Characters Sending Texts

[slyc_willie]

I have an idea rolling around in my head for a story that involves the main characters sending a lot of text messages to each other on their phones. For the time being, I'm writing the texts as normal dialogue:

"Tell me what you're wearing," she read in the message window.

. . . but I wonder if there would be an acceptable, and easily recognized way of using something other than quotes.

<Tell me what you're wearing.>

-Tell me what you're wearing.-

*Tell me what you're wearing.*

I've seen some of the above used in various stories (both on Lit and in mainstream publications) to denote things like telepathic communication, or speaking in a foreign language (I've used "<he said this>" to indicate characters speaking other languages before). I'm wondering if it would be suitable to use a similar convention to indicate texting.

I understand, of course, that some characters mean different things in different formatting styles, and I don't want to run the risk of accidentally formatting something.

Thoughts? Has anyone written texting into any of their stories?

 

[sr71plt]

I think any would be understandable--if you remained consistent. I don't know of any authorities that have gotten around to addressing this yet.

 

[slyc_willie]

I think any would be understandable--if you remained consistent. I don't know of any authorities that have gotten around to addressing this yet.

I've checked online to see if any of the powers that be had anything to say on it and came up with nothing concrete. With texting being a relatively recent development, I'm not surprised.

 

[TxRad]

I did a story from a chat program and used this format <Tell me what you're wearing.> with initials in front of the lines to keep track of who was typing.

I've never posted it here but I did get a reaction or two at another site and it seemed to work.

 

[slyc_willie]

I did a story from a chat program and used this format <Tell me what you're wearing.> with initials in front of the lines to keep track of who was typing.

I've never posted it here but I did get a reaction or two at another site and it seemed to work.

I have seen that used to indicate chatting, and figured since both chatting and texting are essentially the same type of dialogue, it would make sense to use < >. At the least, it would establish a convention (for me, anyway).

 

[TxRad]

I have seen that used to indicate chatting, and figured since both chatting and texting are essentially the same type of dialogue, it would make sense to use < >. At the least, it would establish a convention (for me, anyway).

My thinking exactly. Now, how are you going to handle text speak? Most of the older readers would need a translation guide.

 

[PennLady]

I think, as sr said, as long as you're consistent, it probably doesn't matter what you do. I used short exchanges in one of my stories, and just did them in italics.

 

[slyc_willie]

My thinking exactly. Now, how are you going to handle text speak? Most of the older readers would need a translation guide.

That's another thing, but I don't think I'll tackle that. I don't want to use 'text speak' as that, too me, looks extremely juvenile. I'll just assume that my two main characters are conscious enough of their grammar and spelling.

I think, as sr said, as long as you're consistent, it probably doesn't matter what you do. I used short exchanges in one of my stories, and just did them in italics.

I thought of italics, but I typically reserve that for inner dialogue. I don't want to confuse the reader.

 

[PennLady]

I thought of italics, but I typically reserve that for inner dialogue. I don't want to confuse the reader.

Are you using inner dialogue in the story? Because if not, then confusion shouldn't be an issue. Even if you are, I think you need to give the reader some credit. If you state it's a text exchange, people will understand it's a text exchange; the mere presence of italics won't confuse them. I mean, you probably use the occasional italics for emphasis in a story that has inner dialogue, right?

The only real confusion I could see is if you had the inner dialogue *and* the text in the same scene. Otherwise, I think you'd be fine.

 

[sr71plt]

I don't think italics is a good idea. It sets in the reader's mind as being for something else established.

 

[Weird Harold]

I've checked online to see if any of the powers that be had anything to say on it and came up with nothing concrete. With texting being a relatively recent development, I'm not surprised.

Lacking specific guidance for texting, I would check and see what the guidance for letters, newspapers, books, etc cited in fiction might be. Texting, chat, e-mails and online articles are basically extensions of the same concept.

 

[TxRad]

I think, as sr said, as long as you're consistent, it probably doesn't matter what you do. I used short exchanges in one of my stories, and just did them in italics.

If a lot of the story is from the texting, then the <> would be best as I've always though italic should be used sparingly.

 

[sr71plt]

These just call for block quotes. Big blocks of it wouldn't be any different from looking at straight text.

You could just not ruminate for a long time over something that apparently hasn't been addressed by authorities and just do something clear and simply (like where this started).

 

[Handley_Page]

I think that if you look at some of the published howlers (see Lamebook), or the 'screen quotes' in jokes, you'll get a good idea of how is it best seen these days.
Something like this, perhaps:

Alice:
[ hello. How are you?]

 

[glynndah]

I think I'd stay away from italics since that's already established as "thoughts". I'd be confused as to whether the characters were typing or thinking. As to < >, ** or [], I'd use the brackets simply because the shift key isn't necessary.

 

[HeyAll]

I like to describe what's happening, and then use colons, followed by the text in italics.

Example:

Emma laughed and typed her response: I'll be there are 3pm sharp!

 

[sr71plt]

I think I'd stay away from italics since that's already established as "thoughts". I'd be confused as to whether the characters were typing or thinking. As to < >, ** or [], I'd use the brackets simply because the shift key isn't necessary.

Actually italics are no longer supported by authorities for thoughts. They now only sanction use of straight roman or double quotes. You can certainly use them for thoughts, it you like, but you are no longer supported by the Chicago Manual of Style in doing so.

We cover this pretty regularly on the AH.

 

[sr71plt]

I like to describe what's happening, and then use colons, followed by the text in italics.

Example:

Emma laughed and typed her response: I'll be there are 3pm sharp!

That could get really tedious and awkward in a long computer chat. They're just sitting there at the computers. You might be able to provide more action if they are walking and texting, but that would get pretty forced after a while too.

 

[glynndah]

Actually italics are no longer supported by authorities for thoughts. They now only sanction use of straight roman or double quotes. You can certainly use them for thoughts, it you like, but you are no longer supported by the Chicago Manual of Style in doing so.

We cover this pretty regularly on the AH.

I have a tendency to daydream when I should be taking notes, I guess. Fortunately, the powers that be at Lit are fine with my italic thoughts.

 

[slyc_willie]

Are you using inner dialogue in the story? Because if not, then confusion shouldn't be an issue. Even if you are, I think you need to give the reader some credit. If you state it's a text exchange, people will understand it's a text exchange; the mere presence of italics won't confuse them. I mean, you probably use the occasional italics for emphasis in a story that has inner dialogue, right?

The only real confusion I could see is if you had the inner dialogue *and* the text in the same scene. Otherwise, I think you'd be fine.

I tend to have a lot of inner dialogue, especially when the focus on the story is on what one character is doing. Having inner dialogue takes place of regular dialogue in that it breaks up what would otherwise be monotonous blocks of narrative.

If I used italics for two different things, I think that would confuse the reader. Or, at the least, make the text look chaotic.

If a lot of the story is from the texting, then the <> would be best as I've always though italic should be used sparingly.

I've pretty much decided at this point to go with < >. It seems to fit best.

I like to describe what's happening, and then use colons, followed by the text in italics.

Example:

Emma laughed and typed her response: I'll be there are 3pm sharp!

For reasons above, I wouldn't use italics to indicate the texting. Your example does set it off from the rest of the narrative, but if I'm also using italics for inner dialogue (which I am), then I think it would get too jumbled.

Thanks for all the input.

 

[oggbashan]

I haven't used it for texting, but when I have characters who are conversing in a foreign language, I have used an Author's Note after the Title:

Much of the dialogue in this story, although written in English, would be in colloquial French.

You could have a note:

Any dialogue preceded and followed by a - is a text message, like this:

- Ten o'clock by the Post Office? -

- Nine-thirty better for me. -


Word, of course, would highlight all that as 'fragments'.

 

[slyc_willie]

I haven't used it for texting, but when I have characters who are conversing in a foreign language, I have used an Author's Note after the Title:

Much of the dialogue in this story, although written in English, would be in colloquial French.

You could have a note:

Any dialogue preceded and followed by a - is a text message, like this:

- Ten o'clock by the Post Office? -

- Nine-thirty better for me. -


Word, of course, would highlight all that as 'fragments'.

I am including an author's note explaining that < > indicate text messages.

Thank God I don't use Word.

 

[PennLady]

For what it's worth, I have an e-book called "Let's Get Naked," by Marianne LeCroix. It has a text exchange between the two main characters, and the author handled it by using quotes and italics. The story is told first person from the woman's POV. Her texts are in double quotes, his are in italics. Here's an example (I'm retyping, so sorry for any typos).

"No plans," I typed back.

Me, neither, he replied.

"That's too bad."

<text omitted by me>

Hello? he typed after a moment.

"I'm here."

Why don't we meet tonight?

"I thought we were strictly an online thing."

Looks like this is an Ellora's Cave publication, FWIW.

 

[patientlee]

I started and ended one of my summer stories with text messages, but I don't think what I did would work within the text.

Wicked Hot

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

TEXTS will be as passé as pages.