Sci-Fi, fantasy and speculative Indie Authors Review discussion

Two things I found out, is that Google or Apple won't list a book without an ISBN number and it cost $125.

If you publish with Smahwords, you get one free. I then turned around and published on Amazon, adding the number after publication, though you could do it at the same time. I think there are other places you can get them, cheaper than 125!
This site worked for mine, but not all look up sites did. Might take time...I only uploaded mine on the weekend.
LookUpISBNt

You can buy 10 ISBNs for $250 so if you are going to publish more books or more editions of a book, eBook, print, etc. (You need a new ISBN for other versions of your same book) That is a better deal. You also can be listed as the publisher that way, not Createspace or whichever company you are using. I prefer to publish everything under my own imprint. I think it is worth it.

Free and discount deals make the decision easier.

You can usually get a free ISBN from some markets. I distribute to Apple through Smashwords, which will provide a free ISBN. Createspace and Lulu for paperbacks will provide one free. So will Amazon.com. Smashwords also distributes to Kobo, Barnes and Noble, and others. I don't distribute to Google at all because of what I've heard about their pricing policies. The point is, you can buy an ISBN, but you don't have to.

Do you know if one has to have a different isbn for each version of e-books? I mean one for kindle, one for ePub, and so on. I have been trying to figure this out but keep finding conflicting views on it. Some say one isbn is enough for e-books while other say one for each kind, which has left me scratching my head.

With the distributors I use, I have a different ISBN for each--one for Smashwords, one for Amazon, etc.--and a different ISBN for each format. It may be different when you buy an ISBN, but as I understand it you would still need a different ISBN for each format.

each version must have their own ISBN. print epub kindle etc. since my ebook versions are on smashwords I use their isbns. I bought my CS isbns for print and use Amazons generated aisn for the kindle since sw and azn don't play nice

Some distributors skate a little near the edge on this one. When you go through Smashwords, for instance, you can have them provide an ISBN for your "Smashwords Version", which is then made available in several e-book formats. A printed copy, such as a POD book at CreateSpace is a different version, and requires its own ISBN. The guideline, as I understand it, is to use a unique ISBN for different versions of your book, even if one version comes in multiple formats. Some will disagree with this interpretation and will advise you to get a unique ISBN for every format. The best advice I can give is to do your research rather than take the word of a stranger on a forum.

As a disclaimer, IANAL (I Am Not A Lawyer), so don't take my word for it.

Brian wrote: "If you publish with Smahwords, you get one free. I then turned around and published on Amazon, adding the number after publication..."

You can really only do that--you're SUPPOSED to only do that--if you're using the same ISBN on the Smashword .MOBI and the Kindle versions. If you publish on Smashwords as ePub, you're not supposed to use that ISBN on the Kindle version because, as K.P. said (#8), you need to use a different ISBN for every different format. Hardcover, paperback, ePub, Kindle, audiobook, etc. All need a unique ISBN.

Americans really get screwed on purchasing ISBNs because one company has a monopoly on them and you're forced to buy by their rules. Canadian authors can get them free (same with New Zealand and South Africa)because Canada is a nice place to live and work. In the UK & Ireland they can only be bought in a minimum of 10 at a time, but cost the equivalent of $180 USD. Australia charges $55 for the first one and $40 for any thereafter...and only $80 for a block of 10.

This stuff really rankles me.

yeah the US is ugh and always want money. ~T_T~

I'm unclear on the benefits of anything other than a free ISBN. I print at Createspace and Lulu, and have free ISBN's from those. What does one gain from a paid-for number?

if you have your own publishing company the ISBN lists your company as the publisher not CS not Lulu etc. also some bookstores won't carry books by them lumping CS and Lulu ISBN as vanities (like Iuniverse or author house )

One thing you all seem to be forgetting: Kindle editions do not have an ISBN. You may add anISBN to your Kindle edition, but the only number by which your Amazon book may be searched is the ASIN.

As far as why you might want your own, yes, for a physical book, large chain bookstores require a buyback policy. Createspace and LuLu do not have a buyback policy. Ingram does, but you have to buy an expensive package, have your own block of ISBNs, and jump through hoops only to find that maybe your local chain bookstore might stuff a few copies in the corner somewhere. Whether or not this is worth it will depend on whether or not you want to aggressively persue brick and mortar presence.

I used the http://www.lookupbyisbn.com/ link and it found my amazon self published book using the only the title. The number is used for ordering books, so I guess the amazon number is recognized even though the book is only available through amazon.

Thanks for all the advice on the isbn. I did a little more digging and according to the International Isbn Agency (I think I've got the name right) one needs a different number for each format. That's a whole lot of numbers. :-)

Lucky for me they are free in Iceland. It sounds like it is a bit of an investment in the US.