"i think therefore i use quotation marks or italics?"

[seren_ccd]

How do you prefer to read character thoughts? With quotation marks (single or double) or in italics or nothing at all?

[Poll #1914856]

Thank you! How is everyone?

Comments

[platypus]

My sole strong preference is that I don't think I'd use single vs double quotes in the same story to distinguish thought vs speech. For the rest, it really depends on context; I prefer to keep the direct quoting of thoughts to a minimum, favoring indirect quoting/general narration. If you are making a point of quoting a thought directly, my favored form is italics -- but if you're doing a great deal of it, italics can get irritating/difficult to read.

[velvetmouse]

Italics, unless you're in a world where there's telepathy, in which case it becomes problematic.

[hiddencait.livejournal.com]

I usually prefer italics!

[urbancate.livejournal.com]

Italics or no markings at all. Depends on depth of POV, I think.

[anr]

I would never use ' or " as to me that implies speech. I generally use italics if the thought is as if the character is speaking (in their head to themselves) but not if it's the narrator speaking (ie, describing what the character is thinking). Examples which may or may not illustrate this:

As if the character is speaking (in their head to themselves):

Anderson, he thinks. <-- internal speech to self

Narrator speaking/describing the character thinking:

Twenty years is extreme for a distribution charge, he thinks, even for this sector. <-- description of thoughts, not speech

[rodlox.livejournal.com]

one of the first two, either of them.

i'm so-so; you?

[rodlox.livejournal.com]

I have "or"s in my thoughts all the time.