Don't look at the banner. Don't look at the banner. Crap! I looked at the banner.

Do you judge a book by its cover? I'd like to say that I don't, but yeah, I do. I've been reading a lot since I had Babymuse. Oh, who am I kidding? I always read a lot. That's neither here nor there. The point is I read recs from various review sites before I actually open a fic. One reviewer (with a private blog like myself) seems to have similar taste. I've been reading her reviews and jumping on the fics she has rec'd. So far, so good.

I was sifting through her recs the other day when I came across a review of a story that I was very tempted by, until . . . I saw the banner. It was the most ridiculous thing I have ever seen. I wanted to cry for the author. Did she make it herself? Did a fan make it and she didn't have the heart to tell her fan that it licked balls? Because, um, it did. So much so that I just couldn't read the story even though I was really interested.

Well, this same story suddenly became popular on various sites. There was a buzz about it and apparently another banner was made. A good banner and a blinkie. And suddenly I was all about reading the story. I did and it was good. As good as I expected it to be.

My point: if you read a rec and think the story is worth a read and you're a shallow bi-otch like me, don't look at the banner. My second point is to writers who have no skill in photoshop, just go bannerless. I beg you. A bad banner does you no good; it is a disservice. Just let your words speak for themselves.

I found another rec today for a story I'm interested in and the same thing has happened. I tried, I really tried not to look at the banner. I couldn't help it. Its sad cut-and-paste-a face-here look was just calling my name. It was like a bad train wreck. I couldn't not look no matter how much I chanted, "Don't look at the banner. Don't look at the banner." I just had to look and was so disappointed when I did. More ball lickage. Ew. We'll see if I get get over my issues and read it anyway. Maybe I'll be two for two and stop thinking like a jerk. Sigh.

*Just as an aside, I by no means think that my banners (the ones I made) are amazing. They are pretty plain and boring; however, they are pleasing to eye in that they don't make me want to gouge my eyes out or boycott my own fics. That's all I have to say about that.