Divine Dialouge

Italics, underline, whatever. You shouldn't be using different fonts in your manuscript anyway -- it's a typesetter's job when your manuscript has been accepted and is going to production. Why worry about formatting now?

If you want them to sound divine and epic, choose your words wisely. It's not about formatting, at least not in manuscript stage.

I've seen caps used to good effect in early Moorcock novels when characters converse with gigantic gods with booming voices. So, why not?

Changing fonts maybe isn't such a good idea, unless you're creating a comic book.

-Derek

maestrowork said:

If you want them to sound divine and epic, choose your words wisely. It's not about formatting, at least not in manuscript stage.

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I agree. If you want them to sound holy, give them beautiful words. Use a style of dialogue that works well and portrays them as divine beings. The readers will find the words more important than the style.

Although:
CAPITAL LOCKS MAKE IT SOUND LIKE THE PERSON IS YELLING. Brilliant for big loud gods.

Italics look old fashioned and more pretty. Perfect for old, holy god.

And underline just looks kind of weird, unless it's a title. (Also, in manuscripts, whatever words you want in Italics you underline as Italics can't be seen in Courier. Therefore, if you underline they will think you want it in Italics.

And bold makes the person seem like their words are more important. Could work for gods, but you had better check that bold doesn't get removed when it's been formatted.

The ones most commonly seen in manuscripts are capital locks and Italics. They are probably going to work best, IMO. But I wouldn't recommend changing the fonts.

My god just speaks like everyone else, when he's in human form. When he's in one of his many other forms, humans don't understand his language anyway.

It's DIALOGUE, by the way. Capped for godly origin.

Anything for now. That's something for the editors to worry about.

NO NO NO on using different fonts. I used to do that all the time and now when I see others do it, even if they're not intending to get published, it just grates on me. The only thing a weird font does is makes it harder to read. Font types need to be used VERY sparingly, so I wouldn't go that route.

USE CAPS LOCK ONLY IF THE GOD IS INCREDIBLY LOUD AND BOOMING AND AWE INSPIRING. I use caps lock when a character is yelling very loudly, and I have a character who talks like this when angry, BUT, that's mainly because he's a Thunderbird, and is about the size of a small plane. So naturally his voice would LOOK LIKE THIS IF PUT IN TYPE! IF YOU WRITE YOUR GODS TALKING LIKE THIS, READERS WILL ASSUME THE MORTALS' EARS WILL REALLY BE IN PAIN!

I would eschew bold and underline, and go with italics if need be. But if you truly want your gods to sound godlike and archaic, you'll have to study some archaic-sounding dialogue. Italics can only denote that there's something unusual about the speech in question--they can't tell the reader what that something unusual is. The dialogue itself will have to convey how godlike they are. You mentioned that they talk in an archaic style, and italics can't convey that. You'll have to figure out the exact words they use. Maybe their speech is really flowery and ornate; maybe they use older forms of words. That's for you to find out. You might need to use trial-and-error.

In an old story of mine, my gods talked normally amongst themselves, but when they talked through a sort of oracle, they used archaic speech like, "Thou must travel far if thou wishest to see thy family again." I would NOT recommend this, however, unless you know how to use the correct forms of words, like "thou" or "thee," or "thy" or "thine," or "wishest" or "wisheth," etc. Most people don't understand those things...I'm not even sure if I do. Maybe that's why I don't write that way anymore. *scratches head*

Personally I'd go with the italics, but then I don't believe God usually shouts, either.

I don't know about using a different font, or even italics for every line a character says. I think careful and evocative word choice is the way to go on this one.

VoltShadow said:

Okay I just have to have a few professional opinons (or amatuer, freelance, heck I'll even take people published in a school newspaper. I don't care, just a writer with more experience than me.)
I'm writing the dialouge for some cosmic beings (Gods if you would) and I'm having a few problems with dialouge. They speak in an archiac dialect already but I'm having trouble protraying their holiness (or anti-holiness based on the way they act). When they're talking amongst themselves, they speak in a normal font. But I don't know what font I should use when they speak to humans. So far I'm just using the unholy CAPS LOCK when they talk to my MCs, and from what I can tell their heralds as well. Should I just use itallics? Perhaps bold, or just a special font instead. I need them to sound devine and epic. Mainly epic. Can anyone offer some advice? Thanks all.

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What is said is more important than how it is said (as in written). Refer to the many Holy Books throughout the world in which the awe and majesty of God/s is inspired through words.

Use of different font/font size will make me think its a comedy.

VoltShadow said:

Okay I just have to have a few professional opinons (or amatuer, freelance, heck I'll even take people published in a school newspaper. I don't care, just a writer with more experience than me.)

Click to expand...

VoltShadow said:

I'm writing the dialouge for some cosmic beings (Gods if you would) and I'm having a few problems with dialouge. They speak in an archiac dialect already but I'm having trouble protraying their holiness (or anti-holiness based on the way they act). When they're talking amongst themselves, they speak in a normal font. But I don't know what font I should use when they speak to humans. So far I'm just using the unholy CAPS LOCK when they talk to my MCs, and from what I can tell their heralds as well. Should I just use itallics? Perhaps bold, or just a special font instead. I need them to sound devine and epic. Mainly epic. Can anyone offer some advice? Thanks all.

Click to expand...

Well, here is my amateur advice . If you were trying to portray their holiness or lack of it, it would be more impressive to have them say something that contradicts a previous action. Assuming they are speaking the same language as everyone else there is no reason to change fonts or italic -I can gather from his/her action, his/her emotion. It is the writer’s job to convey these feelings by showing it (facial expressions, body language, tone of voice, etc.) not just putting it in a different font and expecting me (as the reader) to buy his/her emotional state. Even if they were trying to conceal their emotions or were impartial to what was going on, I would expect their tone (flat) or expression (blank or bored) to portray this. CAPS, italics or font change does not do this.
Their dialect also will suggest that they are if not god (dess), they are not from whatever region your setting takes place so there is no reason to change into another font or bold.

Bayley said:

I agree. If you want them to sound holy, give them beautiful words. Use a style of dialogue that works well and portrays them as divine beings. The readers will find the words more important than the style.

Click to expand...

Bayley said:

Although:
CAPITAL LOCKS MAKE IT SOUND LIKE THE PERSON IS YELLING. Brilliant for big loud gods.

Italics look old fashioned and more pretty. Perfect for old, holy god.

And underline just looks kind of weird, unless it's a title. (Also, in manuscripts, whatever words you want in Italics you underline as Italics can't be seen in Courier. Therefore, if you underline they will think you want it in Italics.

And bold makes the person seem like their words are more important. Could work for gods, but you had better check that bold doesn't get removed when it's been formatted.

The ones most commonly seen in manuscripts are capital locks and Italics. They are probably going to work best, IMO. But I wouldn't recommend changing the fonts.

Click to expand...

If this is a fictional novel, there is a certain format to follow. Italics are usually used for mental thoughts or flashbacks (and it would be good to
minimize this and find other ways to convey the information you need to get across IMO because too much italic on the page is bothersome to read). Underlining is not usually used in the published version although when submitting it out (to my understanding) it is used to show you want a certain section italicized. There are several threads on this site that can better tell you what format to utilize for the genre you are working in but you can also visit the website of the publishing house you wish to submit to so that they can tell you their preference.
This is very important.
Not saying your first draft has to be formatted correctly but by the time you submit it, it should be. It may be the copyeditor job to make sure the book is formatted properly but in order for the MS to make its way into their hands, it has to be passed on by an editor who does expect it to be polished at least to meet the minimum formatting guidelines.
So you may as well begin formatting your story the way they request now. You can even set up your formatting requirements on Word by creating a template that matches it and whenever you click on that format, it will automatically format your work that way (for the most part).

VoltShadow said:

Okay I just have to have a few professional opinons (or amatuer, freelance, heck I'll even take people published in a school newspaper. I don't care, just a writer with more experience than me.)

Click to expand...

VoltShadow said:

I'm writing the dialouge for some cosmic beings (Gods if you would) and I'm having a few problems with dialouge. They speak in an archiac dialect already but I'm having trouble protraying their holiness (or anti-holiness based on the way they act). When they're talking amongst themselves, they speak in a normal font. But I don't know what font I should use when they speak to humans. So far I'm just using the unholy CAPS LOCK when they talk to my MCs, and from what I can tell their heralds as well. Should I just use itallics? Perhaps bold, or just a special font instead. I need them to sound devine and epic. Mainly epic. Can anyone offer some advice? Thanks all.

Click to expand...

Well, here is my amateur advice . If you were trying to portray their holiness or lack of it, it would be more impressive to have them say something that contradicts a previous action. Assuming they are speaking the same language as everyone else there is no reason to change fonts or italic -I can gather from his/her action, his/her emotion. It is the writer’s job to convey these feelings by showing it (facial expressions, body language, tone of voice, etc.) not just putting it in a different font and expecting me (as the reader) to buy his/her emotional state. Even if they were trying to conceal their emotions or were impartial to what was going on, I would expect their tone (flat) or expression (blank or bored) to portray this. CAPS, italics or font change does not do this.
Their dialect also will suggest that they are if not god (dess), they are not from whatever region your setting takes place so there is no reason to change into another font or bold.

Bayley said:

I agree. If you want them to sound holy, give them beautiful words. Use a style of dialogue that works well and portrays them as divine beings. The readers will find the words more important than the style.

Click to expand...

Bayley said:

Although:
CAPITAL LOCKS MAKE IT SOUND LIKE THE PERSON IS YELLING. Brilliant for big loud gods.

Italics look old fashioned and more pretty. Perfect for old, holy god.

And underline just looks kind of weird, unless it's a title. (Also, in manuscripts, whatever words you want in Italics you underline as Italics can't be seen in Courier. Therefore, if you underline they will think you want it in Italics.

And bold makes the person seem like their words are more important. Could work for gods, but you had better check that bold doesn't get removed when it's been formatted.

The ones most commonly seen in manuscripts are capital locks and Italics. They are probably going to work best, IMO. But I wouldn't recommend changing the fonts.

Click to expand...

If this is a fictional novel, there is a certain format to follow. Italics are usually used for mental thoughts or flashbacks (and it would be good to
minimize this and find other ways to convey the information you need to get across IMO because too much italic on the page is bothersome to read). Underlining is not usually used in the published version although when submitting it out (to my understanding) it is used to show you want a certain section italicized. There are several threads on this site that can better tell you what format to utilize for the genre you are working in but you can also visit the website of the publishing house you wish to submit to so that they can tell you their preference.
This is very important.
Not saying your first draft has to be formatted correctly but by the time you submit it, it should be. It may be the copyeditor job to make sure the book is formatted properly but in order for the MS to make its way into their hands, it has to be passed on by an editor who does expect it to be polished at least to meet the minimum formatting guidelines.
So you may as well begin formatting your story the way they request now. You can even set up your formatting requirements on Word by creating a template that matches it and whenever you click on that format, it will automatically format your work that way (for the most part).