If you plan to self-publish or have before, you know the importance of ISBNs. Enter, MyIdentifiers. Creatives are called creative for a reason. The joy of planning a book, crafting characters and plots, recounting your life story, and putting it all together is a privilege.
But then comes the publishing process. Now you need to deal with all the legalities of getting your book out to the public and doing it in such a way that you cover yourself well and set yourself up for success.
Sound intimidating? The good news is, it doesn’t have to be. In this article, I cover the various aspects you should know about MyIdentifiers and how it can help you. Ready to get started?
Table of Contents
MyIdentifiers: What Is It?
MyIdentifiers, or Bowker Identifier Services, focuses on ISBNs but also offers other resources to help authors publish their books. More than just help with publishing, MyIdentifers also helps authors market and sell their books.
ISBNs
ISBns are crucial because they help you with the commercial success of your book. When a reader wants a new book to read, an ISBN helps publishers, bookstores, and libraries, use them for orders and tracking sales. They even help determine reading levels.
Barcodes
MyIdentifiers says that “A barcode is the graphical representations of a book’s ISBN and price. Barcodes are used on physical books, allowing them to be machine read, and facilitating automated sales and inventory tracking – a requirement for most large retailers.”
One of the bonuses to working with this company is that “when you get your barcodes from Bowker, the only official US ISBN Agency, you can be sure they meet the latest book publishing industry requirements.”
Copyright
According to MyIdentifer, you have just three months to register your book once you publish and distribute it. If you don’t, infringement can occur, in which you will need to pay attorney fees. This can get messy fast, so using MyIdentifier to help you out may be a good option.
How To Use MyIdentifiers?
MyIdentifiers offers a variety of options to help you with your book, your visibility (SEO), and your publishing goals. With MyIdentifiers, you can choose from one or more of many options:
- Buy ISBNs/purchase in bulk
- Barcodes
- Copyright
- Self-publishing packages
- eBook creation
- eBook distribution
- Editing
- Marketing
- Classes on marketing, self-publishing, and SEO
With this wide variety of services, you can rest assured if you need help on a particular topic, MyIdentifiers likely has you covered. Of course, like any company, many of these are paid services.
How Much Does It Cost?
MyIdentifiers offers three main packages for self-publishing. On their website, they include a graphic including the following six options and which are included in each package:
#1 – 10 ISBNs
Your book’s ISBN gives readers a way to understand the book’s format, edition, and publisher. MyIdentifier says that “Buying an ISBN is a big step toward ensuring a book’s commercial success because it enables more efficient marketing and distribution of your title.”
#2 – 1 Ebook Creator .doc – Word Doc To Ebook
If you want to take your eBook and convert it into a Word document, this is the feature for you. They say that “Ebook Creator.doc offers reflowable text up to 500 pages, 10 hyperlinks and 10 images.”
Additionally, if your book is already in a Word document (and is up to their standard) you can also convert it to an eBook.
#3 – 2 Barcodes
This third option allows you to obtain your barcode, and at the latest book publishing industry standards.
#4 – 2 QRPlus™ QR Codes
With QR codes all the rage, this is a great way to take your book to the next level. Place a QR code inside your book to take readers to your website, social media, or wherever else you want them to go. This makes signups simple for readers.
#5 – 1 CopyrightsNow
The CopyrightsNow app guides you through three steps to register. eliminates complicated forms and helps you complete your registration in minutes. They also say that “A recent Supreme Court ruling requires you to register your copyright before filing a lawsuit to enforce your rights.” That said, this is a crucial step.
#6 – 2 Book2look
This feature is similar to the look inside feature, but more dynamic. Book2Look has over 125 million views and can include:
- Book cover
- ISBN
- Description
- Author website or blog
- Chapter samples
- Audio/video links
- Reviews
- Publisher logo
- Unlimited shop links
Needless to say, this feature can be very helpful.
Alternatives To MyIdentifiers
If you want to look into a few other options, below is a list for your convenience.
Draft2Digital
Draft2Digital, or D2D, is known as a self-publishing aggregator company. They understand that writers want to write, and so they make it their mission to help with the publishing details that may feel intimidating to you.
In fact, you can upload your book onto their site and watch it go live in as little as twenty-four hours. D2D has come up the ranks and is now a highly-loved self-publishing platform for writers who want to self-publish.
If you choose to go with D2D, while there are no fees for use of the services they provide, they will keep 10% of all sales.
Self-Publishing School
Founder and CEO of Self-Publishing School, or SPS, Chandler Bolt, is a 6-time bestselling author who wants to help writers realize their dream of publishing their first book. SPS is not just a self-publishing company, however.
At Self-Publishing School, you can receive the education and services you need to launch your book in as little as 90 days. Yes, you read that right! Self-Publishing School has succeed many ways, some of which are:
- 7,000 books get published
- 150 million copies printed
- 250,000 community members
- 91+ countries published in
- 4 programs for authors
If you want to join a fast-growing, highly-effective company and publish your book, Self-Publishing School is for you.
PublishDrive
PublishDrive is a newer company, created by Kinga Jentetics. Jentetics is rated as one of the top female entrepreneurs under 30 and top 100 female founders by Forbes.
Apple-approved and also a partner with Google, PublishDrive provides two payment options. First, they can charge you based on a monthly subscription rate. However, you keep all the income you make from sales. Second, if you would rather not subscribe, you don’t have to. They will simply take 10% of your sales.
Take Your Next Step Today
While publishing a book may feel like a lofty goal, it is very possible to publish a book and become an author. Today more than ever before, publishing is open to pretty much anyone. You do not need to be well-known to write your book.
All you need is the drive to write your dream into book form and the proper guidance to help you put it out into the world. There are many companies who can help you with the finer details of publishing, the writing process, and of course, marketing.
The only obstacle standing between you and starting your writing career is the decision to take that first step. We hope to see you join the ranks of published authors one day soon!
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