Womankind Worldwide Book Group discussion

I am fascinated by Maureen Johnson's Cover-flip project, where she examines how book covers are different when written by men vs. women, or intended to be read by one gender.

Here is the full story, with sample covers:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05...

I have to confess, a lot of these appeal to me more in the flipped version than the original, whether going from male bias to female bias or vice versa. I don't want to corrupt anyone's initial view with my particulars, but at least half of them I would be more likely to buy with the opposite cover. I'm also not ashamed to admit that I prefer several of the female-targeted covers (Stardust, Clockwork Orange, Heist Society). Is that because I'm a woman or because they are just more attractive?

Did you have the same experience? Do you think cover art is dictated by gender? I designed my own book cover, without any regard to gender appeal (maybe that's a big "whoops!"), so for me the ideal is something that is equally compelling to everyone. Is that simply impossible?

I very much related to the project. I try to design my own covers--when allowed to--because when I don't, publishers come up with covers for romance novels. Which would be fine if the book were a romance, but I write more hard-edged and political stuff, sometimes from male point-of-view, and if you pick up one of my books expecting a romance, you'll be disappointed. I rarely write about families--and publishers like pictures of women with children for my covers. This also means my books are likely to be assigned for review to people who are expecting romance or domestic fiction. Again, I am not putting down those themes. It's just that it's not what I write and covers should not just entice, they shouldn't mislead the prospective reader.

Diane, How ridiculous that when a man writes a book, the cover matches the content, and when a woman writes a book, the cover matches the publisher's perception of what the content should be.

I write screenplays about powerful women in politics and business, who are almost always happily married. Studio executives read them and love those characters, so they hire me to write their movie-of-the-week "woman in jeopardy who has to be saved by a man" story.

I always ask why they don't just make the script I've already written and this is the general response (this one is an exact quote, but it's always some form of the same thought): "If the lead isn't trying to save her children or find a man, why would it have to be female?"

It can be soul crushing. Then again, the checks clear. Which gives me the freedom to write what I really want and keep fighting the good fight.

Valerie wrote: "Diane, How ridiculous that when a man writes a book, the cover matches the content, and when a woman writes a book, the cover matches the publisher's perception of what the content should be.

I ..."

That quote reminds me of the days when it was easier to get away with this sort of thing, a man told me he wouldn't hire a woman who wouldn't have sex with him because if she wasn't willing, he might as well hire a man. It's so sickening. Also, I've also lived in a multiracial community and -- at least I don't hear this one quite as often -- I was told to rewrite black and Latino characters as white if the story or play wasn't specifically about their race. I'll give you an even more insidious example. I've found women's magazines direct their content not to their actual real life readers but to one who seems to match the socioeconomic demographic desired by the advertisers.

Which raises again the question, "If the only feminist aspect to a book is 'a strong female lead' is that in and of itself enough to label a book feminist?" Previously I would probably have said no, but Valerie's and Diane's comments make it worth rethinking.

Valerie wrote: "I always ask why they don't just make the script I've already written and this is the general response (this one is an exact quote, but it's always some form of the same thought): "If the lead isn't trying to save her children or find a man, why would it have to be female?" "

Hi Valarie,

Great thread. Thanks for starting this. I skimmed the huffpost article and wasn't sure I'd have anything to contribute until your comment above. Thanks so much for sharing. We really do need more female writers and screenwriters. This is a great case in point.

You've outlined what I consider to be the epitome of a response for the "other". If you're not a man than your a -----. The dominant position of social status (ie male) and then there's everything else that has to measure up to that standard. I've been questioning my opinion of Hollywood on this subject general for some time now. If it's not a male point of view then why bother attitude, unless it fits the 'other' stereotype, woman, Africa, GLBT. We can sell the stereotype of that particular group, say woman. Otherwise if it doesn't fit the stereotype, and if it doesn't fit the standard then why bother.

I did a quick poll of the list of On Demand movies we paid for a few months ago. 90% of the movies in the list of over 100 movies were either from a male pov, or a man was the obvious protagonist of the story. 90% in no way comes close to representing the number of men in the population. Or perhaps it would be better to say that women don't constitute the other 10% ;). All joking aside, I guess a question for discussion is: Could or does this 90% represent the amount of control those in power have to make decisions over how a movie gets made and distributed?

Thanks for breathing a bit more life into a very interesting topic.

Best, Kim

Every time a movie aimed at women succeeds, everyone in the C-suites calls it a fluke. No one will take the time to do the research to see what the actual market demands are. The big problem is women, as audience members, aren't very demanding. We buy 52% of the tickets, but that's to go to a movie with our kids or with a man, so Hollywood doesn't need to make movies for us. Most women will go see IronMan3 on a date, whereas most men wouldn't set foot in the upcoming DIANA. We also take our kids to movies. We are pleasers, and Hollywood knows it. They have to make movies for men and kids to get men and kids to go to the movies. As long as those two groups are going, women will tag along. It's how we're made.