Words are always the most important part of the process (unless you’re creating a picture book), but I believe we are becoming more and more graphic as the years go by. We’re overrun by TV and Movies. Our eyes are used to a splendour of colour and magic.
We may say we shouldn’t judge a book by it’s cover, but we do. Not only that, we judge all the visuals it offers:
- Its website
- Its adverts/promotions
- Its book trailer
- Its general style
- Its font
- Its everything
Visuals are important, and a recent fad has had me excited around the launch of Beyond Parallel. I’m usually reluctant about jumping on bandwagons as they’re usually disappointing and short lived. MEMEs, however, are an interesting prospect.
Use MEMEs For Your Book
My plan was simple: create a dozen MEMEs that I would share in the first six weeks of launch. I don’t expect them to be shared by thousands of people and result in hundreds of books sales, but I do hope they add a new dimension to Beyond Parallel.
Creating Your MEME is rather simple. It takes three simple steps:
1: Choose Your Content
In general a MEME needs two things: words and an image.
I wanted all of my MEMEs to have a quote from Beyond Parallel (or some appropriate words) and a simple image that would relate.
The main aim is to stand out and create an image that will capture people’s attention. Therefore simple is usually best. Don’t try to do too much. Here are a selection of mine:
As you can see they all follow a similar theme. The font is the same, the colours are similar, the location of certain parts follow one another. Continuity is key, so if you plan on creating a selection of MEMEs, try and link them together. This will help people recognise your work in future.
2: Use The Right Software
If you have access to Photoshop or a similar type of software, I urge you to create your own. It offers more freedom and you can create a MEME that works for YOU.
However, if you’re a design novice and uncomfortable at the thought, don’t worry. There are several great MEME creation websites including:
Just remember that MEMEs are simple. Don’t try to do too much and overcomplicate the process. The whole point of a MEME is to capture attention in an instant.
3: Share It With The World
If a MEME is created but not seen, does it exist?
Hmmmm, probably not. You have to share it with the world and encourage people to spread the love. Here are a few things I’ve done:
- Share via Social Media (Facebook, Pinterest, etc)
- Upload to your website and make it easy to share/download
- Submit to MEME directories
- Add them to any community or forum you’re part of.
It can take a little time for a MEME to catch so be persistent and keep trying. Like I say, I’m not expecting instant results, but I hope they will float around cyberspace for a while. As I gather new readers they will see these, which hopefully will entice them further into my world.
Visuals Can Help
Visuals help your book gather attention. It’s all about immersing people and building intrigue. A MEME can do this, and although you’re not guaranteed a hit, you may create an image that gathers some momentum
I plan on using MEMEs in the future. I want my readers to create their own with quotes from Beyond Parallel. To achieve this I need to set the standard and get people excited.
To help inspire you, here are some of my favourite MEMEs:
Do you use MEMEs in your book marketing?
Do you love or loathe them?
Share your thoughts in the comments below…
Turndog Millionaire – @turndog_million
