Covering your options for ISBN and the pros and cons of a free vs. paid ISBN number.

Resources

Bowker ISBN for USA & Canada

Amazon KDP Free ISBN

Library of Congress LCCN

Consider the tone.

Who did you write the book for?

What are their expectations?

What are your intentions?

Examples of tone:

Formal (The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron)

Conversational (Steal Like an Artist by: Austin Kleon)

Academic (Daring Greatly by: Brent Brown)

Bonus Module:

Jessica Allowski, my editor for How it Feels to Me, has generously recorded a bonus module for you about the editing process.

How to Work with a Book Editor

Many thanks to Jessica Allowski, my editor for How it Feels to Me, for generously recording this bonus module.

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Hi! I’m Jessica Allowski, founder of Cozy Cottage Editing. I work primarily with introverted indie authors to strengthen and refine their manuscripts for self-publication. I’m here to describe the main types of editing and offer tips for finding the most suitable freelance editor for your project.

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Resources

Editorial Freelance Association

ACES: The Society for Editing

Imagine your book cover.

What do you want your cover to communicate about your book?

What type of imagery comes to mind?

What type of fonts?

What colors?

What textures?

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Guest Speaker

Don’t miss the module recorded by Nathaniel Roy of A Book Designer’s Notebook about how to work with a cover designer. I’ve also linked up some of his blog posts with tips about designing your own cover. So this is worth a listen even if you plan to design the cover yourself.

How to Collaborate with a Cover Designer

Many thanks to Nathaniel Roy of A Book Designer’s Notebook for generously recording this module.

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Nathaniel Roy is a book designer, collage maker, photo taker, self-publisher, and a few other things in Ypsilanti, Michigan.

Hi, I’m Nathaniel. I’m a graphic designer who specializes in book design, but for the right cause, I’ll design just about anything. I’m keenly interested in local, independent, and non-profit projects. I am currently an in-house designer at the Ann Arbor District Library and available for freelance opportunities. I write a newsletter about books, design, and creative practice.

You can read and subscribe here.

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Learn More

Nathaniel regularly shares great design tips on his Substack.

Here is a roundup of some of my favorites.

I Can Tell Your Book Was Self Published (Part One)

I Can Tell Your Book Was Self Published (Part Two)

You Need A Book Cover (and I Know Where to Find One)

Do Book Covers Matter?

He also has a great resource page.

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This video is part of Self Publishing 101.

You can find the rest of the course and resources for independent publishing here.

Imagine holding your book.

What size do you want your book to be?

Will people be carrying it around?

Will they be writing in it?

What size and shapes are the books you examined earlier? Why do you think they chose that size?

How long is your manuscript? How many pages?

Check your printer and see if there are any page count requirements. There may be a minimum page count for hardcover books for example.

Consider the costs.

Do you have the funds or financial backing to order your books in bulk?

Would using a print on demand service make self publishing more accessible to you?

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Print on Demand Services

Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (known as Amazon KDP)

Barnes & Noble Print on Demand

Ingram Spark

Book Baby

Short Run Art Book Printers

Bookmobile

Gorham Printing

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(Note: I am not endorsing any of these companies. I am sharing the information I have at hand about your options. My personal experience is limited to print on demand through Amazon KDP.)

What type of books would you like to offer?

Hardcover, Paperback, Ebook, or Audiobook?

What type of books do you read? What would your audience prefer? What are the costs and time involved?

• Ebook
• Audiobook
• Hardcover
• Paperback

Crowdfunding vs. Preorders

Consider your options.

How would you like to fund your print run?

• Crowdfund
• Preorders
• Personal Savings

What type of preorder would you prefer?

• Preorders through your own website
• Preorders through Amazon (or another marketplace)
• Crowdfunding

Look at a book.

Choose 2-5 physical books from the same genre as your book.

What would it be shelved by?

If you don’t own these books try the local library or browse a bookshop.

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Look at their binding. Are they hardcover, softcover, spiral bound?

What size are they?

Are they illustrated?

Are the pages blank ink or full color?

What is the paper texture?

Are they designed to be written in?

Which would you prefer for your book?