Can I Still Get a Free ISBN for My Low-Content Book on Amazon?

**Updated to add** It is official. Amazon has discontinued the use of free ISBNs for low-content books. You can read about it from Amazon here: Low-Content Books (amazon.com) Scroll to the bottom to see the official email KDP Support sent to me on May 11th confirming this**

The blog post below was written before this news became official:

If you are part of any low-content KDP Facebooks groups, you probably have seen the posts flying around asking if it is true that KDP is discontinuing the capability to acquire a free ISBN number through their platform if you publish low-content or no-content books.

Though nothing formal (as of today, May 6th 2022) has come out about this on Amazon, it appears some low-content publishers have received emails from KDP support stating that as of May 17, 2022, low-content and no-content books are no longer eligible for free Amazon issued ISBNs.

Though I have not received any correspondence from KDP about this, here is an email that was sent to a member in one of the groups I belong to:

Hello,

Starting 5/17, authors publishing low-content books can publish on KDP without an ISBN. You will identify your low-content books by checking a box within the Categories section on your book’s title setup.

You can publish without an ISBN or you can submit your own ISBN purchased from Bowker or through your local ISBN agency. Free KDP ISBNs will no longer be provided for low-content books. After you submit a low-content book for publication, we will confirm it was set up properly including Categories and ISBN options.

You will receive an email if changes are needed prior to publishing. Low Content books that are already published and have a free KDP ISBN can continue using that ISBN, even if you later make changes to your book.

Regards,

The Kindle Direct Publishing Team

**credit to Facebook user Marina Matic**

At first, many people thought that this was not a legitimate thing, but after more than a handful of folks reported getting the same email, it has become increasingly obvious that this may become a reality for those of us who use KDP to create notebooks and planners to sell as Amazon paperback books.

I guess we won’t know until Amazon releases it as public information, but I am hopeful that this move will not be a negative one for low-content publishers.

Over the years, Amazon has become stricter with low-content books, and some even say that LCBs don’t show up in Amazon search results as much as in years past. They have made changes in the recent past that have directly prevented us from doing certain things that other paperback publishers can do, like putting our books into a series. I was pretty bummed about this change because I had a whole business plan lined up that included using series to market my themed journals.

But, they are Amazon, and they are allowing us to use their platform, so I am still grateful to be able to create print on demand books and self publish. It has, however, become increasingly clear that Amazon is laying down the hammer when it comes to the publishing rights of no and low-content books.

While I don’t know exactly what this means for the success of our businesses moving forward, I do know that no matter what happens, we will adjust and adapt, and because we are entrepreneurs, we will find ways to work around whatever restrictions are placed on to keep our publishing businesses successful.

I do hope, in the future, that Amazon will embrace us, and work with us to help us create better quality low-content books, such as provide us with the ability to create spiral bound journals and planners with higher quality paper. Maybe creating a whole category just for self-published, print on demand stationary, journals, notebooks, planners, activity books, and printables would help us so much, and that, in turn, would ultimately help Amazon to make more money. Right?

Amazon, do you hear us? Help us to help you. “-)

Tell me what you think below!

*Updated to add* On May 11th, I received the following email from KDP support:

Hello,

We are sending this email since you’ve published a low-content book within the last three months. Starting May 17, you’ll be able to publish low-content books on KDP without an ISBN.

A low-content book has minimal or no content on the interior pages. These pages are generally repetitive and designed to be filled in by the user. Common examples include notebooks, planners, journals, and other similar works. This does not typically include activity/puzzle books or coloring books, which generally do not feature repetitive content on each page.

Starting May 17, you will check a box during title set up to identify your book as low-content. You will then have the choice to publish without an ISBN or to submit your own ISBN. Free KDP ISBNs will no longer be provided for low-content books. If your low-content books are already published and have a free KDP ISBN you can continue using that ISBN, even if you make changes to your book.

Learn more about low-content books on our new Help page: https://kdp.amazon.com/help/topic/GGE5T76TWKA85DJM

Regards,
The Kindle Direct Publishing Team