: Re: How should I format a point-of-view character's thoughts? Can you use italics in first person if you are showing the main character's inner thoughts even if the main character is also the narrator?

@Radia543

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Placing italics with thoughts in first person puts you in a difficult position because you will frequently be faced with that decision. Where do you draw the line?

I would draw it where you have a tense change from past to present. And possibly from past to past perfect, but that doesn't really alter the reader's flow. Change to italics lets the reader know you have jumped time frame. It's analogous to regular dialogue in a third-person, past-tense point of view. However, several successful writers simply stick to roman in first person.

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