Marketing Memes by Crystal L Barnes

I don't know about you, but I love reading and creating memes. They're perfect for placing on social media posts, which are going more and more image heavy. Today author Crystal Barnes shares some of her memes and provides tips to help you create your own. -- Sandy

Crystal: Howdy y’all! Crystal Barnes here, and I’m so happy to be a guest today on Seriously Write. Unfortunately, we all know writing is more than just writing. It’s also rewriting and editing, marketing and advertising, … We could be here all day listing other things that go into being an author.

Let’s just limit ourselves to memes for the moment. Okay, raise your hand—have you ever heard of a meme before? No? Here’s an example:

How ’bout now? Most folks have seen memes; they just don’t know that’s what they’re called. I didn’t the first time I heard the term. I didn’t even pronounce it right, but then again, I’m a Texan and can butcher words with the best of ’em. J

Vocabulary notwithstanding, I now make my own memes. I figured I’d share with y’all a few key things to remember when designing your memes:

1. Make it easy to read

• Don’t use fonts or colors that will clash or make the words hard to read.
• Don’t try to overload it with too long a script or too many images.

2. Use a cliffhanger or a hook from your story. Humor is good to use too.

• Remember the goal is to get them to go pick up your book. J 

3. Be sure to include the title of your book, your name, and where they can buy it.

• Don’t make ’em work to find the info to go purchase your novel. You’ve hooked them, now reel ’em in. J  

4. Use a picture that reflects what you write or what the story is about.

• This may or may not include the cover. You can have a good meme without the book cover on it, but it sure does help. J 

5. Study what works for others.

• Here is an example provided by my buddy Janice Thompson.

I hope the list and examples provided here today help you with your next meme or your first. One last thing I figured I’d toss your way is a few sites where you can design your memes online: canva.com, picmonkey.com, and imgflip.

Do y’all have any other items you’d like to add or a website you like to use for your memes? Have you tackled making your own memes before?

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An award-winning author, Crystal L Barnes also happens to be a born-n-raised Texan and a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW). She has a degree in Computing Science because she loves putting things into their proper place, and she enjoys writing because she gets to share her love of old-fashioned things and the Lord.

Want to stay connected? Find Crystal at her website, on her blog, the Stitches Thru Time group blog, her Amazon Author page, Goodreads, Pinterest, Google+, or on her Facebook author page.

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