One of my characters can speak to another character using telepathy. Should I put the thoughts in italics, or say "he thought". This is the only way they can communicate, so it happens alot. Thanks in advance.
If it's a conversation with another, enclose it in double quotes, and let the context indicate the telepathy. Italics are not a standard way to indicate dialogue, either internal or external, even though you will see it occasionally. If it's the only way they communicate, then establish it early on, and thereafter treat it as if they are speaking normally, except that no one nearby hears them.
Alright, thanks. One of the characters is normal, and the other is a sort of spirit that only the MC can communicate with.
This is a tough one. I use telepathy quite a bit in my stories. I dance back and forth between ways to present the phenomenon and never seem happy with the way it looks. If you settle on something you like, PM me and show me. I would love an answer myself.
I personally agree with the first poster...If it happens a lot, as in the main part of the dialog, I'd probably use quotation marks. The context you use to begin the conversation should make it evident that they're speaking telepathically and not out loud. I read a story once where all the dialog was italicized instead of in quotation marks. I had a really, really hard time "hearing" the conversation as conversation as not as individual thoughts (which is usually what I attribute to italics).
