Question: First-person narrative? (thoughts)

[SirLancelot]

When writing in first-person, what's the guiding line as to what constitutes my character's thoughts since it's all coming from them to begin with?

 

[MattScho]

In first person, there is no other perspective on which to fall back (unless you head jump, in which case it's going to be another first person perspective), so description, dialogue, etc, is all relayed through the eyes and ears and senses of the first person character. So I'm not sure what you're getting at. Do you mean punctuation or style issues? Weir uses quite a bit of italics for thoughts, and quote marks for spoken words. Description is normal type.

 

[Eva Ulian]

When writing in first-person, what's the guiding line as to what constitutes my character's thoughts since it's all coming from them to begin with?

Could you expand on this please?

 

[SirLancelot]

Could you expand on this please?

What I'm trying to figure out is what I italicize as my MC's thoughts as in first-person it's all coming from his perspective. Does "I wonder," or "I think" need to be in place? When My MC is reflecting on something, is that italicized? What about when they're describing something?

 

[SirLancelot]

In first person, there is no other perspective on which to fall back (unless you head jump, in which case it's going to be another first person perspective), so description, dialogue, etc, is all relayed through the eyes and ears and senses of the first person character. So I'm not sure what you're getting at. Do you mean punctuation or style issues? Weir uses quite a bit of italics for thoughts, and quote marks for spoken words. Description is normal type.

Yeah, so what I'm trying to figure out is what I italicize and what I don't.

 

[Hannah F]

It's a style choice. In the first person POV novel I'm writing just now, anything my protagonist says out loud is in quotation marks. Everything else coming from her head is a thought so I just write it normally e.g.. These trees are huge. And I mean huge.

Generally people don't say to themselves "I think". That is simply what they are doing. Nor do they tend to say to themselves "I wonder", though they might think "what if . . . ?"

To write in first person POV, you have to live inside their head and never out of it (unless you change POV, but I would only do that in a separate chapter or it will get confusing).

 

[Bloo]

When writing in first-person, what's the guiding line as to what constitutes my character's thoughts since it's all coming from them to begin with?

I do first person mixed with some omni narration, so my character's thoughts are usually in italics. That way, a reader can (hopefully) discern them from narrative thoughts.

Purely first-person close usually doesn't use italics for thoughts unless it's immediate or important. The reasoning is that anything not dialogue has to be inside the MC's head. The MC relates the story to us through internal narration.

Modern FP present stream-of-consciousness doesn't use thought-italics at all. We are in the MC's head all the time, and in the now. The MC narrates to the reader in real time.

 

[JohnBertel]

Does "I wonder," or "I think"

I have only just started reading The Spy Coast, but based on that, I would say you never italicize in first person, present tense. You may of course want to check that out. yourself I have also heard that this form is used a lot in YA. But The Spy Coast is a first read for me in this form.

I've heard discussions about first-person present-tense, and while it may be easy (for some) to read, it has logical problems. In past tense there is always a narrator, at least implied, but what exactly is going in present-tense first? Is it a pure stream of consciousness, or is the narrator speaking or thinking as the run, fight and kiss? It would be ever more weird if they narrate what they think they are thinking about.

 

[Bloo]

Ah cool...you are asking about italics. I typed my response befote you clarified it.

I think some people consider italicizing thoughts a bit old school. However, they can be fun when used to efficiently convey what a character thinks.

*****

“I don’t mean to sound ungrateful, but do you have you any news about Arecibo?”

“Actually…I do.” Max put down the phone and drank some water before continuing. “Your…uh…work at Green Bank has impressed a lot of people.”

Uh oh.

“In fact, your reputation is what sealed the grant approval.”

Atkins be damned, a proper shit sandwich starts with bread.

“The selection panel recognized your ability to manage with limited resources.”

Cheese, lettuce, tomatoes.

“Your attention to detail is beyond question.”

Onions, mushrooms, mustard.

“Everyone appreciates all the effort you put in.”

Mayonnaise - I fucking hate mayonnaise.

“While you've proven yourself as a valuable asset,”

Chips and a pickle.

“-the panel concluded your qualifications and experience are not a good fit for the Director of Radiotelescope Studies at this time.

And there it is - the shit.

*****

With italics, the reader knows what the MC is thinking in real time. It's a like dialogue, but the MC responses are internal. I'm sure there are several ways to do it, but this is mine.

 

[Eva Ulian]

I like @Bloo 's way of separating the MC's thoughts from the rest of the story. I do it in a more conventional way, I just say what happens. The best way I can explain it is by posting an example:

Daniele came up to me and whispered in my ear:

“Where do your friends keep their marbles?” He took the glass away from me menacingly. “Surely, you must know that.”

I smiled, “Of course I do… under the Church of Monte Berico.” I took the glass off him. “In the catacombs…”

“Catacombs? What catacombs?”

“Oh, you didn’t know about the catacombs?” I sighed. “No, of course, not being on the religious side, you would not know about them, would you?” I was trying to pass him off as being an ignoramus on local history. I wondered how long I would be able to keep up the farce, making up things without being found out. The more time dragged on, the more chances there were I would slip up. It was like writing an answer in an exam, the more you wrote the more mistakes you were likely to make.

 

[MattScho]

Yeah, so what I'm trying to figure out is what I italicize and what I don't.

Completely up to you. Bloo has pointed out that it's seen as a bit old fashioned. Weir sells many millions these days, and uses it. Kesey would use italics and bold and etc because he'd often throw three perspectives in a single paragraph, and he wanted to give the reader a clue that something was going on. A lot of writers believe that in context, the reader will figure it all out.
The only rule that really applies is what works, works.

 

[Bloo]

I do it in a more conventional way, I just say what happens. The best way I can explain it is by posting an example:

Daniele came up to me and whispered in my ear:

“Where do your friends keep their marbles?” He took the glass away from me menacingly. “Surely, you must know that.”

I smiled, “Of course I do… under the Church of Monte Berico.” I took the glass off him. “In the catacombs…”

“Catacombs? What catacombs?”

“Oh, you didn’t know about the catacombs?” I sighed. “No, of course, not being on the religious side, you would not know about them, would you?” I was trying to pass him off as being an ignoramus on local history. I wondered how long I would be able to keep up the farce, making up things without being found out. The more time dragged on, the more chances there were I would slip up. It was like writing an answer in an exam, the more you wrote the more mistakes you were likely to make.

That's a fine example, Eva.

 

[RK Wallis]

What I'm trying to figure out is what I italicize as my MC's thoughts as in first-person it's all coming from his perspective. Does "I wonder," or "I think" need to be in place? When My MC is reflecting on something, is that italicized? What about when they're describing something?

I'm with @Hannah F. It's a style choice. Like any other choice in writing, you should have a reason and purpose behind what you're writing. I realise that's a lot of expectation, but don't be hard on yourself. Just start with a basic understanding of what you're doing and why and grow bit-by-bit from there.

I write first person present tense. I've decided on very little italicisation. Too much annoys me as a reader. This example is maybe 8 scenes into my book, and besides this bit, there's one word italicised before it:

"A group of riders burst onto the servant bridge, only they’re not astride horses, they’re astride fanged steeds. It’s them—Mistriders.
I don’t understand. It’s before noon. And how did they even enter Riverroyal? Of course, the gate."

This is my choice. I know why I'm doing it (I don't want to annoy readers like it does me), but I don't mind the occasional emphasis. The more you read first person present, the more you'll discover your own preferences and style. Here's Chuck Wendig (opened randomly):

He lifts Randy’s head. Sees the chewed-up skin on the back of his neck.
“This is interesting,” the thin man says. He rubs his fingertip across the scabby, abraded flesh. Scritch, scritch. “A new technique?” “New tool,” Harriet explains. “I went to Bed Bath and Beyond and picked up some items from the kitchen department. That’s from a cheese grater. I also broke three of his fingers with a garlic press.”
“Innovative. And culinary.”
“Thank you.”

Wendig, Chuck. Blackbirds (Miriam Black Book 1) (p. 165). Gallery / Saga Press. Kindle Edition.

As @MattScho said, it's up to you

 

[Hannah F]

The best way to figure out your choice for first person POV is to read plenty of other authors' first person POVs. There isn't a right or wrong way of doing it. The only wrong things would be to pop out of their head or describe something they can't see/hear/taste/sense or narrate something they can't know.

 

[Claire G]

I use Italics for thoughts, especially when the first-person character doesn't want to say something aloud, e.g.

"I don't think we should do this."
I look at him.
"I just think it would be too dangerous," he explains, seeing my expression.
Well you should have thought about that before, shouldn't you? I want to say, but I bite my tongue.

 

[Hannah F]

The important thing about first person, however you do it, is that it's not exactly internal monologuing (though that comes into it but turns into boring naval gazing if overdone). It is the person talking to the reader that's living inside their head. They let you know their actions and give you privvy to their inner thoughts.

e.g: I hate him. I really do. Why, oh why, does my heart turn to jelly each time I see him?
I thump my diary onto the table and flick to today's date. I'm going to write this down, make myself remember:
He's no good for me. He's a cheating asshole. So do not, do not say yes next time he asks me out.

 

[Pamela Jo]

Figuring this out is art part of developing your voice. I was told to use italics in another group so that;s what I did. But it became uncomfortable. When I got more confident, I dropped it.

 

[Jake E]

I think it also depends on tense.

Past - bold
present - italics.

It was mid winter when I came across the body. A single boot sticking out of the snow - I almost mistook it for a root - which I only notcied because Max decided to go and have a sniff at it. That damn dog always gets me in trouble.

 

[Barbara]

RE, Italics: Someone once told me (and I don't know if it's true. I haven't looked into it further) that people with dyslexia struggle with italics (esp in big chunks of italic text).

Might be worth keeping in mind.

My current WIP is first person. I'm in her head so deep, I don't use italics. I just hope the reader follows her thought-hopping. It makes for a more 'unhinged' read, but that's what I'm aiming for with this MC.

 

[Hannah F]

RE, Italics: Someone once told me (and I don't know if it's true. I haven't looked into it further) that people with dyslexia struggle with italics (esp in big chunks of italic text).

Might be worth keeping in mind.

My current WIP is first person. I'm in her head so deep, I don't use italics. I just hope the reader follows. It makes for a more unhinged read, but that's my idea with this MC.

Yes, chunks of italics are very hard to read for dyslexics.

 

[Hannah F]

An example from Holly Black's Queen of Nothing (I chose one that doesn't give much away if you haven't read it):

The folk are running toward me. I hear the clang of steel and the hiss of arrows soaring through the air. It seems to come from very far away. All that is loud in my ears is the curse Valerian spoke . . .
May your hands always be stained with blood. May death be your only companion.

The author doesn't use italics for thought, just for memories of quotes that are important to the protagonist at that moment.

So, you see, there are many ways to achieve the same end. Choose what works best for you and your story.