The best way to be found is to get an ISBN. Also, you MUST have an ISBN if you have a print book. You can get away without one for Ebooks sold certain places, but without one, you will be excluded from certain sites.
Check out this cool barcode with the ISBN underneath. Fun, huh?
I was just going through the process of getting some new ISBNs for Protected and future books and thought I'd share the fun with you.
When getting an ISBN, it is best to go to Bowker.com. Createspace offers them for free, but then you are always tied to them. To get what they call a universal ISBN, one that you can take with you wherever you sell your book, you have to pay a lot of money.
Click on create an account and fill out the form.
Remember, you are the CEO of your own writing business.
Click on publisher services.
Click on the big ISBN on the right hand side.
Click on get your ISBN now and choose how many ISBNs you want.
If you only intend on publishing one book you will need 2 ISBN's. One for your print version and one for your E-version. It's true that not all sites require an ISBN for your eBook, but Apple does require it, and they are a huge force in the Ebook world, so get one. If you aren't doing a print version, you will only need one. It is cheaper to buy 100. Seems like a lot to pay at once, but at only $5.70 a pop, it is much more affordable than 100+ bucks for one or $26 each if you buy 10. You'll save money in the long run. If you are a true author, you will use them all, right? *Big smiles*
After you buy them, you can find them in MYACCOUNT in your Bowker Account. You will need to go to MY ACCOUNT and then Manage ISBN's to assign them to each book you publish.
You will have to fill out all the information on each book and it is a lot. It will take some time. You need to upload your manuscript in PDF form, upload your cover in jpeg as well as a ton of other stuff. Be prepared.
Also, you will need a barcode to go with your ISBN if you have a print book. There are a lot of barcode creators online. Way cheaper than what Bowker offers. You need to know your price when you create one. My printer puts my barcodes on my books.
Here's another fun ISBN from Japan. What do you think of it?
Do you think it's fair that we have to pay for ISBN's when we have to have them to sell our books?
2 comments:
Of course I don't think it's fair. But then, everyone's trying to make a buck, including who ever dreamed up ISBN numbers. BTW, I was told that ISBN numbers should only cost $75 each.
Sorry, another comment--rather question, why do you need two different barcodes, why can't you used the same one for e-books as for print?
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