Re: Questions about ISBN #s, book cover, public library and more
About ISBN #s:
Is an ISBN # required for a book, overall? I've googled this and found a "no" answer but I want to make sure I understand this correctly.
Do you have to buy separate ISBN #s, such as one ISBN per book?
If you only intend to sell the book on Lulu.com or via your own website you don't need an ISBN
If you want to distribute it through Amazon, iTunes, Barnes & Noble etc then you will need a seperate ISBN for each version of your book (hardback, paperback, ebook etc) which Lulu will allocate to your project at no cost if you opt for their free ExtendedReach distribution package.
Only certain formats are eligible for distribution. You'll find details here: http://www.lulu.com/services/distribution
You can purchase your own ISBN, or buy one from Lulu, but then you'll have to pay for GlobalReach as your projects won't be eligible for ExtendedReach.
A Kindle version does not require an ISBN as it's only distributed by Amazon and they have their own identification system known as an ASIN which is allocated when you publish on the Kindle platform
If you intend to sell your book through more than one POD publisher (ie Smashwords, Createspace etc) you won't be able to use a free Lulu ISBN for these projects and they'll need to be substantially different to avoid confusing the ISBN databases.
Book covers:
I'm working on a new project and I want a total new look for this upcoming book. Are there any websites that may be able to help me create a very unique book cover and if so, how would I go about adding it when I create my book cover here on lulu? I'm using A5 by the way.
If you want a truly unique cover you'll need to either pay someone to create it for you, or make it yourself. There are plenty of software packages that will help you to do this, but you'll also need some creative inspiration.
Be very careful when sourcing images for your cover art to avoid violating copyright and make sure you check the T&C's before using photos from stock photography websites to make sure you have the relevant consent.
Library:
Are there specific requirements to have my book put in my local public library? Should I ask the librarian about this or does anyone here have any advice?
You can ask your local library to stock the book. I have approached the buyer for my local library service and they have agreed to buy it in. I asked the librarian who was responsible for purchasing and then popped in to see her.
More questions:
How would I go about getting permission from popular authors and other if I want to refer to and / or quote something I've read, saw, or heard in a movie, book and video game? I assume it may be a difficult process. Any suggestions?
Copyright laws differ from country to country and what might be OK in one jurisdiction might expose you to liability in another.
For example, US law incorporates a 'Fair Use Doctrine' which would probably cover you if you quoted a line from a song lyric or a quote from a movie. UK law contains no such provision (outside of purely educational usage).
Because you'll be selling your work online you have to take account of the applicable laws in each country that Lulu/Amazon ships to, so it would be safe practice to seek consent from the copyright holder for each quote that you wish to use in your book.
Don't assume that permission will be granted and if you don't get a response, don't take it as tacit consent that it's OK to go ahead. If you don't have written consent, don't use the quote.
