ISBNs?

[scottenkainen]

Who, in the OSR movement, is buying ISBNs for their books? Swords & Wizardry went pro...it looks like Delving Deeper has a ISBN on the back cover. Who else?

~Scott "-enkainen" Casper

[Scott Anderson]

They're a wicked rip off. Getting one (the most expensive way per ISBN is to buy singles) is like $125. Getting a set of them sets you back like a grand.

BUT, as far as barriers to entry into the clerisy of Teh Professionnal Publishers, I guess its not so bad.

[rastusburne]

If you're happy to publish through Lulu, they will issue you one for free.

[sniderman]

Mar 19, 2015 3:41:25 GMT -6 rastusburne said:

If you're happy to publish through Lulu, they will issue you one for free.

That registers "Lulu" as the publisher. You don't own the ISBN and are not recognized as the publisher...just the author and creator. It's not as good a deal as you think.

Also, some folks think they don't need an ISBN/barcode, but if you want your book in bookstores, it's absolutely required. Selling online or out of the trunk of your car? No problem. Want it commercially distributed, you need that ISBN.
/tradebook editor

[Fearghus]

Why is an ISBN required, and what is the benefit of being the publisher?

[scottenkainen]

Mar 19, 2015 7:10:35 GMT -6 Fearghus said:

Why is an ISBN required, and what is the benefit of being the publisher?

I'm certainly no expert, since I posed the question in the first place, but my impressions so far are:

An ISBN is important because, if you think you have a shot at cracking the WotC/Paizo chokehold on bookstores, then you need an ISBN so stores can order your books. I'm not sure if game stores order as exclusively by ISBN number. And -- though I'm waiting for confirmation on this -- it may have turned out that DriveThruRPG will not allow its publishers to use their POD services without a ISBN.

As for the benefit of being the publisher, I think this is all about perception. Do you to be known as a publisher or "just" an author?

~Scott "-enkainen" Casper

[Dave L]

You would need to read up on the Lulu terms of service, but publishers traditionally have a series of rights associated just with being the publisher - for instance, It's possible you couldn't offer the book to another publisher without their say so. Also, I suspect Lulu tend to take a larger portion of the profits than other publishers, but have no way of verifying that.

We used to own an independent bookstore, and with electronic POS tills, barcodes are essential. We had the option of printing barcodes that the till would recognise for non-book product such as pens and pencils, but ordering was always done by 13 digit ISBN codes.

When I started back in the 80's barcodes were never used by bookstores, only by publishers and wholesalers, but now with the technology creep, anyone with computerised stock control will insist on a barcode, or they won't order the book - it's just too much of a pain.

That's why the original 10 digit ISBN's were increased to 13 digits - everything needs a barcode these days, even A6 pamphlets!

[rastusburne]

Obviously owning your own ISBN is ideal, but for many people who just want to publish, and don't care how, I think Lulu is a good service.

[grodog]

Black Blade ISBNs our books.

[jmccann]

In addition to the other points, having your own ISBNs gives you control over how your books showup in catalogs that bookstores use. If you are just publishing 1 or 2 things, Lulu or whoever's ISBNs are probably fine but if you want to have more control over marketing you might want to have your own ISBNs.