A successful freelance creative director, Sofia provides insights for designers, writers, and artists. She covers topics like pricing creative work, protecting intellectual property, and building a powerful personal brand.
The common view of choosing an ISBN as a simple "$125 vs. Free" decision is a strategic error for serious authors. The core advice is to purchase your own ISBNs from an official agency like Bowker, which establishes you as the legitimate "Publisher of Record" for your work. This foundational investment provides the key outcome of complete asset control, brand ownership, and operational independence, ensuring you can build a scalable publishing business without being locked into a single platform's ecosystem.
For author-entrepreneurs, the Library of Congress Control Number (LCCN) is often a misunderstood administrative task. This article advises that securing a free LCCN for your print book is a strategic move to establish institutional credibility, distinguishing it from the commercially-focused ISBN. By doing so, you transform your manuscript into a durable professional asset, signaling legitimacy and making your work discoverable and acquirable by libraries and academic institutions.
Many authors mistakenly rely on weak, automatic copyright, leaving their book a vulnerable creative project rather than a secure business asset. The core advice is to formally register your copyright with the U.S. Copyright Office, a low-cost action that transforms ambiguous ownership into legally enforceable power. This registration provides the necessary foundation to defend your work globally, deter infringement with significant financial penalties, and unlock revenue streams by licensing derivative works like audiobooks and film adaptations.
