Have you ever used more than one style and voice when writing an E-Book?

Hello,
I am currently ghostwriting a non-fiction Ebook for a client. The client wanted it to be over 200 pages and include a Foreword and Introduction, so I assumed he wanted it to look and read more like a print book than an Ebook. The subject was a very serious one, so I chose to write it in a more academic style, with some citations of statistics etc.

I've written 4 chapters so far but I've run into a problem. There are 2 chapters where I present solutions to the problems outlined in the book. So far I've been writing in the academic style, using the 3rd person Voice. But this new stuff would sound way better and more covincing written in a direct, conversational style, like a self-help guide, using the 2nd person Voice. It sounds kind of dorky otherwise...

For example, instead of writing:

"One needs to maintain a positive attitude when dealing with employment problems."

it would sound better to write:

"Try to keep a positive attitude when you're dealing with employment problems."

So, I'm finding myself wanting to switch voice and style midway through the book, just for a few chapters... a big no-no, or so I am assuming...

What do you think? Have you ever mixed styles in an Ebook? Under what conditions would it be acceptable?

Been pulling my hair out as to how to pull this off!

Would appreciate any suggestions. Thank-you.

 

I'd keep the main body consistent, but use sidebars as an opportunity to be more casual.

 

Good thinking.

I suppose any content box/area that is different from the normal content area could have a different voice? Though consistent throughout perhaps.

 

Thanks for your reply Jennifer and alldaylinks! Very much appreciated. Never even considered sidebars. Great idea!

 

I suppose, Using footnotes at some points to vent out your formal thoughts would do good too.

 

I wrote an ebook a few years ago that had to be more "consumer friendly" than my POV reflected. But i employed case studies as ways to change voice and overall style that i felt made those chapters much more readable. Speaking in the abstract never informs as much as an example IMOHO.

 

Yes! I agree - at the beginning of each chapter I wrote some vignettes -- stories about an individual who typifies the content that I write about in each chapter. Very effective way to draw the reader in...