Book Editions

A publisher can create another edition of a book when there are significant differences from the original version. 

Certain changes made to the book, may warrant a new edition which should be set up as a separate book under a different ISBN than the original. Examples of changes include:

• Noticeable changes to the cover image
• Changing the trim size
• Adding an Introduction
• Adding back matter
• Important updates to content
• 20% or more changes to the content

Different formats (e.g. ebook, paperback, hardcover, mass-market) and reprints of the same content are not considered different editions. 

What’s the difference between book editions? 

The short answer is that there is something different than the original version of the book. Examples of different editions include

-- 2nd Edition - includes some additional content that the original did not

-- Revised Edition - content was significantly revised in some way

-- Teacher Edition - additional content is included for teachers

-- Student Edition - additional content is included for student readers 

-- Library Edition - typically have a sturdier hardcover binding

-- Anniversay Edition - celebrates the anniversary of original publication and typically has a new foreward or introduction, new cover image, etc. 

-- Large Print Edition - Font size is larger than the origianl version. You can find out more information on Large Print here. 

A new edition of a book will have a new ISBN. Issuing a new ISBN helps buyers distinguish the latest edition from the previous edition and prevents confusion. 

When would I need to issue a new edition to my book? 

Correcting a few typos or art mistakes in a book does not qualify as needing a new edition. In that case, you would update the book files and upload the revised files to replace the previous files.

Best Practices for Listing Edition Information in Your Book’s Metadata

Edition Name

If the edition is not numbered, but rather is different in some other specific way, then the name of a the edition can be provided in the EDITION NAME field. 

For example, if the book is for teachers because it contains answers to quizzes or information not included in the original edition, the publisher would enter "Teachers Edition" in the edition name field. This can be mentioned in the book description as well. 

Edition Number

If the new edition is specifically a numbered edition, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, etc. Then an edition number should be provided in the EDITION NUMBER field. This can also be included in the book description. 

If you’re publishing another edition, it’s also best practice to update the original book’s metadata to illustrate that it is the First Edition.

You can add the Edition information on the Title Set up Page, as seen below.