Warning: self-publishers beware of unauthorized ISBN resellers
A recent article at one of my favorite writing websites, writersweekly.com, gave a warning that I think all authors interested in self-publishing should take seriously. Currently, in order to obtain your own ISBN you must buy them in bulk. However, many "shady" companies out there are buying up bulk lots of ISBN numbers and then selling them individually for a profit.
Here’s a brief quote from the US ISBN Agency warning about the consequences of buying individual ISBN numbers from unauthorized resellers:
If you use one of these reassigned ISBNs, you will not be correctly identified as the publisher of record in Books in Print or many of the book industry databases. The result may be extensive costs to apply for a new ISBN and the application of stickers to books already printed and in circulation.
There appears to be a budding cottage-industry of small companies trying to take advantage of writers who want to self-publish, who in the end, only cause these writers to waste valuable time and money. I guess the best protection you can get is to be vigilant and do your research first. There are tons of resources on self-publishing (including the proper way to obtain an ISBN). I’m going to try to compile a list of these resources for a future post.
In the meantime, if you want more information regarding ISBNs, it’s best to go straight to the source! Check out the warning that the ISBN agency published here: Unauthorized resellers (make sure you explore their site further, it’s a great place to start).
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