What is an ISBN and does my book need one?

ISBN stands for International Standard Book Number. It is used as a unique identifier for your published book that helps in the management and distribution of the book.

Having an ISBN is helpful because it aids in identifying multiple books with the same title, multiple versions, or various editions of the same book. For example, if you’re looking for a particular version of Jane Eyre, it’s much easier to find if you have the correct ISBN.

In short, yes. All publishers creating books in print need an ISBN, including self-publishers. It’s essential to have that unique number if you want booksellers and readers to find your book. Publishers can obtain ISBNs from their national ISBN agency.

Every printed book has an ISBN number, but not every digital book does.

If you’re publishing your book digitally, either as an eBook or a digital audiobook, you’ll only need an ISBN if your book distributor requires it. You don’t need an ISBN to publish an eBook on the following major digital distribution services:

You can learn how to get an ISBN here: How do I get an ISBN?