In my last blog (Can You Make a Living Writing?), I mentioned ISBN numbers. (ISBN=a code that identifies your book.) You need a separate ISBN number for each type of publication: hardcover, paperback, e-book, etc.) Besides an ISBN number, you also need BISAC.

What is BISAC? It’s a list of codes that best identify the type of book you’ve written. For example: Is your book fiction or non-fiction? A romance or a mystery? A mystery with a romance or a romance with a mystery? You’ll see the categories in the front matter of  a printed book. If you are traditionally published, the editor may chose the best categories or ask you to list the categories that best fit the book. Self-published writers make those decisions. With Amazon’s KDP the prompts are provided when setting up the book to be published.

Generally 3 categories can be chosen.  Amazon has a general list, but you can find more specific categories if you look at the BISAC list Fiction List  One example is: FIC022120     FICTION / Mystery & Detective / Cozy / Crafts  another might be: FIC027570     FICTION / Romance / Enemies to Lovers

There’s no fee to browse and use the codes. One good reason to do so is you can use the categories that best fit your book when you query agents. That helps them pitch your book to an editor. Also, if an agent or editor asks you to identify books similar to yours. you can search for books that fit the same BISAC categories

I’ve been using the codes for years, but I never knew they were called BISAC. Now I know the right term to use.

By the way, I’m not getting much done this summer, but summers have always been my slow writing times. It’s too nice outside to spend my day in front of a computer. Do you have the same problem or are you more disciplined than I am?