Question for the TF: Ani-Inclied Part of the Flist

[beckyh2112]

Because I've been gnawing on this problem off-and-on for the last day or so and still have nothing like a workable answer.

How would you write a scene from Ani Blitzwing's point-of-view? More specifically, how do you write the stuff inside his head, rather than him talking with himself and other people?

Comments

[seiberwing]

...you know, I hadn't thought of that. O_o

Italics and bold, maybe?

[wingus]

Non-italics and italics, plus color-coded text. Red for AngryFace, blue for ColdFace, and black for CrazyFace. Italics for stuff in his head, and regular for speaking with others.

[seiberwing]

Color-coded only works in certain formats, though.

[wingus]

True. Though...dang, I meant to do that as a general journal comment. XD;

[apathocles]

I've been wondering about this, myself. I haven't actually tried writing him, yet, so I'm not sure. However, in my head, his inner dialogue tends to be in italics, with dashes to separate each one... when they're butting in and cutting each other off, anyway (which they tend to do in my head all the time).

If they're actually being allowed to finish their sentences... hmm. I'm not sure if I'd still use a dash, or just start a new paragraph. I like to think that if they're written well enough, you would need few or no indicators as to whose thoughts are whose. After all, they have pretty distinctive voices.

[invisiblemoose]

Yeah, I am totally agreeing with this. Each persona is distinguishable enough. Either hyphens or paragraph breaks anytime a new persona takes over.

[beckyh2112]

Yeah, doing something like that would be workable. Especially since I personally find italicizing thoughts to be ugly. Comes of writing third-person limited all the time, I think.

[apathocles]

I don't mind italicising of thoughts if it's done in small amounts, but in large amounts... yeah.

[fadura_fadeway]

Kerclick.

“Are you all stupid? Obviously the head should be smash in first!” (Put angry thoughts here.)

Kerclick.

“We should start a bit more tactfully than that. If the cranium should be damaged to any extent, we could risk losing valuable data.” (Put more or less sane thoughts here.)"Lord Megatron will be displeased if we do not--"

Kerclick.

“He looks like candy! Let’s eat him!” (Thoughts? Strange imagery? Descriptions related to silly music?)

---

I’d probably add annoyingly descriptive sentences after that in third person format, although it could be done in first person as well. Thoughts would be in italic. Normally I just assume that the people who would read the fic already know the characters. Or at least have some idea of how they are like, so there isn’t much need for excessive coding to show who is who.

[beckyh2112]

What about when he's not talking to anyone, such as when he's in an alt-mode and he can't change his face? How does he think of himself in relation to his faces?

Not really fond of italicizing thoughts, myself.

[fadura_fadeway]

Me neither on the italics. Prefer them more for emphasis not thoughts, but the italics are universally used for both.

I haven't thought very much about how the three persona concept would work in alt mode, but I keep on thinking that the manifestations of each personality would be echoed mentally in alt mode where it was physical in robot mode. Cartoon points out that Angry Face tends to be the more dominant facet in tank mode while Calm Face is jet, but there also the whole ice/fire cannon thing. And it leaves Random bouncing around in between.