Still have questions? Leave a comment
Enter your email id to get the downloadable right in your inbox!
Enter your email id to get the downloadable right in your inbox!
Have you ever seen the back of a book and wondered what the numbers on its barcode are? Those numbers are a code that forms the book’s International Standard Book Number or ISBN. Every book has an ISBN from which you can identify its registrant and the specific title, edition, and format.
Getting an ISBN is a crucial step in every published writer’s journey—regardless of whether they’re opting for self-publishing or going through a traditional publishing house. In this article, we deconstruct what an ISBN is, why you should get one for your book, and at what point of the publishing process you need to do this.
The International Standard Book Number (ISBN) is a uniquely generated number assigned to a published book that acts as a unique identifying number for it.
The ISBN is often used by entities that manage, publish, and distribute books for listing and other logistical purposes. It enables booksellers, publishers, and even readers to find a book with ease.
Here are the component parts of an ISBN:
An ISBN has 13 digits (since 2007) and has five distinct parts that reveal a key piece of information about the published piece. Every code begins with the letters “ISBN”.
So cutting a long story short, the first three parts of the ISBN depend on where you are, who is publishing the book, and what language it is in. What truly makes the ISBN unique is the title identifier. Now, keep that in mind, because we’ll come back to this again soon.
The ISBN code is a 10-digit code developed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and was used for the first time in 1970. Since 2007, ISBN codes have had 13 digits.
Right below is the break-up of a 10-digit and a 13-digit ISBN code.
From 1970 to 2007:
Since 2007:
Every new edition of a book is issued a new ISBN. (Note that reprints of an edition have the same code as the first print.) Translations of a book are also issued new ISBN codes.
JK Rowling’s book Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone was first published in 1997. It was published in the US as Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. These two books, despite being essentially the same, do not share the same ISBN code.
The 10-digit code of The Philosopher’s Stone is 0-7475-3269-9, whereas the 13-digit code of The Sorcerer’s Stone is 059035342X.
As for how you can get an ISBN, there are a few options you can consider. The options differ across countries, since, as you’ve already noticed, the number is specific to the territory.
The first question, before you say when, is to determine whether you want an ISBN for your book at all. The obvious answer is yes since ISBNs help you track the sales of your book, and even boost it. But like any other step of the publishing process, there are many factors to be considered. If your budget allows you to get an ISBN, and you envision your book dominating best-selling lists, we say go for it!
Once you’ve decided that you do, think about which editions and formats you need to get an ISBN for. Remember when we said earlier that each format has a different number? Now is the time to take that into consideration, because a print edition and audiobook version of the same book will have different ISBNs. The same goes for translations and editions of books as well.
Get carefully curated resources about writing, editing, and publishing in the comfort of your inbox.
How to Copyright Your Book?
If you’ve thought about copyrighting your book, you’re on the right path.
Explore more
Good and useful article about ISBNs