ISBN: What Is It and Why You Need One
A Basic Overview Plus My Two-Cents About Free vs Paid ISBNs
What is an ISBN?
Let’s jump on Google and look up the definition of what an ISBN is:
An ISBN, or International Standard Book Number, is a unique 13-digit number used to identify books and other book-like products, facilitating efficient searching, ordering, and tracking in the book industry.
There are several keywords to focus on in this definition:
Unique
Identify
Searching
Ordering
Tracking
Books (and book-like products)
Assigning identifiers to books helps retailers and libraries search not just by title but also by specific formats. Each version of a book—whether it’s an eBook, paperback, hardcover, audiobook, or special edition—must have its own ISBN or a similar identifier.
And yes, there are other types of identifier numbers besides ISBNs, but we’ll get into that later.
For now, the key takeaway is that every format of a book needs a unique identifier.
When a retailer scans the barcode on the back of a book or enters the ISBN in a search, they retrieve all the book’s information as entered by the author or publisher when the ISBN was first assigned. This includes details such as the book’s title, subtitle, edition number, description, genre, price, trim size, and contributors.
HELPFUL TIP: The price you enter when assigning your ISBN is the price that should appear on your book cover. Some bookstores have mentioned that printing the price on the back cover helps reduce the number of customers asking for the price at checkout.
Where do you get ISBNs for your book?
As a self-published author, the primary place to purchase ISBNs is Bowker Publishing Services: https://www.myidentifiers.com/
You can buy a single ISBN or purchase them in bulk. Buying in bulk is more cost-efficient, especially if you plan to publish a book series or multiple books throughout your author career. Unused ISBNs do not expire.
Remember, each book format requires its own ISBN.
If you’re planning to publish a trilogy, for example, opting for the bulk purchase is a