Ask Jerry
If I don’t italicize the inner thoughts..
Asked by Tayler Heston on January 5, 2024
When a character is thinking, should I write it
"I don't understand what she's doing?" or
'I don't understand what she's doing?'
Don't understand the difference?
Jerry's Answer
Don't use quote marks, Tayler. Write it in such a way that we KNOW it's a thought--in first person and present tense.
I turned my back to her, wondering, What in the world is she doing?