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Paula explains why she dislikes bare-chested males on book
covers.
Whenever I fill in a cover art form for one of my novels, I
always stipulate, ‘No bare chests please,’ I have a real antipathy to bare muscle-chested
males on book covers, and will probably never buy a book with a cover showing a
bare-chested man. If the man is clutching a half-naked woman, that makes a
double reason not to buy the book.
Why not? Because these covers give the impression that the story
relies heavily on physical attraction and, invariably, sex.
I write romance. I write about a man and woman being
attracted to each other. Yes, maybe physically attracted in the first instance,
but if that’s all there is between them, then the relationship is shallow. I
much prefer an emotional connection rather than a relationship based solely on physical
attraction and/or a need for wild sex. Any bedroom (or elsewhere) scenes in my
novels are the result of a blossoming love, and not simply because the characters want sex with someone they happen to find physically attractive.
There seem to be more and more covers with bare chests but I’m
not sure why some authors choose to have these bare chests or scantily clad
females on their covers. Titillation maybe? Hoping that readers will buy the
book, hoping for sexy (or even erotic) scenes? Am I weird that I don’t find
these covers – or bare chests particularly attractive?
I know people raved about Mr. Darcy in a wet shirt clinging
to his chest or about Poldark’s bare chest, but those images did nothing
for me. In contrast, attractiveness to me could be a smile, or an intense look
from dark eyes, or even twinkly brown eyes (yes, I admit I once fell for a man
whose eyes really did twinkle when he smiled!). After that comes the
character and personality of the man. If all that doesn’t turn me on, then his
chest, bare or otherwise, certainly won’t. That applies in real life – and also
applies to the men on book covers.
However, there seem to be a lot of covers around with
bare-chested men – so does that mean I’m in a minority?
While I don't necessarily share your views, I will say that I don't ever pick up a book because of the bare chest. At this point, as you say, there are so many of them, that I don't even notice them which I think is the exact opposite of what the cover designers are trying to achieve. I've also always said that I abhor Fabio.
ReplyDeleteGood point about the over-exposure of bare chests!
DeleteJimmy Thomas also appears bare-chested on a a lot of covers, too.
The cover artist at Soul Mate Publishing who designed my cover used a semi-open-shirted hero. While I said in my art submission form that I preferred no bare chested men, I actually like my cover. I feel the cover conveys that this is a sensual novel, not sweet, like many western historicals.
ReplyDeleteSoulMate is in business to make money--and share that money with me. I trust them to create a cover that best meets market demand.
Open-shirted is fine, it's the completely bare rippling muscled chests that I dislike - and even more so if the hero has only half a head or no head!
DeleteI don't mind covers with bare-chested heroes as long as the cover fits the story between the pages. I think bare chested males help convey a somewhat 'alpha' type hero, and if that's what a book has, then I don't have a problem with it.
ReplyDeleteI read a lot of romantic suspense with VERY alpha military heroes, and I do think the bare-chested covers work well for those.
I've never had a bare chest on one of my covers...not sure if my writing style fits that type of cover.
Maybe it's because I don't like alpha-type heroes that I find the bare chests a turn-off!
DeleteI dislike bare chests, and it would put me off reading a book, but do understand that the publisher/artist have to appeal to the majority of readers. It is the book cover that initially catches the eye. Personally, I feel the bare chest look has been done to death. A good looking clothed/smartly dressed man on a cover works for me - leaving the rest to the imagination!
ReplyDeleteAgree with everything you've said!
Delete