voices in your head

[William Haskins]

someone says something to your character which seems benign at the time. later, it becomes relevant and the character hears it in his head as he remembers it.

how to format?

thanks in advance.

[refriedwhiskey]

Good one.

Me, I'd do it like this:

MICHAEL'S VOICE (V.O.)
...you never really think about it
until it happens to you.


(The italics just feel right, to sort of call extra attention to the fact that this is an earlier line the character's hearing again in his head.)

And of course you could precede that with a direction that indicated some significant thought just occurred to the character -- like maybe he "freezes in his tracks" or something.

[DUCPHO]

I'd write something like so;

Zack's words... reverberating over his consciousness...

ZACK(V.O.)

[Notarius]

Would it be appropriate to reference the page where the line was first spoken?

Steve recalls Michael’s words (p. 21) / or/ Steve recalls Michael’s words (cf 21)

MICHAEL'S VOICE (V.O.)
...you never really think about it
until it happens to you.

[whistlelock]

I wouldn't reference it like that, actually I wouldn't do that at all. That would totally take the reader out of the story.

But have you thought about having him repeat the phrase in a diffferent context? Off the top of my head, that seems to be how 'they' 'usually' handle that sort of thing. A character hearing something and then realizing it's relavence later on as he's speaking to a third character and repeats the line.

but I like Refried's suggestion, it calls attention to itself without being overly intrusive.

[Deus Ex Machine]

I don't see the need for Italics but to each his own.

Deus recalls what his mother said.

...............MOTHER (V.O.)
Stop picking it or you'll make it bleed.

[Jack0902]

I've done this in a script as follows:

As Jane looks at the window, she recalls John's words:

John (V.O)
If I look in that window, Jane,
you'll run away from me.