What is generally the accepted format style for telepathic communication in the midst of verbal communication?
At this point in my story, it's already been revealed that 2 characters share a telepathic link with one another that allows them to communicate to each other with their minds.
"Now before we get to business there is one issue I must resolve," Hitagi said, getting up before pinning Kabaru against the wall with her heel. "Care to explain why the hell you thought it funny to send me photos of a prostitute who looked like you?"
"How do you know it's me in here?" Kabaru asked, her voice distorted by the vocal mask inbuilt into her helmet. "Yulia, help?"
"I told you off for the same thing too remember? Don't be surprised if Rise starts beating you with her staff after this now that she know the truth."Hitagi turned her head sharply glaring at Yulia. "Knock it off. I know you're both using that telepathy thing."
As you can see currently when I want to show that a conversation is occurring in the minds of characters, I use italics (plain text wise I use <i> tags to show where it goes). This way it distinguishes this from the vocal stuff with having to repeatedly say "he/she said in his/her mind."
Is this the generally the accepted format style for telepathic communication in the midst of verbal communication? If not, and if there is one, what would be the general format style for this?
This post was sourced from https://writers.stackexchange.com/q/24627. It is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
1 answer
Italic text is the most common format for telepathic communications.
Savil spotted the soldiers filing into the pass and called up to her nephew. Get into position. They're here, she sent.
And the demon? he asked.
I can smell it from halfway up the mountain, Savil confirmed.
Sometimes other punctuation is thrown in to set telepathic speech apart from emphasis or thought. Mercedes Lackey uses double colons:
Vanyel glanced over at Yfandes. ::You'd better go now,:: he sent to her.
You could also use guillemets:
Yfandes snorted. «And leave you alone with that thing? Not bloody likely.» He smiled grimly at his Companion's loyalty.
You might use asterisks as well:
Vanyel made his decision. *Okay, you move into the valley and cover the soldiers. I'm going to the peak where I can get a better shot at that thing,* he sent Savil.
As a separate but related note, I would use sent rather than thought at or thought to as the attribution tag, but that's a matter of style.
I absolutely would not use quotes for telepathy or internal thoughts if you're using quotes for verbal speech; it's visually confusing.
0 comment threads
0 comment threads