01
What the publisher's production team handles
For rights and metadata in independent and small presses, the publisher handles and funds this stage after acquisition. The map describes this stage as: ISBN, copyright, and the metadata that decides whether readers find you. The production steps below belong to the publisher's production team, not the author.[20][45][49][52]
- Find the official ISBN agency for where you operate as the publisher, then check its eligibility, price, and single-versus-block rules.
- Decide which editions and product forms need their own ISBN, and whether a platform-specific number fits your distribution plan.
- Prepare the book metadata, then decide whether copyright registration adds protection in your jurisdiction.
02
The route changes the handoff
Overall production is run by the publisher. At the rights and metadata stage, the publisher handles and pays for the work after acquisition. Rights and economics for this route: the publisher holds rights, often fewer than a Big Five deal.
- Finish and critique the manuscript before submitting.
- Shortlist presses that already publish your genre, region, or subject.
- Follow each press's submission window and guidelines exactly.
03
Sources behind this answer
Publishing Map uses the same canonical data and numbered sources for this answer and the full reference.[20][45][49][52]
- Bowker MyIdentifiers: Buy ISBNs
- International ISBN Agency: Find an ISBN agency
- International ISBN Agency: How to get an ISBN
- International ISBN Agency: Scope and assignment of ISBN
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