What do you all think about photos on websites, blogs, and books? I don’t have my photo on my website or WR because I don’t like judging content by someone’s looks and I wouldn’t want them to do it to me. What I’m saying is I’ll easily put down a book or move off a website if I think the person looks ridiculous, like their trying too hard, too foofy, or too anything. It’s a judgmental knee jerk reaction I have yet learned to control.
I hate my picture in the back of Sand. No offense, Susan. And when I was on tour, people came up to me and told me that I looked better in person. More than once. For Panties we’ll do something silly so I won’t worry. But I was just curious how you all reacted to pics that go with content.
Tough one this. Well, the content would capture my heart, but a photo of the author helps me to relate better to him/her. Now, Bill Bryson, is balding and plump, but to me (perhaps based on the few books of his that I like, some I hated) he also seemed like a cheerful bloke. So yeah, no harm in having a picture on the back cover. On the blog?? dunno…perhaps not mugshots, but pics of you at work, typing away on the lap-top or the funny pics from the BNA bash, those would be cool. I would not judge people by their looks, but their writing would reflect their personality and this also does come across through an appropriate picture.
Oh yeah, don’t worry, it’s not for this blog. I don’t mind putting up pictures as they relate to the post now and again, especially if it’s related to events. I was thinking in terms of another project. But I like what you said about action shots, Dusty. I like those better.
Back to my picture biases, I am usually harder on women than men. Bill? He’s fine. Tim Cahill, he’s just fine as his grisley ole (not old) self.
Thanks for your input!
I’ll always go to the inside back cover of a book to view the person whose book I’ll be reading (in most cases, non fiction works) simply to visualize them in their writing. Their photo has never disappointed me probably because they take care to use a shot that depicts them as they are.
We usually see ourselves in a different light than what the camera shows. When I listen to my voice on the answering machine, I don’t like what I hear. I’m not photogenic, so I never like my pictures. Yet, they reveal part of me, the part I don’t care for.
Yes, Jen, I think we do make judgements, unconsciously and consciously – about ourselves, about others.
Who’s perfect?
for my first book, the author photo was a not particularly flattering, submitted on the fly in a handful of snapshots photostrip of me and my kids in a bar in the east village. and I didn’t have publicity photos … i was horrified to see how the snapshots I had given the publicist looked when the kids were cropped out and it was just me in black and white about 3 weeks after giving birth, shot from below.
For No Touch Monkey, I had just done a friend a favor by posing for her fledgling ‘sensual’ photography business that she was starting with another parent from my daughter’s public school. And when I saw this one portrait that looked almost comically hottie fierce, I figured I’d never look this good again in my life and I’d better use it (on the back of the book) or lose it. Of course, now I’m honor bound to ‘do the author photo face’ everytime I’m meeting someone who’s read the book.
I do think it helps sell em sometimes.
or it helps press people remember you.
or maybe if you’re lucky, there’s a 14 year old son of one of your readers sneaking a book he has no plans of reading into the bathroom…
Goes both ways for me. Sometimes a photo can give me a prepossessing opinion about someone–if they look cool/friendly/etc., then I tend to think more highly of them than if they look arrogant/aloof/etc. I try not to let that affect my opinion of their work (or of them personally), but I find that a photo of someone sparks a reaction, if only for a moment.
Sometimes a photo is a good wake-up call when I assume someone is a certain gender or race based solely on the name. Ayun Halliday? No idea she was female til I saw her picture. (Only after seeing a picture did I come across a bio of her.)(No offense, Ayun!)
But all in all, I think photos are a good way to go. Gives depth to the website, book, blog, whatever.
none taken, dave! that indeterminate name has served me well on a number of occasions though no one knows how to pronounce it…
another thing with my photo – my first book The Big Rumpus, about living in NYC with my two feral children, was typecasting me as a ‘Mommy Writer’ (ask your publisher if there’s a more derogatory term) So the No Touch Monkey photo is a bit of a chuck you, farlie to anyone who wrote me off as some sort of watered-down Erma Bombeck, suitable only for an audience they perceive as neutered matrons with small children and no outside interests.
I don’t know how to pronounce your name either, Ayun. But I loved it when your husband called you Ayuuuuuuuneeeeeeee in the book. Or something slightly smaller than that. I like affectionate versions of names that are not necessarily Pookie. Ick. And though my memory is spotty, I don’t think I’ve had a boyfriend call me something endearing for ten years. But little kids call me sweet versions of my name all the time and that is even cuter.
Ayun,
I’m guessing it’s pronounced, “ah-YOON” (like spoon). Am I right? What do I win?
People often get my last name wrong. “Prine,” long i, silent e, but you’d be surprised…
I’d think having a short name like “Jen Leo” would be easy, but I’m sure you’ve had your share of misspellings and mispronunciations, etc. Eh, Jen?
Nope, never. People either call me Jen, JenLeo(like it’s all one word), Jennifer, LEO, or the kids’ favorite–JennyLeo. Oh yeah, and my cousins still call me Jenny and I put up with it. But usually, I only let people under 15 call me that. Unless they are friends from JR High, then I have no choice because it has just stuck.