Where I stare at my e-mail willing my Malaysian ISBN approval to appear
NOVEMBER 4 — I thought self-publishing a book would just be about writing a book, uploading it to the internet and...
On November 4, the columnist expressed their frustration with the process of obtaining an ISBN number for their self-published book. They found the initial steps of writing and formatting the book to be straightforward, but obtaining the ISBN turned out to be a more challenging endeavor. The National Library Depository website, where the ISBN can be applied for, often experiences technical difficulties, making it difficult for applicants to register properly.
However, after the columnist sent an inquiry using their work email, the system suddenly became functional.
To complete the application, the columnist had to upload various PDFs, including the title page, copyright page, table of contents, and cover. The columnist described the experience as a combination of gratitude, stubbornness, and late-night formatting. After a week passed, they received an email requesting amendments to the copyright page, which was supposed to include their full name, city, and postcode. Once the necessary changes were made and the page was uploaded, the columnist was left waiting for the ISBN approval.
The columnist explained that while an ISBN is not legally required, it is necessary if they wish to have their book included in the national library, a childhood dream of theirs. They also mentioned that a self-published author shared her experience of having a lengthy wait time for an ISBN, which delayed the publication of her latest book. This columnist's friend, who occasionally dealt with the depository, mentioned that the staff rarely answered calls or emails, often requiring in-person visits to resolve issues.
The columnist expressed their support from friends, including former classmates, and shared that for those outside Malaysia, Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing offers a simple solution for obtaining paperbacks without incurring high shipping costs. The columnist also briefly touched on the topic of formatting and desktop publishing, acknowledging the steep learning curve they faced while trying to learn a new skill overnight.
Ultimately, the columnist's motivation for writing the book was not financial gain, but rather a form of kindness and repayment of small acts of generosity. They referenced the Chinese saying 滴水之恩，涌泉相报, which means that even the smallest kindness should be repaid with the fullest extent of one's capabilities. The columnist hoped that their book would provide value to those who could benefit from it the most.
They promised to update their readers the following week on the progress of obtaining their ISBN and the challenges faced in the printing process.
Written by urgent.news from Malay Mail's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
