Young Writers Society

Okay, I'm writing a telepathic character and I'm not sure how to put this. Because it would be interesting to have someone think something and the telepath to say, excuse me? I was wondering. How could you differentiate between thoughts, and telepathic chat? Should you? Do you have to? Would YOU?

I've seen this in Animorphs, when the kids talk to each other when in animal morphs. Since most animal tongues may not be able to speak human tongues, they have thought-speak.

<I need help.>
<What's wrong, Hero?>
<Well, it's just something for What Makes Heroes>
<Oh, can't help you there.>

or should I stick to italics?

Help me!
With what, Hero?
Well, it's just a story I have that' troubling me.

And finally, how would you narrate three people in the chat. Should I take a 'chat' approach to this.

In my mind, I could see like... I could feel a sort of list.

Jack: Andrea, We need Help
Andrea: What the heck have you guys done?
Jason: Remember that stuff in Washington? Well, I'm sorry to say...

Thanks guys!

Personally, I'd stick to italics. The <>s look weird (even though they use something similar in French).

Italics might be better though. And you can differentiate other ways. Look at this:

Kim, can you hear me?
Loud and clear. What's up?
It's just that I saw something really weird up by the stream...
Oh, lord, not again.

But say you wanted to make that last line a piece of thought rather than communication. Simple! Tag it!

Kim, can you hear me? Andy's thoughts reached out and tugged at mine.
Loud and clear. What's up? I asked him, still watching the entrance to the cave.
It's just that I saw something really weird up by the stream... He trailed off and didn't tell me what.
Oh, lord, not again, I thought to myself, breaking the connection.

Or you could leave the thoughts normal.

Kim, can you hear me? Andy's thoughts reached out and tugged at mine.
Loud and clear. What's up? I asked him, still watching the entrance to the cave.
It's just that I saw something really weird up by the stream... He trailed off and didn't tell me what.
Oh, lord, not again, I thought.

I say you stick with whatever you feel will draw more interest. If it means italics, go for it. If it means using these: <> go for it. If it means () go for it. Try something new, that's what I say.

You could use italics in quotation marks for telepathy, and italics without quotes for normal thoughts.

Psh, go Animorphs style if you're going to be using it a lot. Too many italics make things annoying.

I say "Animorphs style". If it were just an instance or two, go with italics, but since you seem to be going to do it a lot, save the italics for other things to avoid confusion.

But hey, do whatever appeals to you so long as you make it understandable.

I write in italics for my telepaths. Usually like this:

Estella! Please, he sent to her, not wanting to look back. Just let me do this...

You know I can't, she replied.

Just like regular dialogue without the quotation marks.

You could use <> or something similar like ~insert dialogue~. I think that would be clearer than using italics =]

Thanks everyone! Especially Hippie and Kida.

I once read a book which had telepathic thoughts like this.

--Hello, I'm talking to you telepathically.

I think that's the best way.

(normal thoughts were just in italics)

Italics.