Question about quotation marks (characters talking to themselves)

CraftyCreations411 said:

I know, I know, the title seems a little strange but I can't find any information on what I'm looking for and knew that the wonderful folks here would be able to help.

I know that if someone is actually speaking, quotes are used. I learned that internal thoughts don't use quotes.

BUT

What if I'm having an out loud conversation with myself, do I use quotes?

Candy

Click to expand...

Yes.

I don't.

But wait, I thought. Do I really want to go there? No. I don't.
So I turned and went the other way.

happywritermom said:

I don't.

But wait, I thought. Do I really want to go there? No. I don't.
So I turned and went the other way.

Click to expand...

Thoughts aren't out loud.

And in your case, 'I thought' would be unnecessary. Who other than the viewpoint character would be thinking these thoughts?

A spur-of-the-moment example in regard to the quotation mark question, but your critique has been noted.

CraftyCreations411 said:

What if I'm having an out loud conversation with myself, do I use quotes?

Click to expand...

I interpreted this to mean the character was talking to herself, out loud. Not silently thinking. Talking out loud requires quotes, IMO.

None. This isn't an argument, it's a series of thoughts. If you're in this character's head--she's the viewpoint character--this is exposition.

Exactly. Making it out loud is really just unnecessarily making things difficult for yourself.

Aidan Watson-Morris said:

Exactly. Making it out loud is really just unnecessarily making things difficult for yourself.

Click to expand...

Some people actually do talk to themselves aloud. If that's what her character is doing, what is the rationale for not using quote marks?

I see what you're saying. If she's actually talking out loud, then I agree. Quotation marks would make that clear to the reader.

Devil Ledbetter said:

Some people actually do talk to themselves aloud. If that's what her character is doing, what is the rationale for not using quote marks?

Click to expand...

Well, unless it's an important part of their character, I would cut it.

I think that I would cut it, unless you make it clear somehow that your character is talking to herself.

I guess it depends. Quote marks seems the easiest way to denote a narrator speaking aloud, even by herself.

But there's room for inventiveness. Speaking to one's self immediately gives me a vibe that there's a hint of craziness or neurotic psychology. So maybe if the character doesn't realize she's talking aloud, don't use quotes, so the reader's on the same mental level with your narrator. Then reveal at some point that she'd been talking all this time, and scaring a small child that wandered by or something.

I dunno I'm stretching and being more confusing than helpful. That's what happens after writing an abstract on an article about Much Ado About Nothing and then trying to write a forum post at 3 a.m. Leave me alone

Talking out loud to oneself is not an automatic sign of craziness or neurotic anything but, whatever one does, remember the reader has to follow it without scratching their head and wondering who is saying what to whom.

One can be too clever sometimes.

Speaking to one's self immediately gives me a vibe that there's a hint of craziness or neurotic psychology.

Click to expand...

What the old 'first sign of madness' thing? Next we'll be looking for hair on our palms...People talk to themselves all the time. Even quite sane people.


If they're actually talking out loud, I'd go for the quotes. But it's easy to overdo, so I'd keep it to one or two lines. Unless she has a handy cat she can be talking to

If you NEED all of that spoken out loud, I think maybe I'd separate the different opinions with something other than line breaks, and add more beats. It seems clearer, to me, if it's:

“So what are you going wear tonight?” Just one more thing for me to worry about. Wardrobe, PLUS a propensity to think out loud. Oh well, the thinking out loud works for me; it's the wardrobe that's bringing me down. What the hell do I want to wear?
“How about an old blanket?” It would cover the rolls of flab I just found sprouting out of my back. “Nah, you only have the military ones unless you want to use that new one you got.”
And I need to actually find something to wear, not just amuse myself. “Get serious. I wish I had thought to ask him where we were going, then I’d have some idea what to wear.” I open the closet door and peer inside. “Oooh, I know! Wear the black skirt and the long sleeve white blouse. Skirt’ll be long enough that he would really have to work to get off and if you go somewhere where it’s cold, then the skirt and blouse will keep you warm.” This sounds like the beginnings of a plan. Except, “Yeah, but what if he takes me somewhere where the skirt and blouse will make me look dumber than dumb?”

I don't know, maybe I rescind that suggestion. It still feels pretty weird. I talk to myself, but I don't have huge conversations like that...

Your example is more like internal thought and would not need quotes or separate paragraphs.

When I have a character speak aloud to himself, I use quotes and tag it with she said to herself, or she said to the closed door, or she said to no one.

Bufty said:

Talking out loud to oneself is not an automatic sign of craziness or neurotic anything but, whatever one does, remember the reader has to follow it without scratching their head and wondering who is saying what to whom.

One can be too clever sometimes.

Click to expand...

I wasn't implying it's a given. I'm just giving an additional suggestion. And I don't see how my suggestion would be confusing at all if well done. Readers can understand context and subtext.

I also disagree with the bolded part. I don't know this writer's intent, but if the intent is to temporarily confuse, then clarify, it's a perfectly valid intent and not a unique one to my suggestion.

My overall point, like others on this thread, though, is that in a narrative talking aloud possibly seems out of place--or vaguely referential to an "aside." Since asides are so unconventional, I don't think it lends as much to a modern narrative without a reason for being there, ie mental illness or some kind of neurotic unwinding. Or that the narrative sets itself up to be unconventional (though not a textual narrative, I think of the movie Funny Games).

But of course that's just my opinion.

I'd say that works better.

Your choice, but the ensuing 'discussion' comes across to me as both gimmicky and unnecessary because the narrative has already made the situation clear.

CraftyCreations411 said:

This is the paragraph just before my discussion with me.

[FONT=&quot]I turned the radio on and sang along with the country songs. Music made the time go faster and the cleaning easier. I enjoyed having a room to myself but at the same time disliked it. The peace and quiet was comforting but I was the only one to make sure that everything was spotless. I was responsible for the entire room. It would have been nice to have someone to talk to beside myself.

Then comes the discussion. Does this clear things up or make them muddier?

Candy
[/FONT]

Click to expand...