tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4813061146389790146.post1798306909726431311..comments2023-03-30T07:16:44.476-04:00Comments on Trac Changes: On Coverflipping, Misogyny, and, Oh Yeah—How You and I Are Part of the ProblemRachel Starkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12888199803208394249noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4813061146389790146.post-91474965671631412542017-01-09T13:23:30.321-05:002017-01-09T13:23:30.321-05:00When you say what should be obvious, "it'... When you say what should be obvious, "it's for every author to get the cover that best represents their book, its subject matter, and the interests of people who will most likely enjoy it," it occurs to me that a whole other category of problem exists here. When the cover doesn't accurately reflect the content, and the people who would most enjoy it aren't attracted to it, then the author isn't effectively reaching the intended audience. So on top of being sexist, this is bad marketing.August von Orthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04142524426545032611noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4813061146389790146.post-21012953669508600122013-06-21T08:52:35.628-04:002013-06-21T08:52:35.628-04:00Thank you for this very well written and thought o...Thank you for this very well written and thought out post on the subject. I saw a few of the cover flip pictures and noticed the same things you did (i.e. the male authors were just getting super stereotypical feminine and the female authors just getting super stereotypical masculine, with no consideration of the content of the book, or of the stereotypes themselves which are a large part of the problem.) I really hope that more people read this because it lays it out perfectly. THANK YOU!Amyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18102250492155489672noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4813061146389790146.post-68476296263869385562013-05-23T18:40:48.135-04:002013-05-23T18:40:48.135-04:00I had recently saw some cover flips as well throug...I had recently saw some cover flips as well through twitter and I really wanted to say something about it then too. It's a great concept and all but it took the idea of 'flipping a concern to make people aware of it in a new light' to covering up the issue and having people talk about how fun it is to do the flips instead of the reason why it's being done. <br /><br />Also you started mentioning the gendering of the author causing the audience to be altered. I actually have a great case of this in that an editor I submitted my novel to had for some reason assumed I was male, and saw that I was submitting a book directed toward 'lesbians' and instantly told me it wasn't the market they were looking for concluding with male pronouns and everything directed at me... but if you take two seconds to look me up (which I supplied my site) multiple times my gender is stated as female. But because this person assumed I was male and submitting a 'lesbian' book they thought there would be no market for that. <br /><br />Of course that is with adding sexuality to the gender category there. Random Jordanhttp://www.randomjordan.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4813061146389790146.post-81881353240454221902013-05-23T12:17:46.441-04:002013-05-23T12:17:46.441-04:00Rachel, this is one of the most eloquent posts I&#...Rachel, this is one of the most eloquent posts I've seen on this subject. Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts. You really killed it on this one. Amira Kristinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05916904015389473899noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4813061146389790146.post-74397300230174654682013-05-22T20:23:12.759-04:002013-05-22T20:23:12.759-04:00I've read various articles in the past 6 month...I've read various articles in the past 6 months or so basically touting "Oh noes! With all these strong female characters, there aren't any 'boy books' anymore" and I'm sitting over here thinking, "... why can't they read books with female leads? I read books with male leads all the time, what's the difference?" <br /><br />I definitely agree with teaching boys that there's no shame in femininity, but I also think that strong female characters and feminine characters aren't necessarily mutually exclusive (depends on your definition of "strong", though, and with regards to female characters, a lot of people tend to define it as leather-clad and gun-slinging, ie. like a man, which is not helping). Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4813061146389790146.post-64589250491488812512013-05-22T18:35:16.163-04:002013-05-22T18:35:16.163-04:00"...how about teaching our boys that there..."...how about teaching our boys that there's no shame in female or feminine things?"<br /><br />THANK YOU. This is what I keep saying.<br /><br />Loved this article.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4813061146389790146.post-20031760067248024802013-05-21T19:37:49.404-04:002013-05-21T19:37:49.404-04:00Well put, and highlights many of the issues I had ...Well put, and highlights many of the issues I had with the coverflip thing in the first place. I think the thing that's being left out the most is that the real root of the problem is that the cheesy covers people have problems with are also the covers that seem to sell. Most of the "if it were written by a guy" versions seemed to be turning a book that sold well into a book that would be marketed on the "Well, let's hope it wins an award plan." <br />Adam Selzerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16068653440362135301noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4813061146389790146.post-25177951726777875022013-05-21T13:42:26.677-04:002013-05-21T13:42:26.677-04:00What an excellent example. I think this illustrate...What an excellent example. I think this illustrates more clearly what coverflip was originally really railing against which wasn't so much feminine covers as cheesy unoriginal covers such as the "almost kiss" cover, the "soft focus/faceless girl" cover or the "poofy dress" cover. The worst part about these covers is how weak the representation of the feminine is. The cover model always looks passive and vague (like the second example in your comment) It's possible, and desirable for a cover to be feminine AND strong. Also masculine covers, while sometimes cheesy are rarely weak.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4813061146389790146.post-25931390383351620222013-05-21T13:31:26.541-04:002013-05-21T13:31:26.541-04:00I love that you have pointed out one of the most i...I love that you have pointed out one of the most infuriating fallacies of the current push to gender equality--the assumption that the feminine is inferior. Female characters must be strong; we need to eschew all things pink and lacy or we are traitors to our gender for complying with stereotypes. And yet we still are critiqued--if a woman is demanding and forceful, she's a "witch" or perhaps "hormonal." If she is emotional or gentle, she's "weak" or "hormonal." Mariahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09187291116533476274noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4813061146389790146.post-50879184982082694242013-05-21T13:28:12.535-04:002013-05-21T13:28:12.535-04:00Great piece. Did you see Kyle Lukoff's article...Great piece. Did you see Kyle Lukoff's article in the April issue of VOYA, "Taking Gender Out of Reader's Advisory"? Similar themes (pages 32-33, or put Lukoff in the search box): http://edition.pagesuite-professional.co.uk/launch.aspx?pbid=ec089b39-ceea-45d5-845d-c16b50f72843Sara Ryanhttp://www.sararyan.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4813061146389790146.post-84556283026368553272013-05-21T11:36:54.767-04:002013-05-21T11:36:54.767-04:00Here is perhaps the most striking example I have r...Here is perhaps the most striking example I have run across yet--two biographies of the 19th-century feminist Margaret Fuller, both published within the last 3 years. The cover of the book written by the man looks serious and academic. The cover of the book written by the woman looks like chick lit. Now, there's nothing wrong with a good chick lit read, as I think you're pointing out. But which of these two covers more accurately reflects the content of these books, and which is a less gendered reflection of the author?<br />http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11419275-the-lives-of-margaret-fuller<br />http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13202058-margaret-fuller<br />And then, the really big questions: Which one will sell better? And which one will readers find more to their liking once they purchase it?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12799829349939329792noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4813061146389790146.post-34170488133705329262013-05-21T10:56:27.170-04:002013-05-21T10:56:27.170-04:00*stand and clap*
Hell yes! To all of the things.*stand and clap*<br /><br />Hell yes! To all of the things.Jillian L. Schweitzerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02118950528808115482noreply@blogger.com