A question about ISBN

[missluckypenny]

I won a poetry contest recently and one of the prizes is chapbook publication. Getting an ISBN is optional and would be at my own expense (as is getting it copyrighted which I plan on doing), but I'm wondering if I should buy one for $50. I know what an ISBN is, of course, but I was hoping to hear why I would or would not need one...the pros and cons if you will.

Thanks in advance for your time. If you need further details in order to answer this question more effectively, let me know.

Poppy~MissLuckyPenny

[Jingle Bell]

Congratulations on winning the poetry contest! If you hope to sell the book in bookstores, most dealers will not accept the book without an ISBN. It helps them to avoid errors in identifying the products that were ordered, invoiced, shipped, and received.

On the other hand, if you are planning to sell individual copies of the book, yourself, or to give away the book to friends and family, there is no need for an ISBN.

Jingle Bell
www.bellmusicproductions.com (http://www.bellmusicproductions.com)

[missluckypenny]

Thanks for your help, Jingle Bell.:) That's exactly what I needed to know in order to make my decision.

:rollin