ISBNs EXPLAINED

It's Not Just a Barcode

How to stop panicking about those mysterious numbers on the back of your book

You'd be amazed how often writers whisper "ISBN" the same way they whisper "tax audit" or "Voldemort." There's a lot of confusion, a lot of myths, and a lot of contradictory advice floating around online.

So, let's put all of this into one clear, UK-friendly guide, minus the panic and plus a little wit (because bureaucracy is easier to swallow when you're smiling through the pain).

This guide is written for UK self-publishers.

Readers elsewhere may still find it helpful, but your ISBN regulations and purchasing systems may differ.

1. What Is an ISBN?

An ISBN (International Standard Book Number) is essentially a book's birth certificate. It tells booksellers, libraries, and databases:

• the title of the your book
• which edition it is
• who published it
• what format it's in

It is NOT:

• a licence
• a copyright agreement
• proof of ownership
• a legally binding publishing contract
• something mystical or dangerous

If a book were a human, an ISBN is simply the official paperwork that lets it fully participate in society. A human without a birth certificate still exists; they just hit more admin hurdles. Same principle.

2. Do You Need an ISBN?

Sometimes yes. Sometimes no. Sometimes "technically no, but you should."

Let's break it down.

You DON'T need an ISBN if:

• you're selling only through your own website
• you're selling at events, fairs, stalls, talks
• you're selling directly to friends, family, local contacts
• a local indie shop agrees to buy copies directly from you (more on this below)
• you're selling through third-party marketplaces like eBay

In these cases, the book exists as a product, just like an art print or a handmade mug — you can sell it without registering it as part of the global book ecosystem.

You DO need an ISBN if:

• you want your book stocked in any retailer you can't physically supply
• you want it scanned at a till (retailers need barcodes)
• you want it in high street shops (WHSmith, Waterstones, etc)
• you want your local library to buy it
• you want to earn Public Lending Rights (PLR)
• you want it listed on Goodreads
• you want it listed on Amazon properly
• you're using print-on-demand (KDP, IngramSpark)
• you want distributors like Gardners to carry it

If you plan to publish beyond your inner circle, an ISBN isn't optional — it's the gateway key.

3. Amazon, KDP, and the Free ISBN Myth

Let's clear up the absolute jungle of misinformation floating around:

Myth: If I use the free KDP ISBN, I can only sell on Amazon.

Truth: Nope. KDP's ISBN is a real ISBN, recognised globally. KDP gives you the option for 'Expanded Distribution' which allows high street retailers (or anywhere else for that matter) to order your book through Amazon's print-on-demand service.

From KDP's Expanded Distribution page:

"Booksellers and libraries purchase paperbacks from large distributors. If you enroll your paperback in Expanded Distribution, we'll make your book available to distributors so booksellers and libraries can find your book and order it. We currently work with distributors in the United States, and the United Kingdom, but booksellers and libraries around the world may purchase books from these distributors.

It's free to enroll your paperback in Expanded Distribution, and it allows your book to be made broadly available outside of Amazon. Enrolling your paperback in Expanded Distribution doesn't guarantee it will be accepted by distributors or ordered by a particular bookseller or library. The decision to list your book lies with distributors and the decision to order your book lies solely with the individual booksellers and libraries.

We can't provide details on which booksellers and libraries purchased your book. The paperback can have an ISBN you bought or one assigned by KDP."

Myth: KDP "owns" my book if they assign the ISBN.

Truth: Also no. They own the number. You own the rights.

Myth: A free KDP ISBN hurts my legitimacy.

Truth: It doesn't affect your copyright, sales rights, or ability to distribute.

Myth: Amazon controls my movie rights because they issued the ISBN.

Truth: That one is genuinely wild — absolutely not.

Fact:

The ISBN simply denotes the edition published through KDP.

If you publish another edition elsewhere (e.g., a hardcover through IngramSpark), you just assign a different ISBN to that edition.

Easy.

But, how do you go about getting different ISBNs I hear you ask? I'll break that down next.

4. Where to Buy ISBNs in the UK

If you're independently self-publishing and want control over your publishing imprint, you'll need to buy your own ISBNs through Nielsen.

No one else.

Not Amazon. Not a cheap website selling "discount ISBNs." Not your cousin.

If anyone other than Nielsen sells you a UK ISBN, they become — officially — the publisher of your book.

Current Nielsen pricing:

(as of November 2025)

• 1 ISBN — £93 (do I even need to put how much this is per ISBN?)
• 10 ISBNs — £174 (£17.40 per ISBN)
• 100 ISBNs — £387 (£3.87 per ISBN)
• 1000 ISBNs — £994 (99p per ISBN)

Yes, the pricing system looks like it was designed by someone throwing darts at a wall while blindfolded.

No, we don't know why.

Yes, bulk buying is dramatically cheaper.

If you're publishing multiple books, formats, or editions, buying 10 is almost always better value.

Here's a handy breakdown of how you could allocate your 10 ISBNs:

1. Book One – Original Paperback Launch (through KDP)

2. Book One – Hardback Edition (through IngramSpark)

3. Book Two – Original Paperback Launch (through KDP)

4. Book One – 2nd Edition (it required revisions equalling more than 20% of changes)

5. Book Three – Original Paperback Launch (through KDP)

6. Trilogy Box Set of Book One, Two and Three (only the BOX needs an ISBN, reuse the original ISBN for each book, imagine it as the barcode that gets scanned at the till)

7. Book One – Special Edition with artwork (through independent press)

8. Book Two – Hardback Edition (through Ingram Spark)

9. Save for when you’ve written another book

10. Save for when you’re strapped for cash: but want to publish a new book, or your readers demand the third book has a hardback to complete their collection because it looks odd on their shelves.

See how buying an ISBN fits into your budget by checking out our Publishing Budget Guide.

For further information, visit the official Nielsen website:

https://nielsenisbnstore.com/Home/Isbn

5. What About Barcodes?

ISBNs and barcodes are siblings — not the same thing.

An ISBN is the number.
A barcode is the scannable image that tills read.

Nielsen does not give you a barcode. You absolutely should not pay anyone for one.

Use a free barcode generator instead:

TEC-IT

Paste your ISBN.
Press refresh/go.
Receive a perfect PDF barcode, ready to place on your cover design.

6. Legal Deposit: Your Book's Obligatory Field Trip

Once you publish using your own ISBN, the British Library will request a free copy.

This is mandatory.

Following a cyber-attack in October 2023 their legal deposit service is disrupted, but please continue to submit your print publications.

It's recommended NOT to wait for them to send a claims letter due to the cyber attack, but to continue to send physical publications.

You pay the printing and postage.
You don't get the book back.

Address:

Legal Deposit Office
The British Library
Boston Spa
Wetherby
West Yorkshire
LS23 7BY

They may also request up to five further copies for the other official UK libraries.
If they ask — you're legally required to send them.

A signed-for service is recommended.
(We say this from experience.)

For further information, see the Legal Deposit website:

https://www.bl.uk/services/legal-deposit

7. Public Lending Rights

If your book ends up in a library — and is borrowed even once — you're entitled to Public Lending Rights (PLR) payments.

It won't pay for your holiday, but it might pay for a coffee or two.

https://www.bl.uk/plr

If you don't register, you don't get paid. Simple.

8. Can You Publish Without an ISBN?

Technically, yes.

Practically, it limits you.

Publishing without an ISBN is fine for:

• very small print runs
• event sales
• personal networks
• zines
• private memoirs
• limited editions
• boutique art books

But for a commercial self-published book?

It's like buying a car but refusing the keys.

It works. But you're going nowhere.

9. Pros and Cons of Using an ISBN

Pros:

• Makes your book look professional
• Allows bookshops to consider stocking it
• Gets you on Goodreads and Amazon
• Allows participation in the global book ecosystem
• Enables PLR payments

Cons:

• Costs money (especially if buying individually)
• Requires legal deposit
• Requires registration with Nielsen databases
• Adds admin (and possibly screaming)

10. Registering Your Book With Nielsen's Databases

This deserves its own guide — because Nielsen's websites feel like they were built in 2004 and haven't emotionally recovered since.

But here's the short version:

Title Registration:

https://www.nielsentitleeditor.com/titleeditor/

Add:

• title
• author name
• ISBN
• price
• cover
• format
• description

Order Notification:

https://bookorders.nielsenbooknet.com/

If a retailer orders your book through Gardners, the order appears here.

You package and send copies to Gardners, who then deliver them to the retailer.

It's weird.
It works.
Mostly.

11. ISBNs for Ebooks

In the UK, Amazon does not require an ISBN for eBooks.

They use an ASIN.

However:

• Kobo
• Apple Books
• Google Play
• Smashwords
• Library distributors

…do require ISBNs for eBooks.

If you plan on wide distribution, you'll want one.

If you're Amazon-only, you don't need one — but having one looks more professional.

Final Thoughts

An ISBN isn't magical. It isn't mysterious. It isn't dangerous.

It's simply a tool — a way of telling the world:

"This book exists, and here's how you find it."

Most self-publishers will need one. Some won't. But every author benefits from understanding how the system works.

Use ISBNs wisely, plan your formats, and choose the option that best matches your publishing goals — not your fears.

And if you're still on the fence, or really unsure on how ISBNs work still, give us a message, and we'll be happy to talk through all the options.