BarbaraHudson's Journal: Publishing idea for slashdotters

Part of the problem with sites like Google Books is that there's no "it's free, unless you want to pay for it" option.

And putting two copies of the same book, one free and one with a price, will look like you're spamming the store.

However, after a bit of investigation, IF the publications have different ISBN numbers, and you add some extra content (I'm thinking cover art, photos, diagrams, etc., that don't result in the free edition being the book version of "crippleware"), it should meet Google's guidelines, because each ISBN number is treated as a separate entity, as opposed to books that don't have an ISBN.

Thoughts?

McGrew

[gmhowell]

Talk to McGrew. He might be interested in thoughts on this.

Re:

[BarbaraHudson]

I'm sure he'll see it. Funny thing is, it took me less time to figure out how to get a block of ISBN numbers here in Kanuckistan - and it's free here - as opposed to navigating the various for-pay entities all asking for attention (I'm looking at you Bowker and isbn.org).

Since ISBNs are International Standard Book Numbers, this opens up possibilities for cross-border publishing, especially using eBook formats.

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[maynard]

Where'd you get free isbns? Smashwords?

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[BarbaraHudson]

No way - up here in Kanuckistan, books, ebooks, etc., are considered a cultural industry. Canadian book publishers get them for free [wikipedia.org]

Some ISBN registration agencies are based in national libraries or within ministries of culture and thus may receive direct funding from government to support their services. In other cases, the ISBN registration service is provided by organisations such as bibliographic data providers that are not government funded. In Canada, ISBNs are issued at no cost with the stated purpose of encouraging Canadian culture. In the United Kingdom, United States, and some other countries, where the service is provided by non-government-funded organisations, the issuing of ISBNs requires payment of a fee.

Canada: Library and Archives Canada, a government agency, is responsible for issuing ISBNs, and there is no cost. Works in French are issued an ISBN by the Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec.

This page from Library and Archives Canada [collectionscanada.gc.ca] explains about the Canadian ISBN Service System. It takes about 10 days for them to update the system when a new publisher is added.

Only in Canada, but the ISBNs issued are valid 'round the world.

Compare that to the US:

United States: In the United States, the privately held company R.R. Bowker issues ISBNs. There is a charge that varies depending upon the number of ISBNs purchased, with prices starting at $125.00 for a single number.

So what you'll have is intermediaries purchasing blocks of ISBNs in the US, and then bundling them with other

Re:

[mcgrew]

I should move to Canada! Bowker doesn't need a gun to rob you, a single ISBN is $125, 10 are $250. IIRC if you buy a thousand they're a buck apiece. It's a racket. I wonder if a US citizen living in the US can register an ISBN in Canada? Hmm, I'll have to look into that although I'm holding eight unused ISBNs.

You are correct about me, I friend my fans and read all the journals. That's about all I do at /. any more, post and read journals. I've found Soylent News to be a better slashdot than slashdot, the no

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[BarbaraHudson]

Sorry, you need a Canadian address to get ISBNs from them. A verifiable Canadian address, not a PO Box.

The "a buck a piece" is the reason why sites like smashwords can offer them and make money. They don't care if the individual author makes anything - they're working on bulk.

Fortunately, Canadian publishers can publish whatever material they want - it's not relegated to Canadian content only. Anthologies spring to mind.

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[mcgrew]

It appears to be completely different up there. Do Canadians have to pay to register a copyright? It seems that down here we have to pay for everything.

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[BarbaraHudson]

Copyright registration is more expensive ($50 per work instead of $35, or $65 if you go to their office instead of paying online). However, most countries are party to the Berne Convention, so all that registration does is give you the right to ask for statutory damages at trial, rather than actual damages. And the way the courts have been ruling, you will never get the maximum statutory damages anyway, so ...

Still, copyright registration is one of those "Nice to haves." Still works out cheaper for ISBN

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[BarbaraHudson]

I was surprised that under US copyright law, the publication of an anthology is more expensive ($55) than a single work ($35). Also, it turns out there are a whole bunch of other restrictions, such as a single work can't be a collaboration, so two people working on a story have to pay more. I think I'll stick with up here - it's a lot simpler, even if, at $50 a pop, it's marginally more expensive (then again, if you take into account the current exchange rate, it's only $45 US, which the free ISBNs more t