Publishing Resources
— Compliance —
Getting your ISBN
ISBN stands for International Standard Book Number, and is a unique identifier for each edition and binding of a book or title. If your book will be sold in any retail fashion, it will need an ISBN. If you will publish a softcover, hardcover, and ebook, you will need three separate ISBNs, assigning a different one to each binding. Bar codes use the ISBN, but are different products. Authors, get your number(s) at Bowker.com. They will offer you bar codes as well. If you’re working with TLC for your book cover, there’s no need to buy bar codes, as we will provide them for you. NOTE: You’ll see MyIdentifiers.com in your browser. That is correct and is part of Bowker.
Registering your copyright
The copyright.gov website offers information and forms to register your book’s copyright. Note that the minute you write even part of your book on paper or on an electronic device, you own the copyright. Registering simply reinforces that right.
Getting your LCCN
Library of Congress Control Numbers are necessary if you want your book to be available in libraries. Self-publishers sign up here to open a free account and apply for their number prior to printing the book. The number belongs on the book’s copyright page.
Official BISAC shelving categories
This appears on the back cover and is helpful to readers and booksellers, letting them know the primary genre of your book. It’s not required, but a nice detail to include. The official list can be found here. You’ll want to go deeper than the main category. (These are somewhat different than Amazon’s categories.)
— Useful Links —
The Chicago Manual of Style
This manual is the go-to for book writers and editors. If you have a grammar question, the answer is here.
KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing via Amazon)
Learn more about on-demand printing and distribution through Amazon. This can be done in conjunction with IngramSpark. We can coach you through this process if you like!
Try KDP’s publisher’s compensation calculator.
KDP’s cover template generator is here.
Bible Verse Usage Guidelines
Each version of the Bible has its own quotation usage rules and requires a specific copyright statement. Click on a version in this list on Bible Gateway, then click the “copyright” link to learn what’s needed for your book.
IngramSpark
Learn more about on-demand printing and distribution through Ingram’s own IngramSpark. This can be done in conjunction with KDP. We can coach you through this process if you like!
Try IngramSpark’s publisher’s compensation calculator.
IngramSpark’s cover template generator is here. You will need your ISBN to get the template.
— Publishing Organizations & Classes —
IBPA (Independent Book Publishers Association)
National publishing organization; great monthly magazine-style print newsletter, annual conference (Publishing University), Benjamin Franklin awards, webinars, industry discounts, and more. Fantastic organization if you’re going to publish and market books. Check them out!
CIPA (Christian Indie Publishing Association)
National Christian organization offering annual book awards, workshops, a listing of publishers accepting manuscripts, many resources, a monthly newsletter, networking, and industry discounts. Visit their site!
APSS (Association of Publishers for Special Sales)
National organization focused on helping authors and publishers sell books in large quantities to various organizations; Be sure to scroll down the home page and sign up for the free newsletter. They offer frequent free webinars!
Book Selling University
FREE, online, à la carte classes on book creation, marketing, sales, distribution, and more by experienced and respected publishing professionals.
— Marketing, PR, and other Publishing Services —
Be sure to tell these fine people we sent you. ;)
Author Marketing Experts
BOOK MARKETING company with a fabulous, free newsletter and great blog. Amazon experts! I’ve personally worked with Penny Sansevieri and her company to promote my book. The staff at Author Marketing Experts know their stuff and made promotion a lot of fun, doing a lot of behind-the-scenes work for me, but showing me how to do other things. Invaluable!
Book Marketing Matters
The APSS president, Brian Jud, runs his own BOOK MARKETING firm, Book Marketing Matters, and is a seasoned expert with creative ideas for selling your book as well as offering media training.
Musical Crime Productions
Sarah and Billy Moffat are a husband and wife team specializing in PODCAST LAUNCH, MANAGEMENT, and STRATEGY. This team brings years of copywriting, ghostwriting, and musical/production experience to their clients. Elevate your author platform, secure speaking opportunities, or simply engage in meaningful conversations with the comprehensive support of Musical Crime Productions. Whether you're thinking of launching your own podcast or finding opportunities to be a guest on existing shows, they are dedicated to help and serve you.
PR by the Book
Helping authors become influencers, this PR FIRM offers years of experience and is run with integrity. Marika Flatt and her team are professional yet fun and pair traditional PR by the Book provides with cutting-edge services to elevate authors’ marketing efforts.
Market Your Industry
Cinematic BOOK TRAILERS, teasers, and more to help authors connect and sell more books to help readers not only discover your book, but find it hard to resist purchasing! Featured on over 60 platforms worldwide. Market Your Industry focuses on capturing the tone and heart of your book while directing consumers to your desired purchase portal.