in writing a novel should you use quotes around someones thoughts?

Question

When a character in a novel thinks something, should there be quotes around those thoughts, just like regular conversation between people?

Answer 1

Don't (put quotation marks), if you're making the book in first person. Otherwise, yes (or pick).

Answer 2

As a fellow writer, I would say no. When you put quotes around a charachter's thoughts, it just looks to similar to speach. People may read the story very quickly, and jumble what is spoken and what is not. Particulary if what was being thought reveals something personal, you don't want your readers to be thinking they told it to the world!
I put thoughts in italics in my own stories.

Answer 3

You can, though I've found single quotes or even just italics with no quotes (or a different format, print vs. cursive, if you're writing by hand) works well enough to differentiate thoughts from speech.

Answer 4

Using quote marks around thoughts isn't really necessary. Most writers use italics, however if you'd like to take another path you might borrow KA Applegate's idea and use < and > for thoughts.

It's your choice, best of luck to you.

Answer 5

No. Most of the books I have read have the thoughts in italics. Some have just regular writing like:

blah blah blah blah blah, I thought.

Answer 6

Using quotes usually mean dialogue. I much prefer using Italics to denote inner thoughts. Try to avoid using tags as:
She thought, (and then her inner thoughts).

Instead, place an action tag before the inner thoughts and let them speak for herself.

Answer 7

I always put my character's thoughts in italics.

Answer 8

No, wait ... writers often use italics instead.

Answer 9

No, I would use italics.

Answer 10

It could be. But it needs more life. Try and cut a lot of 'saids' and decriptions like 'matter-of-factly'. It slows the text down. Remember that the start of your book is an introduction more than anything else. You're breathing life into the main character and it is crucial that you make the connection asap. I'd try and keep words like 'darn' out of it because you want the language of your novel to be dateless and adding things like that to the text will need to be reserved and connected to the characters persona if used at all. If he's old - you use 'darn' as something he says. If he's young steer clear of it. I think I should warn you, third person is not kindly looked upon in publishing these days and if it is published it needs to be flawless. You're not there quite yet. Everything you've written is a great base - but can be made much shorter, and it should. For example, the first line 'Money and all the other forms money came in are all Damien Risquette gave a darn about'. Ideally you wouldn't include this kind of method. You would show in what he does and how he acts that money was all he cared about. But if you must. Add effect. 'Money. It was all Damien cared about. He woke up with the stock reports in the morning and fell asleep with velvet notes at night.' Okay, so I'm not Shakespeare. But you get the idea. It sets up the character. Brings the world to life. Think 3d. “Excuse me Mr. Risquette would you please repeat what you said” she asked using her matter-of-factly tone again, mixed though with a your-screwed type tone "Mr. Risquette, did you have something to say?" Damien knew by her tone and the wrinkled arch of her eyebrow he was screwed either way. If some places you're also mixing tenses so it can be confusing. A writing course might help. It helped me but it's not for everyone. Create the scene with your words. Set up your character with your imagery. It seems you haven't quite got his voice yet, there's the basis of snobbery but we're not quite 'feeling' it. The reader also needs to believe Damien thinks, wants or sees the need for change. Adding sympathy to the character. The reader doesn't need to like him, but they need to understand him. If the story is about finding other forms of wealth. He needs a reason, and it really should be in the first chapter so you can start the 'story' part of the book. I don't know what direction you're taking this in - but I kind of expected there to be some trace of other kids/students. You can't just push the story using teachers alone. Does he have friends? What do they think about him? Does he have enemies? How do they torture him? How does he respond? A girlfriend? Who's going to help him on his journey? What do they think of him at the beginning? What drives them to help? Like I said, think 3D. Sorry if this is too critical. You really do have a great base. It just needs polishing and development.