If the character is thinking thoughts to themselves, when writing, do these thoughts receive quotations?
Example:
MC thinks to himself "what a mind trip that is."
Or
Thinking to himself, what a mind trip that is.
If the character is thinking thoughts to themselves, when writing, do these thoughts receive quotations?
Example:
MC thinks to himself "what a mind trip that is."
Or
Thinking to himself, what a mind trip that is.
The general answer seems to be no, as quotation marks indicate spoken dialogue. Beyond that, there seem to be multiple ways to format the inner thoughts of a character, including italics with thought tags, just italics, and no special formatting at all. Some authors/editors also note that this is complicated when telepathic communication is also involved in a story, as this often involves some form of italics.
Here's a fairly typical blog post I located by searching "how to write internal dialogue."
As a reader, I recognize quotes as spoken out loud dialog. I prefer to see thoughts with maybe a 'xxxx' or as 'italics'. If the thoughts are often and/or communicated by telepathy (correct phrase?) With another, then I like what other authors have done with ...edit: I was trying to demonstrate with the sideways V and maybe combined with quotes. But by time it posted I guess the system didnt see it my way.
I have no idea what proper grammar and literary rules are!
I treat it as dialogue without any apostrophes and put the thought in italics. Thus that would be:
Thinking to himself, What a mind trip that is.
That works, but presents some difficulty for me. My hands are so banged up I can't use a normal keyboard anymore. Everything is coming from a Samsung smartphone touch keyboard that doesn't have an italics shift for it. It's being written using infraworks docx. Which does have it, but requires several hoops to be jumped to toggle it on or off. Any suggestions on an ap that is italics friendly?
Any suggestions on an ap that is italics friendly?
Sorry, but I'm not familiar with phone aps as I regard a phone as a verbal communication device. The best I can suggest is you buy and load a voice to text program like Dragon Dictate onto your PC and tell it your story, or for you to purchase a touch keyboard like the Bastron Touch Glass Keyboard.
In the past, instead of quotations, I've used single marks.
She thought to herself, 'that was annoying'. For those cases where I don't want to use HTML code to italicize.
The link provided by JoeBobMack, suggested that as well. I'll be using that going forward. Thanks.
Internal dialogue is in italics.
However, it depends on the POV.
In omniscient, you never get into any character's direct thoughts. The omni narrator tells you what they're thinking. So it would be part of the narrative, as in:
Joe shook his head wondering what a mind trip that was.
However, in a close 3rd limited, it's often part of the narrative because you're in the POV character. So it would be part of the narrative as:
Joe shook his head. What a mind trip that was.
As internal dialogue in 1st person or 3rd limited, the above would be:
I/Joe shook my/his head. What a mind trip that is.
Note the tense (was vs is). Assuming the story is written in past tense, the narrative has to be consistent to that tense so it is "was." But as a direct thought, it's present tense ("is").
In this story and chapter, the author uses quotation marks, around the italics. Is this a correct usage?
https://storiesonline.net/s/70594:190969/chapter-1-blessings-of-a-curse
He hiked halfway up to the top of the pass before he cast a careful Speaking to the sentinels there.
"Dilimon, it is I, Yazadril! Bring three others of the Sentries, some food and drink, and a warm cloak. Meet with me on the pathway down to the border, move most silently, and do not cast the power in any way! As well, bring your hunting weapons! And before anything else is done, call to duty every Sentry we have available, have them equip themselves with every mundane weapon that they own, and post them in defensive formations about the top of the pass!"
Is this a correct usage?
Depends on the style guide he's using. For the Chicago Manual of Style, it is not correct.
But what is a "careful Speaking"? Maybe it's not simply speaking out loud or thinking so if it's something unique to the story the author probably has to establish the convention.
"Careful Speaking" in context of the story was a spell that allowed long range communication via a direct mental communication.
long range communication via a direct mental communication.
Which, I'm sure, isn't addressed in the Chicago Manual of Style. The italics would be used for non-verbal dialogue, that is thoughts, but the author might want to differentiate telepathy from that, hence the use of both quotes and italics. So it wouldn't be wrong for his story.
As SB says. As long as the writer is clear and consistent with the formatting, and readers can follow what it means, it's not wrong. It's an edge case that "standard" formatting guidelines don't cover.
Thanks to all who are trying to help.
I think maybe, feedback will be important going forward when it finally gets posted.
You can always invent your own convention (although probably someone already did it before you invented it - LOL). Like maybe using italics but putting it within /xxx/ or {xxx}
My old brain is in full rebellion at the moment. It keeps telling me you're to old for this shit. The other side replied fuck off old fart. While my ass keeps reminding them you two old curmudgeons better not forget the metamucil again or you're both going to be up shit creek without a paddle.
While my ass keeps reminding them you two old curmudgeons better not forget the metamucil again or you're both going to be up shit creek without a paddle.
If you forget the metamucil, you will be stuck on shit rock, not up shit creek. Shit creek is what happens when you OD on metamucil. :)
Why do writers worry about logs dying? (Die a log.)
Or maybe changing a logs colors? (Dye a log.)
Loggers make trees into logs. Trees die, not logs. Logs are already dead trees, how can you make a log die? Tell it to die by saying "Die, a log" is not possible. Maybe grind a log into sawdust?
It's dia not dye or die.
dia-
a prefix occurring orig. in loanwords from Greek, with the meanings "through, across, from point to point" (diachronic; diameter; diarrhea), "in different directions, apart, at an angle" (dialysis; diastole ), "completeness or thoroughness (of the action of the verb)" (diagnosis).
Also, esp. before a vowel, di-.