When eavesdropping?

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KD_Kilker

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My protagonist is listening in on a conversation happening on the other side of a door. Should I have the conversation in the other room in italics, or what? I feel I need to format it differently for whatever reason. Otherwise, it just seems wrong to me, putting the indirect dialogue and the direct dialogue (other people eavesdropping with her, whispering comments along the way) floating above one another. It feels like it's all happening in the same place.

Thoughts?
 

Clair Dickson

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I'd just format it normally. With a few dialogue tags to indicate any shifts from the conversation in the room to the one outside it. And limit the commentary to reduce confusion.
 

Ludka

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I agree with Clair. Let your editor tell you how to format if she wants you to format it. Otherwise, let your dialogue tags and your exposition tell the reader what's going on.
 
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