ISBN number

[jo555]

I would like to get an ISBN number for my first self-published book without going through a third party that may hold some of the rights.

The problem I am coming across, is that you need a business license.

Am I right? Is there anyway of getting one without a business license, and without going through a third part that may hold some of the rights?

Thanks in advance.
Jo

[Hoomi]

This site issues ISBN's, and so far, I haven't seen anything about needing a business license.

https://www.myidentifiers.com/

[Shann]

If you haven't published the book yet, there are some companies that will provide the ISBN number while they publish it and like CreateSpace and Smashwords. I also found out that if you live in Canada you can get them for free.

[jo555]

Thanks Hoomi, I appreciate it.

I did check it out, yet I saw that on step 1 they ask for business name...

I think I may just have to do without one for now...

[jo555]

Thanks Shann. The original one I was going to use did provide one for free, but it seems they want to hold some of the copyrights and didn't understand it all, and didn't want to get myself in a position where I could not share as I pleased. So, I went with Blurp. They have an easy program. The book, that has around 250 pages costs 12.95 to print (without any discounts). Not sure if that was a reasonable price, but went with it as I didn't see any copyright stipulations. I will email them and see if they may provide an ISBN, even at a price.

If not, I may be looking into others. For now, it appears I will do without.

My brother was telling me about free book postings from Apple. Does anyone know anything about that?

[Shann]

I don't know about that but I know SmashWords and Create Space doesn't cost anything or very little upfront. Amy published her writing book on one of them and it had six chapters and costs $3 for ebook and $9 including shipping for a paperback and it is listed on Amazon. I know Amy has answered questions for others about the indy companies. I'm sure if you sent her a pm she would answer when she had a free moment. She goes under Sparrow on the boards.

And I looked at the step one in the page Hoomi suggested and I think the business name is more just your username and contact information. I know my hubby had me set up a separate email account for my editing jobs so I think it may have been that. I'll try asking around for you and see if someone who knows more about it. But as long as they don't ask for your tax id number I think you are fine.

[Sparrow]

You don't need a business licence to get an ISBN. You can buy one under your own name, using your SSN if they need an official "business" number. That runs about $100.

If you use CreateSpace or Lulu's free ISBN, then you still completely own all the rights to the book. The only thing that changes is that in the database that only the book store stockers use, the book is listed as being published by CreateSpace, whereas if you buy it yourself then you can choose your own publishing name or your author name to have it listed under.

I bought one myself for the first book I published, but then decided it wasn't worth it. Since then I've used one of the free ones. They still let me put my publisher name inside the book, so the only person who sees the ISBN number as attached to that company is the people who order it to put it on Amazon and places like that. The individual customers/readers who actually order the book to read it won't be able to see any difference between the $100 and free ISBNs.

Hope that helps!

[jo555]

Thanks. This has been very helpful. Best news I've had today (been one of those days).

I'll have to try again.

I thought it was weird that one could not buy one using SSN.

Will look further into that link Hoomi sent me. Was rushed before so when I saw the business name mentioned, didn't dig deeper.

Amy, I'm curious. How many pages did that six chapter book have and who did you use to publish?

Thanks again everyone.

IT IS MUCH APPRECIATED!!!

[Shann]

Amy used CreateSpace for her book and if you look under her signature you can click on where to buy it. It is also available on Amazon. I did copy and paste the link so you can see where Amy had it listed along with other books she has had her hand in. The paperback book has about 46 pages in it. At the end of each chapter she has a worksheet too so the reader can practice the lesson just learned.

http://172.30.1.129/timeConf.htm

One of her PeP books, though it was published by a different company and is written by several authors is also on sale at Amazon for $10 at $10 for a 228 pages and 99 cents for the ebook. I'm just mentioning it to show the different options out there.

[Sparrow]

yeah, I've published several books through CreateSpace and have helped lots of other writers self publish theirs through them, too. I've done everything from my own little book on writing that like Shann said was about 50 pages, to a collaborative book that was about 350 pages. They have very reasonable prices.

I use Smashwords for e-book publishing, and they have whatever the digital option of the ISBN is for $7 or a free option, I think.