A WORDSLINGER 10-SHOT

Do indie authors really need to buy their own ISBNs? For most self-published authors, the answer is probably no.

In this episode, J. Kevin Tumlinson breaks down the real differences between purchasing your own ISBN and using a free ISBN from services such as Draft2Digital or Amazon. We’ll look at what “publisher of record” actually means, whether an ISBN affects copyright or ownership, how ISBNs work across paperback, hardcover, ebook, and audiobook editions, and when paying for your own ISBN might actually make sense.

If you’re building an indie publishing career, trying to control costs, or wondering whether owning your ISBN gives you some hidden advantage, this episode will help you make a smarter decision.

00:00 Should indie authors buy their own ISBNs?
01:02 What “publisher of record” actually means
01:52 ISBNs, Bowker, and the cost of buying your own
02:48 Why every format needs its own ISBN
03:56 Moving your ISBN between distributors
05:19 ISBNs, bookstores, libraries, and wide distribution
06:30 Using free ISBNs with Draft2Digital
07:15 Metadata and long-term catalog control
08:13 The cost of owning your ISBNs
09:03 Do you even need an ISBN?
09:47 What an ISBN actually does
10:22 What happens if you switch ISBNs later
11:20 Why Kevin recommends free ISBNs for most authors
12:06 A warning about platform-specific free ISBNs
13:04 Kevin’s recommendation for indie authors
14:49 Final thoughts and questions about ISBNs

Visit the Knovelton Bookshop at knoveltonbooks.com

GET 15% OFF YOUR ENTIRE ORDER AT CHECKOUT WITH CODE STORYCUTS

If you’re a writer trying to build a career, publish smarter, improve your craft, and navigate the business of being an author, subscribe to the Wordslinger channel. This is where writers come for practical, experience-driven guidance on writing, publishing, marketing, and building a sustainable creative career.

FIND KEVIN:

Find Kevin and his books:
https://kevintumlinson.com

Join Kevin on Substack:
https://kevintumlinson.substack.com

Wordslinger Podcast home page:
https://wordslingerpodcast.com

SERVICES FOR AUTHORS:

Polish your writing and make it ready for publishing with ProWritingAid:
https://tidd.ly/3NCdlk5

Publish your book to every major retailer online, get your book into print and ebook, and get support the whole way at Draft2Digital:
https://draft2digital.com/wordslinger

Find a virtual assistant to help you market your books (and more!) at AuthorAnchor:
https://authoranchor.com

Subscribe, leave a comment with your own experience using free or paid ISBNs, and share this episode with another writer who may be spending money they don’t need to spend.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A WORDSLINGER 10-SHOT

What’s the best way for an indie author to distribute their books?

In this Wordslinger 10-Shot, I break down the book distribution strategy I actually use—including why I go direct to Amazon and Kobo, use Draft2Digital to reach Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, libraries, and thousands of other outlets, and maintain my own direct storefront.

We’ll also talk about KDP Select and Kindle Unlimited, the tradeoffs of Amazon exclusivity, the advantages of going wide, why I prefer having access to readers across multiple platforms, and how indie authors can build a simple distribution system without making things unnecessarily complicated.

There are plenty of ways to distribute a book. This isn’t the only way. It’s the system that works for me after years of publishing books and working professionally in the indie publishing industry.

If you’re an author trying to decide between Amazon exclusivity, wide distribution, Draft2Digital, Kobo, direct sales, or some combination of all of them, this episode should help you think through your options.

00:00 How I distribute my books
00:59 Why indie authors need a distribution strategy
01:57 Using Draft2Digital to go wide
03:01 Why I use D2D for some retailers but not others
03:49 Why I distribute directly to Kobo
04:58 Libraries, OverDrive, and wider distribution
06:03 KDP vs. KDP Select
06:44 Kindle Unlimited and Amazon exclusivity
07:40 The upside and downside of Kindle Unlimited
09:33 Other distribution options and Draft2Digital fees
10:59 My complete book distribution setup
11:59 Selling books directly through your own storefront

Visit the Knovelton Bookshop at knoveltonbooks.com

GET 15% OFF YOUR ENTIRE ORDER AT CHECKOUT WITH CODE STORYCUTS

If you’re a writer looking for practical, experience-based guidance on writing, publishing, marketing, building an author career, and navigating the creative life, subscribe to the Wordslinger channel. This is where writers come to get useful advice for every stage of the writing and publishing journey.

Subscribe and join the conversation:
https://youtube.com/@wordslingershow

FIND KEVIN:

Find Kevin and his books:
https://kevintumlinson.com

Join Kevin on Substack:
https://kevintumlinson.substack.com

Wordslinger Podcast home page:
https://wordslingerpodcast.com

SERVICES FOR AUTHORS:

Polish your writing and make it ready for publishing with ProWriting Aid:
https://tidd.ly/3NCdlk5

Publish your book to every major retailer online, get your book into print and ebook, and get support the whole way at Draft2Digital:
https://draft2digital.com/wordslinger

Find a virtual assistant to help you market your books (and more!) at AuthorAnchor:
https://authoranchor.com

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A WORDSLINGER 10-SHOT

Is AI really the reason your books aren’t selling?

Writers have plenty of legitimate reasons to be concerned about artificial intelligence, AI-generated books, changing algorithms, publishing platforms, and an increasingly crowded marketplace. But blaming AI for a struggling writing career won’t help you build a better one.

In this Wordslinger 10-Shot, J. Kevin Tumlinson talks about why writers should stop thinking in terms of competition and start building something far more valuable: a direct relationship with their readers.

Instead of depending entirely on Amazon, advertising platforms, algorithms, or whatever marketing tactic happens to be working this month, writers can build their own ecosystem through mailing lists, direct sales, strong reader relationships, and a platform they control.

AI may be an obstacle. But the obstacle can become the way forward.

If you’re an author, indie publisher, creator, or creative entrepreneur trying to build a sustainable career around your work, this episode is about focusing your energy on the things you can actually control.

00:00 Welcome to the Wordslinger 10-Shot
00:41 Is AI responsible for writers struggling?
01:29 Writers aren’t really competing with each other
02:31 Marketing is much bigger than advertising
03:22 Why marketing strategies stop working
03:51 Stop blaming AI for your lack of success
04:35 Quality, craft, and finding the marketing that fits you
05:43 Build your own reader ecosystem
06:44 Protect yourself from platform dependence
07:27 Build your mailing list and direct reader relationships
08:07 The obstacle is the way: turning AI into an advantage
09:16 Final thoughts and the challenge for writers

Join Kevin’s mailing list and get a free book:
https://kevintumlinson.com/joinme

Visit the Knovelton Bookshop at knoveltonbooks.com

GET 15% OFF YOUR ENTIRE ORDER AT CHECKOUT WITH CODE STORYCUTS

If you’re serious about writing better books, finding readers, navigating publishing, and building a sustainable creative career, subscribe to Wordslinger. This channel is dedicated to practical, experience-driven guidance for writers at every stage of the writing and publishing journey.

Subscribe, leave a comment, and tell me: Has AI changed the way you approach your writing or publishing career? And what are you doing to build a relationship with readers that you control?

FIND KEVIN:

Find Kevin and his books:
https://kevintumlinson.com

Join Kevin on Substack:
https://kevintumlinson.substack.com

Wordslinger Podcast home page:
https://wordslingerpodcast.com

SERVICES FOR AUTHORS:

Polish your writing and make it ready for publishing with ProWritingAid:
https://tidd.ly/3NCdlk5

Publish your book to every major retailer online, get your book into print and ebook, and get support the whole way at Draft2Digital:
https://draft2digital.com/wordslinger

Find a virtual assistant to help you market your books and more at AuthorAnchor:
https://authoranchor.com

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.