[JRTomlin]

It's a bit of a tricky situation.

I use single quotations and do it just like dialogue. Like this: 'I like to think like this,' he thought.

Some people do it like this: I like to think like this, he thought as he looked upon the horizon. It sure beats doing it another way.

And then some people just do it like this: I like to think like this.

There are other ways, but those are the three main ways that jump to mind. The third option is best used in a first-person point of view story, in my opinion.

I avoid using italics in thoughts for a single reason though. Italics emphasize something in their normal use, and I'm not trying to emphasize thoughts.

I find that using quotes make it look as though it is said aloud. That is always my assumption when I see a quotation mark.

I agree with Eric C that if you are doing it well in a novel that is in close 3rd, you don't need italics or quotes for interior monologue. Italics are traditional for it but now are considered optional.

 

[JRTomlin]

Hi Jeanne, I agree with Ryne and Eric C, but as a reader I like the italics... it just makes it easier to distinguish inner thoughts.

Using italics is one of those things that some people like and some don't. I've had editors insist on them and others take them out back in the day when I sold to publishers. Now I go with my own preference.

I think Damon Knight had a good discussion of the subject in his book on writing. Don't recall the name of it though.

Edit: It was Knight's "Creating Short Fiction" where he discussed interior monologue I believe.

 

[JRTomlin]

I might be the minority, but I never think that single quotation marks are said aloud. Double quotation marks, on the other hand, are always aloud to me.

That's why I refuse to read Lord of the Rings. They use single quotation marks in the dialogue, which forced me to give up a few chapters in. I kept wanting to take a pen and write the single mark in during every instance.

I do know that I hate reading a book that lacks an obvious indication of thoughts, be it italics or single quotation marks. It always looks sloppy to me. I also dislike dialogue that lacks a clear indication of who is speaking because it's easy to forget who said what. I know I'm not the only one that gets confused by that. Other readers have made it clear that they have the same problem.

You must have been reading a British edition. Single quotes are the norm there.

Since I expect my reader to know that they are inside my characters head, why would they need me to tell them it is the character who is thinking? I respect their intelligence.

The same with speaking. There isn't a need for a dialogue tag with every piece of speech but only if the reader might not know such as if there are more than two people. However, I am more likely to use a beat (a speaker's action) than a dialogue tag.

 

[JRTomlin]

I'm a big fan of italics for inner monologue, Jeanne.

Hopefully, the thought identifies the thinker. If not, then you must identify who's thinking (note she's not saying...she's thinking)

WPG

If the reader doesn't already know who is thinking, the chances are you're head hopping and you have a bigger problem than tags going on.

 

[JRTomlin]

Certainly, Tolkien would have used single quotes. Usually such British conventions are changed for US editions of novels but I wouldn't notice since I'm a large portion of my print novels are British editions.

I agree that there is nothing wrong with using italics if you're comfortable with it. I don't, which I'm comfortable with.

 

[JRTomlin]

Italics or no, interior monologue doesn't work for me. Chuck Palahniuk has this to say about it: http://chuckpalahniuk.net/workshop/chucks-essays-2004-6

Well, I dislike Palahniuk's writing but in this case I happen to agree with him in part.

He says not to use "thought" verbs because doing so is a shortcut.

If I write: "he thought she was a b!tch" that is a shortcut.

If I write: "He clenched his fists and glared at her. B!tch." I am doing it sans shortcut.

Edit: My writing is always from the PoV of a single character since I hate and loath headhopping, so I am going to assume my reader will know that I am STILL writing from the PoV of my character and that is his thought. Some authors would put the interior monologue in italics, and that's all right too. I think it's unnecessary and I prefer to avoid the unnecessary, but that's my choice.

I do not agree with him that using interior monologue weakens your writing--when it is done well and not overdone. Moderation in all things.