Why you need an ISBN
Make your self published book easier to discover
ISBN
for Self Published Books
All books, whether they be traditionally published, self-published, or ebooks, should be registered with an ISBN, the International Standard Book Number. An ISBN places your self published book's information in a books-in-print database which is consulted by publishers, retailers, and libraries around the world!
Because our authors own their files, we recommend that you purchase the ISBN for your self published print book and/or ebook (although we are available to assist you).
How to get an ISBN number for a self-published book
Pricing and where to purchase your ISBN is available on Bowker (www.MyIdentifiers.com).
To purchase an ISBN go to
If you have questions about your book's ISBN contact us.
If you need assistance with the purchase of your book's ISBN, we can help. There is an additional fee of $50.
Top 5 Tips for Registering Your ISBN for Your Self Publish Book
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CREATE your account on Bowker click here
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WHEN should you purchase your book's ISBN? First, you should conduct research on the planned title name. Are there a lot of books with the same title? If yes, you might want to consider adding a sub-title or changing your book's title. NOTE: once you purchase the ISBN for a title you can't change the name, be 100% sure of your title and your online book title competition.
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When asked for ORGANIZATION TYPE: select "Self-Publisher"
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The COMPANY NAME should this be the Author Name. Use the exact same name that is used on the cover and within the book, i.e. if it's your full name or a nickname - be consistent.
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Should you always purchase both a print and ebook ISBN? The answer to this depends on how to plan to market and sell your book. Many authors like to offer an ebook version of their book.
More About the ISBN Standard
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The International Standard Book Number (ISBN) is a number, not a bar code. The ISBN identifies the title of the book and the publisher to be contacted for the ordering books. When participating in the ISBN standard, publishers and self-publishers are required to report all information about titles to which they have assigned ISBNs.
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