Robert Custus

        
Almost every book in the world has an International Standard Book Number (ISBN), and often is accompanied by a matching bar-code. I say “almost” because one of my favorite novels from 1934 does not have an ISBN printed anywhere on the book. Should an ISBN exist, the 13-digit number can appear on either the rear cover or inside the initial few pages.

        Although Amazon KDP provides a free ISBN with each format (paperback, hardcover, etc.), you cannot use it outside of the Amazon realm. This would require me to get a separate ISBN if I wanted to publish eBooks on Apple Books, or to have my book available at a bookstore. So, I decided to get my own ISBN through the federal government, free of charge.

        The two-step process began with the application for an account, which takes about 20 – 30 days. I started the process around the end of November; however, with the holiday season, it was the beginning of January before they contacted me to confirm some details and ask for a sample of the manuscript. The following day, they activated my account and issued the number I will use for the paperback format.

        While this step seems hardly worth mentioning, it is integral to the publishing process, not to mention the strong sense of accomplishment & the creative progression towards something that will last for generations. Eventually, I will register a separate number for the other formats, such as eBook, audiobook and maybe even a hardcover version, if there is enough demand.