Post by mdnoyon on Jan 15, 2024 4:59:30 GMT
There is often confusion about the use of quotation marks in fiction : which ones to use for dialogue? Use quotes or hyphens? And what dashes then? Which quotes should you use instead to express the characters' thoughts? Let's first say that, if you want to publish with a publishing house, the choice of quotation marks is not up to the authors, but must be conformed to the ortho-editorial rules of the publishing house. However, it is a good idea to find out which quotation marks you use before sending your manuscript. A similar argument also applies if we want to self-publish, because those rules must still be decided before writing, so as not to end up with a non-uniform text.
In fact, while correcting the drafts of some manuscripts, I often noticed that some authors left the same quotation marks for both thoughts and dialogues or, worse, alternated them according to the inspiration of the moment. High or double quotation marks or Italian quotation marks: “…” I have Phone Number List rarely found them for dialogues, and in fact it seems that they are out of use, supplanted by corporals or hyphens. I use high quotation marks to show the characters' thoughts, but when they are directly expressed by the character. In fact, there are two different situations: “I absolutely have to write,” he thought. He absolutely had to write, he thought. In the first case the thought is comparable to a sort of direct speech, while in the second case, where the narrator shows the character's thoughts, I don't see the need to use quotation marks.
Single quotes or single quotes or double quotes: ′…′ First of all, let's clarify that a superscript (′) is not an apostrophe ('). When to use superscripts in fiction ? Honestly, I don't think I've ever seen quotes used for dialogue, nor for the characters' thoughts. Superscripts should be used to highlight an expression, also to underline its absurdity, for example: "He actually wrote 'I love you' in a message". Low quotation marks or corporals or sergeants: «…» They are today the favorite quotation marks to show dialogue. Many authors, especially beginners, do not use them, preferring high quotation marks for their ease of use.
In fact, while correcting the drafts of some manuscripts, I often noticed that some authors left the same quotation marks for both thoughts and dialogues or, worse, alternated them according to the inspiration of the moment. High or double quotation marks or Italian quotation marks: “…” I have Phone Number List rarely found them for dialogues, and in fact it seems that they are out of use, supplanted by corporals or hyphens. I use high quotation marks to show the characters' thoughts, but when they are directly expressed by the character. In fact, there are two different situations: “I absolutely have to write,” he thought. He absolutely had to write, he thought. In the first case the thought is comparable to a sort of direct speech, while in the second case, where the narrator shows the character's thoughts, I don't see the need to use quotation marks.
Single quotes or single quotes or double quotes: ′…′ First of all, let's clarify that a superscript (′) is not an apostrophe ('). When to use superscripts in fiction ? Honestly, I don't think I've ever seen quotes used for dialogue, nor for the characters' thoughts. Superscripts should be used to highlight an expression, also to underline its absurdity, for example: "He actually wrote 'I love you' in a message". Low quotation marks or corporals or sergeants: «…» They are today the favorite quotation marks to show dialogue. Many authors, especially beginners, do not use them, preferring high quotation marks for their ease of use.