The Importance of Tone

I finally sat down and reviewed some of the parenting books I've been devouring since my son was born. In the process of both writing my own reviews and reading other people's reviews of those books, I've been reminded of the essential nature of tone.

Again and again, reviewers remarked that they disliked the "condescending" tone of Love and Logic Magic for Early Childhood while they like the reassuring tone of The Baby Book.

How the reviewers talked about these books, regardless of how they rated them, had a lot to do with the perceived tone. Many reviewers of "Love and Logic Magic" seemed to be defensive and almost angry, while reviewers who disliked "The Baby Book" were more inclined to say that the book just didn't appeal to them.

Certainly, the adage that you attract more flies with honey seems applicable. If the ultimate goal is to transmit useful information -- and that is one of the primary goals of a nonfiction book -- it is wise to appeal to the reader. Obviously, there are exceptions. I'd imagine that a book about how to juggle axes could get away with being both didactic and cautionary.

But first-time parents often feel overwhelmed, and they fend off a bewildering array of advice in their daily lives. When they are seeking information, they would rather hear it from someone who writes about it in a calm, approachable manner than from someone who writes as if he's the nosy next-door neighbor, laying down parenting law.

Are there other situations you can think of where tone plays such an important role in reader perceptions? I wouldn't be surprised to learn it's a factor in fiction, as well.