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How to Get an ISBN for Your eBook

If you have written a book to be distributed electronically, you can instantly give it more credibility and marketing edge by getting an ISBN for it. ISBN stands for International Standard Book Number, and it's a unique 13-digit code assigned to books, CDs, audiobooks and ebooks. Each format, such as PDF and epub, that you sell in requires its own ISBN.

Instructions

    • 1

      Check with your publisher, if you used an outside company to publish your ebook. An ISBN might be included in your package, or available as an add-on.

    • 2

      Decide how many you need. If you have just one ebook, in one format, and don't plan to write any more titles, you can probably get by with a single ISBN. However, it may be cheaper to get a block of them, and you will need a separate ISBN for each version -- electronic, print, CD, etc.

    • 3

      Visit ISBN.org to purchase your ISBN. You may purchase single numbers or blocks of 10.

    • 4

      Confirm your assigned ISBN, and then copy the number and add it to the copyright page of your book. Be sure you have copied it correctly.

    • 5

      Add the ISBN to any physical versions of the book. You can add it by using a sticker or include it on the cover if the book hasn't been printed yet.

Book Publishing

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