Nonfiction books don’t need a hero’s journey

Today I came across this review of the book Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity:

This book has sections that contain invaluable information. But as a book it’s 5x too long.

I saw this line in the acknowledgments section:

“my then publisher said my draft was too technical and lacked any sense of me as a person and my own journey to understanding the importance of longevity.”

I wish publishers would stop this approach. Non-fiction books don’t need a hero’s journey. Often readers simply want the information. Adding a narrative just dilutes and prolongs the book.

Source

“Non-fiction books don’t need a hero’s journey. Often readers simply want the information.”

PREACH! I’m tired of skimming hundreds of pages of anecdotes and personal stories to find the seven pages of actionable information. Those seven pages are the reason I picked up the book in the first place.

Dear authors of nonfiction books: I don’t care about your personal story. I’d prefer your book be shorter instead.

(Related: Write shorter nonfiction. Please.)