3. Purchase your ISBN
An ISBN (International Standard Book Number) is the identification your book needs to distinguish it from material that is merely printed. It is an indication you have an insight into Copyright Law and you will lodge your book with the National Library of Australia and your state library. Already over-whelmed? Don’t be! www.nla.gov.au is really the only website you truly need! You will find a link for ‘publishers’ and with ease and simplicity, you will be guided to purchase your ISBN.
Please please please do this! Don’t fall for the idea it may be complicated and that you need to do this through a third party providing author services. If you do this, the ISBN may be allocated from THEIR block of ISBN’s and your book will be permanently registered as being published by someone else, albeit written by you. You want ownership. You want control. You need your own ISBN! Simple!
Whilst you are in shopping mode – consider organising your cataloguing-in-publication data (giving librarians a heads-up as to where you believe the book should be stored) and even a barcode for your back cover facilitating the point of sale transaction in a bookstore.
Schedule this job in your production schedule, clear your desk and have no distractions. It is like anything you do for the first time – it may be confusing at first, but trust me, the next (and the next and the next) books you do, you will be able to do this in your sleep.
Once you are sent your ISBN – print it and stick it on the fridge. It will provide lovely motivation for you.
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Have fun!
