Non fiction writing.. .details? (examples, quote, words)
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When writing non fiction, how much detail do you provide? How much is too much?
It depends on your target audience and the purpose of your writing, but a rough rule of thumb: Write the least number of words necessary to achieve the greatest possible impact.
Your question, for example, is not detailed enough for anyone to give a very helpful answer. What sort of writing are you doing? Professional journal? Popular magazine? Book? What is the subject? Are you just explaining something? Or are you trying to convince people of something? You might want to give a few examples of details you are unsure about. Then, perhaps, we can be more helpful.
It depends upon what you are writing and who you are writing for. That is part of the skill of writing. Good writers know just the right point to quit.
When writing non fiction, how much detail do you provide? How much is too much?
Much depends on the format you are writing in. For example:
1) A textbook can include footnotes and/or references that may be used to expand on the information you are providing.
2) Historical non-fiction should include the facts as documented. The opinions of others including commentators that may be relevent to the discussion may be included if they give an accurate reflection of the way an event was perceved through the lens of that particular period.
3) Scientific journals should include opposing viewpoints as the scientific theory is just that, a theory, subject to interpretation.
4) How-to books should illistrate the proper proceedures, techniques and safety precautions.
Without more information than your question indicated, it is difficult to give you a specific answer, so I have simply given you some general principals as I have seen them or used them.
I'm helping a friend write a memoir. She's had a pretty interesting life and has some pretty unique "life lessons" she wants to pass on to others.
I promised I'd help her however I can but there are sections of her book that require detail but I just don't know how much detail she should be giving.
I'm just being an extra hand here and trying to do what I can to help.
In this case, I'd say go ahead and include all the details she wants in the first draft. If the first draft is long (more than the length of an average novel) and/or boring, then this is a good indication that you might have too much detail. "Boring" is a highly subjective concept, so you will want several volunteer readers to help out. Have them indicate the parts that get tedious and look for patterns in their responses. You can't simply assume that your volunteer readers are right, but their responses can alert you to previously unnoticed problems.
I don't think there is any magic formula for the details of a memoir because sometimes the most miniscule and intimate details can be interesting and helpful. Also, historical details can help bring out the "flavor" or a certain time and place. You might want to identify the major themes, then think in terms of developing these themes, just like in a novel. If a detail helps to reveal the character or supports a theme, then it is probably worth keeping. If not, then it might be something to cut out.
Thanks for posting the book link. I just bought the Kindle version. I'm starting to write my second book; the first one is with the content editor and I expect to be ready to publish this May.
...I don't think there is any magic formula for the details of a memoir because sometimes the most miniscule and intimate details can be interesting and helpful. Also, historical details can help bring out the "flavor" or a certain time and place. You might want to identify the major themes, then think in terms of developing these themes, just like in a novel. If a detail helps to reveal the character or supports a theme, then it is probably worth keeping. If not, then it might be something to cut out.
This is want I had been told prior to starting my first book, and I followed the advice. Mine is an inspirational themed book, based on my history, showing how I used visualization and goal setting (programming the subconscious mind) in order to get out of factories, get an education and become a Pan Am airline pilot. So I'm happy to hear others offering the same advice on details.
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