When a character is talking out loud to themselves, or thinking, do you still use speech marks, or do you put the words in italics?

Obviously you need to use something to let the reader know it is speech or thoughts, but what?

Katerina

Good question, Katerina.
I don't use speech marks or italics for thoughts, i simply write the thoughts in the prose.
eg (forgive the boring example)

It started to rain. Bloody Hell, she thought, wishing she'd applied her waterproof mascara.
or
It started to rain. Bloody Hell. Why hadn't she applied her waterproof mascara?

I'd also be interested to know if both or either of these are acceptable.(I think we had a similar thread on this recently, called 'characters' thoughts', in the technique forum, and either of the above was considered okay.)

Sammy

I would use speech marks if the character spoke out loud to themselves.

Katerina, yes, when a character is talking out loud you use inverted commas, whether or not there's anyone else there:

'That was a bit silly,' I said to my face in the mirror.

But generally nowadays you don't do speech marks or italics for thinking:

'That was a bit silly,' I said to him, but I was thinking, you stupid plonker.

Personally, I use italics when a character is remembering something said before, but that isn't particularly standard practice, though not something that will get you rejected either:

'You stupid plonker!' I said. Then I thought how Mum would only have said, Well that wasn't the cleverest thing you ever did, and I wondered why I couldn't say the same.

Hope that helps.

Emma



<Added>

Cross-posted (and agreeing) with Sammy Jay! ;)

A site expert has agreed with little ole moi!