Writing Your Proposal — Categories

Choose 3 BISAC codes for your book

You’ve already suggested categories (the area of the bookshop where you might find your book) when you filled in the Market Position field.

Now please do the same in the Categories field, selecting 3 categories for your book using BISAC ( (Book Industry Standards Advisory Committee) codes.

These are the industry standard codes used by booksellers everywhere to understand where your book fits in in their bookshops.

If you are offered a contract and accept, note that the categories are locked when your book goes into production, and then you can no longer change them – so choose wisely.

Categories for The Anti-consumerist Druid

Choose your Top Category carefully

Your Top Category is the first one in the list of three categories, and the most important. If you had to choose one category, this should be it!

Many trade accounts will not consider books that are in a 'general' category, so be specific, drill down and choose the most narrow, relevant-to-your-book category you can find.

Choose two additional categories

The second and third categories are for additional areas your book covers. Again, be as specific and accurate as you can.

How to add a category

Choosing the top category for Crystal Prescriptions (see below).

• Go to the Categories box on your Book Details page.
• First, add your Top Category
• Click on the blue +add category.
• Tick on the + to show sub-category.
• Click on the deepest, most relevant sub-category.
• Choose two more.
• You can change the order by clicking up and down.
• You cannot "mix and match" main categories and sub-categories - this is a standard listing that the trade uses.

What are BISAC codes and why are they important?

BISAC codes are 9-character alphanumeric codes that tell book retailers, distributors, and librarians what categories and subcategories a book belongs in.

BISAC codes are sent to retailers as part of your book’s metadata. They tell retailers what your book’s subject, reading level, and genre are.

BISAC codes are maintained by the Book Industry Study Group

If you don’t classify your book correctly, your potential buyers won’t find it

Correctly categorizing your book means your book will appear in relevant searches on Amazon and other online databases. The secondary codes come into their own online – they mean your book can be merchandised in all the different areas of an online store, or marketed to customers with all these specific interests.

Case Study: Crystal Prescriptions

Crystals is the main theme of the book, so for the Top Category, we chose:

• BODY, MIND & SPIRIT (General)(OCC004000) -> Crystals(OCC004000)

Space clearing, Feng Shui and Psychic Protection are well grouped under Energy work , so we also chose:

• BODY, MIND & SPIRIT (General)(OCC011010) -> Healing (General)(OCC011010) -> Energy (Qigong, Reiki, Polarity)(OCC011010)

The book is a self help tool, so we also chose:

• BODY, MIND & SPIRIT (General)(OCC019000) -> Inspiration & Personal Growth(OCC019000)

Share this page: