Looks sell everything, why not books, why not music?
Kind of a dumb header since we all know that looks will increase sales in every field. Seeing as its so obvious why bother to write about it at all. Partly because I wanted to posit the following question: if Kenny G were a woman - how beautiful, how hot, and how undressed would she have to be for you to buy her music? (For women, or men of other tastes change it to: if Kenny G were a man…..)
Most of us, as susceptible as we might be in person to the flesh, probably wouldn’t actually buy music we don’t like. The thing is author and musician photos will influence sales for music you haven’t heard (witness the use of naked cello players to push string quartets) or books you haven’t read. And except for crazy people, lord love them, its not as though anyone really thinks they’ll be messing up the sheets with the person.
Does it make a difference to me when I read a story if the writer is good looking? I know its makes a difference to the numbers at a reading. Once I am actually reading its not a factor. But what a boost for those people to actually crack open your book.
The interesting thing I have found is how people’s looks change once you get to know them. I think my friends are mostly good looking. I’m pretty sure they are like everyone else, and I’m pretty sure they were a drabber bunch before I got to know them (is this a power I have?) but now I kind of like their looks more than most other people. European moviemakers understand this more than American ones do. They cast interesting and faddishly beautiful people who they know over the course of the movie, because we are getting to know them, will become beautiful.
The reverse is true where in most cases, the beautiful person becomes kind of odd looking once you know they couldn’t use a mirror unless there were instructions on it. Still, being easy on the eyes opens the doors, and as long as you can put one foot in front of the other, people will assume you can run. The equalizer is that in most things, not all, it does come down to a race in the end.
I’m always torn on whether or not beauty is truly subjective. I completely agree with you about people becoming more attractive the more you like them… and yet the statistics show that people have very specific and arbitrary ideas about what looks good. Confusing.
Comment by pmousse — November 12, 2007 @ 9:18 am
Quite. There does seem to be an attraction to symmetry but I’ve always found it both interesting and comforting that people disagree on who looks good. It means that if one does not conform to the prevailing standards of beauty that there are still people out there who prefer that.
Comment by aos — November 12, 2007 @ 9:40 am
I have a lovely mental image of an author event where Marisha Pessl reads from Special Topics in Calamity Physics while dressed in a corset and cfm boots with one of those headsets and an elaborate light show. Would that put more asses in the seats? Of course. Would we sell more books? Probably. Would the books get read? Maybe the first couple of pages. Would the book industry care? I doubt it.
Comment by kirt vocals — November 13, 2007 @ 11:17 am
Reminds me of a cartoon I saw. Seems like it had a beautiful woman with the caption, somebody somewhere is sick of her shit. Same could be said for men of course. I agree my friends are some of the best looking in my mind
But it does seem like a striking attractive individual, like a new car smell fades in appeal, just as a less sexy car may seem really appealing.
anywho
Comment by ginzu98 — November 15, 2007 @ 3:29 am