writing a character's thoughts

[Larry D. Chappell]

I don't know about you, but I do my best creative writing with pencil and lined paper. That way, I can put my complete focus into my imagination and I'm not side-tracked with typing and all the computer crap. I usually write about 5 or 6 pages and then I type it out. When I'm writing on paper, I indicate character thoughts by underlining the thought. When I transfer it to a file I use italics. I would use descriptions like "he thinks" and "he thought" very sparingly. The personal nature of the thought is usually self evident as a thought. Richard Bachman's Roadwork is a great example of building character through thought process. Stephen King's Rose Madder and Gerald's Game are two more great examples. I mentioned these novels in particular because they truly highlight King's skill at character thought process. The ability to be inside somebody else's head, thinking their thoughts. In both cases here, the characters are female and utterly believable.The best advice I ever heard about writing came from King himself. Read a lot. Read different writers and different genres. I hope this was helpful and I wish you success.

L. Chappell

Larry Chappell

[flwrchld]

Thanks for all of the replies! I was allowing that one hurdle to stand in the way of any further progression. I need to just not worry about how I'm presenting the "thoughts" and just keep writing. That's what later editing is for, right? This is, afterall, the first draft.

You all are great!

[prufrock21]

This is an example of the internal dialog/dialogue that I'm fighting with:

Mandi's first thought was how embarrassed she was and that became immediately replaced with fear... I'm going to be grounded forever for that stunt. Why did I let him stay so late? What was I thinking? First date and now Dad will hate him forever. Way to go ole girl. Crap!

No need to make a direct reference to a character's thoughts if you write thoughts in italics right after you make reference to the character. Eg.,

Mandi was embarrassed and fearful. I'm going to be grounded forever for that stunt. Why did I let him stay so late? What was I thinking? First date and now Dad will hate him forever. Way to go ole girl. Crap!

[blunthead]

Thanks for all of the replies! I was allowing that one hurdle to stand in the way of any further progression. I need to just not worry about how I'm presenting the "thoughts" and just keep writing. That's what later editing is for, right? This is, afterall, the first draft.

You all are great!

Though not a "writer" I've lately been writing a little and have had the same questions per italics v quotation marks, etc. Reading Stephen King triggered my curiosity because of his use of these devices. I think it's safe to assume he uses them correctly. I've especially enjoyed his use of italics to indicate thoughts.

Nevertheless, I think it's about the writing first; the grammar is for the editors, or whoever (whom-?), the proof readers, a class of specialists who love the English language enough to get to know it that well. They are artists, too.

[flwrchld]

Thank you Blunthead - that's what I keep telling myself.

I am so grateful to be a part of this SK family where support, advice, and constructive criticism are given when needed.

Much love to everyone this Monday morning.

[omm poppa mow mow]

I've always smiled and enjoyed the times when SK will put a character's thoughts in italics...maybe only a single line but it sets the mood.

in one of Alfred Bester's stories, either The Stars My Destination or Demolished Man, he arranges the words on the page...there's a lot of white space there...and the words are not arranged like they are 99.99% of the time. His characters are speaking to each other w/o articulating. So there's a line of words running at a diagonal down one way, another string coming across the page at a diagonal from the other direction, several lines going across linear-like...you get a sense of A.M. static.

I imagine there are numerous ways to portray thought...Faulkner's Sound and the Fury...or simply in the narration itself...I'm thinking of John Kennedy Toole's Ignatius J Riley there in New Orleans, studying the crowd for....forget how Toole did it....but Ignatius is studying the crowd for poor taste in clothing...

dentist is calling.