be working with.  It is important to note whether your communications will be via email or through telephone contact. With a printing project, you are looking for the increasingly rare combination of great service and a great end product. There are many online automated sites that can print your books, but some use templates and many do not have representatives that are accessible by phone.

5.  Do Decide If You Want To Print as a personal project (poems to your grandchildren) or for commercial distribution.  If you want to sell your book through a wholesale or retail distributor, there are necessary requirements, such as an ISBN (International Standard Book Number).

6.  Do Make Sure That You Provide the Correct File Type That the Printer Requires - Some criteria may include:  PDFs, embedded fonts, proper bleed.  Also, find out the printer's specific requirements for submitting images with the correct resolution -DPI (dots-per-inch.)

7.  Do Be Realistic About Time Frames - Give your printer enough lead time to get the job done right.  For first printings, calculate approximately 10 to 15 working days.  Reprints are generally about 4 to 8 working days.

8.  Do Consider Digital Printing - It offers:

• Shorter print runs that require less initial cost outlay
•  Easy version changes (edits) for the next time you print
• Excellent quality