Okay, I've been seeing more questions pop up about ISBNs. Many people think they must buy one before publishing a book, but that isn't always true. Here's a simple breakdown: 📚 You probably DON'T need to buy an ISBN if: ✅ You're publishing only on Amazon KDP ✅ You are okay with Amazon showing as the publisher ✅ You're testing a book idea before investing more money ✅ You're creating low-content books, journals, or books under a pen name where publisher branding isn't important Amazon will actually give you a FREE ISBN for paperbacks and hardcovers. Now here is when buying your own ISBN may make more sense: 💡 Consider buying your own ISBN if: ✅ You want to publish your book beyond Amazon (Barnes & Noble, bookstores, IngramSpark, libraries, etc.) ✅ You want YOUR name or publishing company listed as the publisher instead of Amazon ✅ You're building a long-term publishing brand ✅ You plan to expand into multiple distribution channels One thing many people don't realize: ❌ One ISBN does NOT cover everything. Each format typically needs its own ISBN: • Paperback = 1 ISBN • Hardcover = 1 ISBN • Ebook = usually not required on KDP For beginners, I usually suggest keeping costs low and using the free KDP ISBN while learning the process. You can always invest more as your publishing business grows. Question for you: Did you buy your own ISBN, or did you use the free KDP option?

One thing I’ve noticed after publishing multiple books 📚 over the years is that sales often start to climb in the fall and winter months… and then soften a bit during spring and summer. And honestly, it makes sense. When the weather gets colder, people spend more time indoors, scroll online more, listen to more audiobooks during commutes, and look for ways to learn, escape, or improve themselves. Meanwhile, spring and summer tend to shift attention toward vacations, outdoor activities, family events, and just being out living life. Even major retailers plan around this behavior. The publishing industry sees strong momentum during: ➡️ Back-to-school season ➡️ Q4 holiday shopping ➡️ New Year “new me” self-improvement season That’s why it’s important not to panic if your sales dip a little during warmer months. A slower season doesn’t automatically mean your book is failing. This is actually a GREAT time to: - Build your catalog - Improve your listings - Gather reviews - Optimize your keywords - Prepare for stronger Q4 traffic later in the year Think of it like planting seeds before the busy shopping season arrives. 🌱 Now I’m curious… Have you personally noticed certain times of year where you buy or read more books? Or do your habits stay the same year-round?

Share whatever you’re working on or proud of right now. This community is full of creators, authors, and entrepreneurs, and sometimes the best thing we can do is help each other get a little more visibility. 💡 IDEAS ON WHAT YOU COULD SHARE: • Yourself and what you do • Your Skool community • A book you're writing or recently published • A project you're building • A shoutout to another member • A video, post, or resource • Affiliate links (yes, those are allowed) The goal is simple: help our members get seen. Just one request so this stays valuable for everyone. 👉 1 RULE: If you share something, please also leave a thoughtful or helpful comment on someone else’s post. Support goes both ways, and when we all participate, the whole community benefits. Now let’s see what everyone is building 👇

Do you have a book you absolutely loved to read? 👇 Drop your favorite read in the comments!

📚 Throwback Question: What Did You Read as a Kid? I was thinking back to my childhood reading habits, and it hit me how different they were compared to what I read now. Back then, I was all about fun, fictional books—anything that kept me entertained and pulled me into a story. One of my favorites was the Goosebumps series. I used to fly through those books as a pre-teen. And then when the Goosebumps show came out, it was such a cool experience seeing those stories come to life. I remember noticing how some parts were different from what I had imagined while reading—which made it even more fun. It really made me realize how powerful storytelling is… especially when it sticks with you years later. Now I’m curious—what about YOU? - What books or series did you love growing up? - Were you into fiction, or something totally different? - Did any of those stories stick with you into adulthood? Drop your favorites below 👇 Let’s take a little trip down memory lane.