Have to agree with you.

Gay people, like the rest of the humans on the planet come in all shapes and sizes. I am a quite slim, while my husband could likely be one of those cover model types. 

My stories aren't all about sex and hot guys, and that's not all I want to read about. 

Sometimes, when browsing Amazon for gay fiction, I feel like a much younger person... what with all of the eye-rolling that I do over the covers. Again and again it's a variation of something that I've already seen ad nauseum. Occasionally you come across the non-cookie cutter layout on the cover and what that gains the author (if the subject matter is appealing to me) is more attention. I have been on the fence about making a purchase from time to time and because the cover was imaginative, bought the kindle version.

Content is a whole other argument, of course, and best deserving of its own space. So I'll leave that alone.

A cover can play a big part at influencing the reader.

Like for me: sometimes I'm looking for something to read but have no idea of what I want precisely so I browse the shelves first looking at the covers, then the titles and if something pick my curiosity I'll turn it over for a look at the summary.

Gay fiction books are (most) totally stereotypes. It's like the cover says nothing about the story except there's gonna be 2 guys in it! Whoohoo big news! And like you said about the Photoshop thing... I think the author is browsing the internet "So in my story we have 2 guys, a bit of this, a bit of that... Let's mix it all on the cover and voilà!"

That's also why I like GA, I'm not influence by a cover when I'm curious about a story.

For the most part I've stopped looking at the coverart. I look for authors I'm familiar with or have heard recommended.

I have just one source of gay fiction these days, and that is GA. As a long-time user of Photoshop (since version 4!) and occasional writer of plugins for it, I am offended by the sloppy, thoughtless, thrown-together artwork that is the norm for gay books, and I stopped browsing Amazon and others long ago. 

I feel very much like I might be preaching to the converted... we'll have to hunting for cover art offenders and re-educate them somehow.

While a cover may draw my attention, it is what is on the inside that matters. Since I'm paying money I expect the story to be pretty much perfect. It is why I only buy books from the higher-end publishers and avoid self-published works. Bought too many shitty ebooks where the authors/editors did a half-ass job. So to me this is irrelevant.

Look at Pintrest. Just type in MM Romance, & its all exactly what you described. If it's a story about Were-kin, add in a few more stereotypical guys, Like big beefy muscle bear, behind the first guy.

EDIT: Dan Skinner's Photography, his pictures are used heavily for a lot of the Gay Covers. You can find some on DeviantArt.

While a cover may draw my attention, it is what is on the inside that matters. Since I'm paying money I expect the story to be pretty much perfect. It is why I only buy books from the higher-end publishers and avoid self-published works. Bought too many shitty ebooks where the authors/editors did a half-ass job. So to me this is irrelevant.

This wasn't the point of the blog. I'm sort of ignoring content here, because that's a much bigger issue and deserving of more space. Of course there are ebooks which have been badly written and poorly edited, same as there is self published fiction nearly indiscernible from traditionally published fiction.

And whilst to a reader, content is more important than covers, to the outside world, this is how we are judged. The poor content shown in pinterest that BHopper points out, is the standard we are held against. And it's a really low standard. If we ever want gay fiction to be taken as seriously as other romantic fiction, we're going to have to stop perpetrating the stereotype that we're all the same and only the sex matters.

Look at Pintrest. Just type in MM Romance, & its all exactly what you described.

I hadn't even done that when I wrote this. I have now. I spat vitriol all over my laptop. Thanks dude!

This is the main reason I've never attempted to make coverart. I can sing pretty well, I can turn out a story that captures the attention of some but for the life if me I can't create images. I think in music or words, not images... So I would need someone to do it for me and that's a lot to ask of someone as a favor. Even my author banner was the work of my muse...

Some fresh thinking when it comes to covers would be most welcome! Just don't ask me

Don't judge a book by its cover, a very well known saying that is sadly not often practiced.

Sasha, before reading this, I really never thought much about covers for MM romance. But, as I read this, I kept thinking "OMG! This is so true!" It's like wading in a sea of naked torsos, when I browse through the mm romance sections at Goodreads or Amazon.

You know, GA is what really introduced me to gay romance and fiction. Before, I only knew about gay erotica, from places like Nifty. And GA will always hold a special place in my heart for that very reason. It has shaped my view on what a gay story should be like, that I rarely buy any mm book on Amazon, 'cause many fail to impress me like the stories on GA did.

And Clo said it best.

That's also why I like GA, I'm not influence by a cover when I'm curious about a story.

Most of the stories on here do not have a cover, and those that do aren't the first thing we see. For all stories on here, the first thing we do see is the synopsis, so our view on a particular story won't be colored by a great or terrible cover. 

I agree totally, but in all fairness, straight romance cover art is just as guilty. It's almost always the hunky shirtless guy and the pretty little thing... and there's usually a cowboy hat or hard hat or baseball uniform thrown in for good measure. Obviously, the targets are women. I'm not talking about authors like Belva Plain... her covers are little works of art, and invoke feelings and interest right of the bat. I should mention Nora Roberts too... she has terrific, evocative covers as well. No, I'm talking about the run of the mill romance novels that you see in every grocery and drug store(and book stores). It's all generic and suggestive like MM romance. I think we should strive to do better (like Belva does), but the fact is pretty sells to a lot of readers. I kid my sister about her collection of romance books, and why she picked the ones she has... she makes no bones about it... it's the guy on the cover <rolls eyes and sighs> . Some of my favorite cover art is on Sci Fi books, although some of it is downright awful. Great post, Sasha. Maybe you'll start a movement    .

Sasha, before reading this, I really never thought much about covers for MM romance. But, as I read this, I kept thinking "OMG! This is so true!" It's like wading in a sea of naked torsos, when I browse through the mm romance sections at Goodreads or Amazon.

 

For all stories on here, the first thing we do see is the synopsis, so our view on a particular story won't be colored by a great or terrible cover. 

It's all kind of hideous, right?

I'm with you on that second point. Synopsis is key. I wish I could browse Amazon and the shelves at Smith's by synopsis and title rather than anything else.

Great post, Sasha. Maybe you'll start a movement    .

Ha! I wish! Thanks sweetie.

The only movement I'm going to start is when people drift away from me because they can't stand me anymore...

I loved reading your tirade ...

The book trade is as much into selling stock as any other product and if crass (and cheap) stereotyping works, why change it. Well, we know why ... but most publishers don't seem to agree with us. Titles of books as well ... *sigh* I'm very glad that GA doesn't rely on cover art. I'm with Drew that the description is what draws me in (or not).

I loved reading your tirade ...

 

The book trade is as much into selling stock as any other product and if crass (and cheap) stereotyping works, why change it. Well, we know why ... but most publishers don't seem to agree with us.

Thanks northie.

But that's why it makes me SO angry when authors buy into the stereotype too. When we have the choice (because no published author on the planet really gets a say in what their book looks like on the shelf) we should be trying to haul the standard up by their ears.

One of the many benefits to being an Indie author is that you get to take full control of your cover. Finding someone that can create a killer coverthat truly represents your story should be your number one priority.

Great post! Completely agree with your rant

On 11/20/2016 at 1:15 PM, Headstall said:

I agree totally, but in all fairness, straight romance cover art is just as guilty. It's almost always the hunky shirtless guy and the pretty little thing... and there's usually a cowboy hat or hard hat or baseball uniform thrown in for good measure.

 

This is so true! Back in my teens and early 20's I was into straight romance. Not only were they all covered the way Gary described, it dawned on me that a majority used the same model. I think Fabio (the dude from the non-butter spread commercial) may be on more bookshelves than Hemingway!