Italics for Interior Monologues - CrimeSpace2024-03-28T23:20:54Zhttps://crimespace.ning.com/forum/topics/537324:Topic:51336?commentId=537324%3AComment%3A52851&x=1&feed=yes&xn_auth=noHi Julie, I've seen this ques…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2007-07-05:537324:Comment:528512007-07-05T23:41:34.129ZMarta Stephenshttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/Samharper2
Hi Julie, I've seen this question pop up in other forums, these responses seem similar too. Things, like the use of italics, can be discussed until the cows come home, but in some instances, it may depend entirely on the publisher's guidelines. Mine for instances, wants internal monologue in italics while other publishers don't. It doesn't mean I <i>have</i> to use them. When I don't, I used other methods such as dialogue or gestures to let my character to express himself.<br />
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I don't like long…
Hi Julie, I've seen this question pop up in other forums, these responses seem similar too. Things, like the use of italics, can be discussed until the cows come home, but in some instances, it may depend entirely on the publisher's guidelines. Mine for instances, wants internal monologue in italics while other publishers don't. It doesn't mean I <i>have</i> to use them. When I don't, I used other methods such as dialogue or gestures to let my character to express himself.<br />
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I don't like long italicized phrases either. They are distracting, however, it does give emphasis when it's not overused and then only on one or two words in a phrase.<br />
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Okay, dare I admit it? I used them in my novel, but only a sparingly!! So far, it hasn't bothered anyone who has read my novel, readers or reviewers. Sorry. I didn't get back to t…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2007-07-04:537324:Comment:525882007-07-04T17:56:37.385ZI. J. Parkerhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/Ingpark
Sorry. I didn't get back to this sooner. Basically it confuses me and I stop to think what differentiates this sentence in italics from other thoughts. In the end I decide that the author wanted it to stand out (not the character, but the author!). In other words, it acts like an exclamation mark -- or several exclamation marks. And those are best kept to a minimum.<br />
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Basically, the writing should make the significance clear without italics.
Sorry. I didn't get back to this sooner. Basically it confuses me and I stop to think what differentiates this sentence in italics from other thoughts. In the end I decide that the author wanted it to stand out (not the character, but the author!). In other words, it acts like an exclamation mark -- or several exclamation marks. And those are best kept to a minimum.<br />
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Basically, the writing should make the significance clear without italics. I also put down a book recent…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2007-07-03:537324:Comment:520882007-07-03T02:00:37.671ZRobin Burcellhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/rburcell67
I also put down a book recently that had an overuse of italics. Eventually it became really, really annoying and I didn't finish the book. Problem is, I don't know if it was because of the annoying italics, or maybe the book just wasn't that great. What I really think is that using italics for internal thought should be done sparingly, much like the use of the exclamation mark. It's like spicing a fine dish. Too much and it ruins it.
I also put down a book recently that had an overuse of italics. Eventually it became really, really annoying and I didn't finish the book. Problem is, I don't know if it was because of the annoying italics, or maybe the book just wasn't that great. What I really think is that using italics for internal thought should be done sparingly, much like the use of the exclamation mark. It's like spicing a fine dish. Too much and it ruins it. Interesting response. You've…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2007-07-01:537324:Comment:516932007-07-01T16:45:28.856ZJulie Lomoehttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/julielomoe
Interesting response. You've specified the exact situation when I do like to use italics, but I'm wondering why you find it "especially irritating"? The obvious response would be that the writing should be strong enough to get the intensity of the reaction across without resorting to italics. But I find italics useful for expressing a thought in first person and present tense, almost like dialogue. That sets it off from the third person-past tense that I'm using overall, and minimizes the need…
Interesting response. You've specified the exact situation when I do like to use italics, but I'm wondering why you find it "especially irritating"? The obvious response would be that the writing should be strong enough to get the intensity of the reaction across without resorting to italics. But I find italics useful for expressing a thought in first person and present tense, almost like dialogue. That sets it off from the third person-past tense that I'm using overall, and minimizes the need for phrases like "she thought" or "she felt."<br />
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All in all, thanks in part to this discussion, I'll probably go on using italics but much less frequently than in the draft I'm editing. For example, Claire's thoughts about Lester's beer belly will no longer be in italics - they're not deserving of that much emphasis. I reallydon't like the word r…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2007-06-30:537324:Comment:515362007-06-30T00:21:16.870ZMark Stevenshttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/cracker1954
I <i>really</i>don't like the word really and I <i>really</i>think if the main issue is if you're noticing the italics, it's too much. I would describe my use as sparing when it comes to <i>italics</i>. I just read a book that I had to put down because it was a blizzard of italics. The book was awful anyway. No loss. GREAT question.
I <i>really</i>don't like the word really and I <i>really</i>think if the main issue is if you're noticing the italics, it's too much. I would describe my use as sparing when it comes to <i>italics</i>. I just read a book that I had to put down because it was a blizzard of italics. The book was awful anyway. No loss. GREAT question. I don't think I've ever seen…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2007-06-29:537324:Comment:515292007-06-29T22:04:14.330ZJohn Dishonhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/whiteskwirl
I don't think I've ever seen that. I don't think I want to, either.<br />
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I don't think italics are necessary, usually, but I also don't mind it. The use of italics for stronger reactions that you mentioned doesn't sound appealing, though.
I don't think I've ever seen that. I don't think I want to, either.<br />
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I don't think italics are necessary, usually, but I also don't mind it. The use of italics for stronger reactions that you mentioned doesn't sound appealing, though. I never use italics and I do…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2007-06-29:537324:Comment:515232007-06-29T21:55:11.920ZI. J. Parkerhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/Ingpark
I never use italics and I do a lot of internalizing. I find italics especially irritating when an author makes a distinction between general internalizing and strong emotional reactions by using italics for the latter.
I never use italics and I do a lot of internalizing. I find italics especially irritating when an author makes a distinction between general internalizing and strong emotional reactions by using italics for the latter. How about forget the italics.…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2007-06-29:537324:Comment:514712007-06-29T13:24:11.206ZJackBludishttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/JackBludis
How about forget the italics. And do things like "She would if he'd get his beer belly out of the way." Using the words that she might think.<br />
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I greatly dislike the use of italics unless the reader wouldn't know that it was thought unless it was in italics.<br />
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Hi, Jordan.
How about forget the italics. And do things like "She would if he'd get his beer belly out of the way." Using the words that she might think.<br />
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I greatly dislike the use of italics unless the reader wouldn't know that it was thought unless it was in italics.<br />
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Hi, Jordan. i think it is often a persona…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2007-06-29:537324:Comment:514652007-06-29T12:09:17.311ZAnne Frasierhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/annefrasier
i think it is often a personal choice. I'm a less is more person, so I tend to avoid italics if possible. I once had a copy editor who put a lot of my character's thoughts in italics. I didn't STET her changes and once the book came out I regretted it.
i think it is often a personal choice. I'm a less is more person, so I tend to avoid italics if possible. I once had a copy editor who put a lot of my character's thoughts in italics. I didn't STET her changes and once the book came out I regretted it. Until another author suggeste…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2007-06-28:537324:Comment:513652007-06-28T17:51:33.547ZJordan Danehttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/JordanDane
Until another author suggested I try 'deeper POV', I hadn't used it. I always thought that if you wrote the narratives with enough insight into the character through his/her actions, that it wouldn't be necessary. But I tried the technique and found I liked it in spots.<br />
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It serves as deeper insight into the character's nature and gives the reader's eye a break like a dialogue line. (I usually show these lines separate, like dialogue.) But like Gerard, I don't care for a long sections of…
Until another author suggested I try 'deeper POV', I hadn't used it. I always thought that if you wrote the narratives with enough insight into the character through his/her actions, that it wouldn't be necessary. But I tried the technique and found I liked it in spots.<br />
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It serves as deeper insight into the character's nature and gives the reader's eye a break like a dialogue line. (I usually show these lines separate, like dialogue.) But like Gerard, I don't care for a long sections of italicized words. And if an author overuses it, the technique loses its effectiveness.