How to Clearly Format Non-Verbal Communication in Fiction

Author: Sandy Vaile 

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Have you ever been bamboozled when it comes to formatting non-verbal communications in a fictional story?

Things like text messages, social media posts, chat room conversations and emails can be tricky to incorporate seamlessly into a manuscript; yet they are so much a part of our everyday lives that leaving them out can make a story feel less authentic.

Today’s readers are accustomed to consuming a mixture of text and graphics on their screens, and eBooks offer the flexibility to include color, visuals and even interactive elements.

Let me walk you through how to format each type of non-verbal communication and take the stress out of incorporating these elements effectively into your stories. 

What to Keep in Mind

Non-verbal messages require a different approach than traditional narration. Unlike prose, these communications often occur in short bursts of abbreviated text rather than complete sentences, with little regard for correct grammar, spelling and punctuation.

​Understanding the difference will help you make them feel like a natural part of the story.

Drawbacks of Non-Verbal Communications

There are a few challenges to be aware of when considering including non-verbal communications in a story.

Formatting constraints

If you are self-publishing, formatting can be tricky.
And publishers may limit how elaborate you can go.

Print limitations 

Because printed books are usually restricted to black and white, adding colour images can be expensive.

Longevity

A potential downside to including digital communications, is that it can date your book. Let's face it, technology evolves rapidly and what is cutting-edge today might be outdated in a few short years. (We've all watched old movies where business men proudly hold a brick-sized mobile phone, right?) 

Go for the Simplest Solution

Fancy and colourful is not always the best choice, no matter how much you'd love to let your creativity loose. The purpose of non-verbal messages is to support the overall plot, rather than overwhelm it. 

To striked the right balance, focus on what's essential to telling your story.

• How much non-verbal communications is needed to add authenticity and deliver critical information to readers?
• How many messengers will be involved, because more means more complications?

So, it's worth focusing on the message content and sticking to simple formatting solutions like italics and indentations.

Format Social Media Posts

Incorporating visuals that emulate social media posts presents unique challenges, as mentioned above. But with thoughtful consideration, you can achieve a visual impact and publishing practicality.

Keep in mind:

• Each social media platform has it's own look and feel, so research the one you are emulating and be true to the design and common content you would find on it.
• Most social media posts include a date and/or time stamp, which can be useful for setting timeframes in a book, but can also date the book quickly.
• Posts will also include a name/avatar for the person posting it and a variety of responses, e.g. likes and comments. 

Formatting Text Messages

When your characters send mobile phone text messages, you want them to look distinct to the narrative. Keep in mind that texts tend to be brief, with little or no punctuation, often relying on abbreviations and the occassional emoji for added expression.

Indented

My preference is to indented texts from the left margin, with the name of the person who is texting. 

     Sam: R U going to the movies?
     Kylie: Won't make it, sorry. Sometimes left and right alignment is used to differentiate
     between the people messaging.
     Sam: R U going to the movies?
     Kylie: Won't make it on time, sorry.

Different font

You could also use a different font or italics.

Sam: R U going to the movies?
Kylie: Won't make it, sorry.

Part of the narrative

Or, you could also include the message as part of the narrative.

Hello there, Mary texted.
Hi ya. R U going to the movies? I texted back.

If you aren't able to include emojis you could mention them in the narrative, or describe them in brackets, e.g. (smiley face).

Format Emails

One advantage of email is that it has been consistently formatted since its inception. Therefore, they can be presented as they appear on-screen.

Indent the entire email and including the to, from, date, and subject fields, which are often italicised to distinguish them from the body of the email.

     To: Mary Smith
     From: Sam Johnson 
     Date: Thu 02/02/23 8:15 PM
     Subject: Movie date

     Hi Mary,
     Do you fancy going to the movies this Saturday with Kylie and I?
     Let me know ASAP.

     Sam xx 

Format Chat Room Transcripts

Next, let's explore chat room transcripts. These can be complex due their length, number of participants and the simultaneous conversations if there are multiple chat rooms. 

The Ink Black Heart by Robert Galbraith, features hundreds of pages of chat transcripts. While I initially found this tedious to read, I eventually adjusted to the format and appreciated the realism and value it added to the story. 

The transcripts were organized in columns, each representing a chat room, with up to three open at once and various participants joining and leaving. However, when reading on a Kindle or mobile phone, these appeared as a single column, making it harder to track who was in which room at any given time.

Blank lines (marked with '>') were used to indicate the passage of time.

Below is an example from The Ink Black Heart by Robert Galbraith.

Format Letters and Diary Entries

Letters and diary entries have been utilised as narrative tools since printed books began, and can add depth to a story by including the personal voice of a character.

• Letters and diary entries can provide insight into characters who don't have their own point of view or don't even appear in a story.
  
• They can also provide a unique perspective from a point of view character by communicating information from a different time in their life, or that perhaps wouldn't naturally be revealed by them. 

Whichever formatting method you choose:

• It should be clear when the document was written, who it was written by and for. 
  
• Depending on your preferences, you could also include the delivery address.

Epistolary novels 

An epistolary novel tells a story through a series of documents, e.g. letters, diary entries, articles, emails, newspaper clippings or even handwritten notes. This can offer a variety of perspectives of a subject or situation, and a unique reading experience. For example, World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks, which is a series of interviews from various survivors of a fictional zombie apocalypse. 

Italics

It is popular to format letters and diary entries by italicising them, but multiple pages of this can be draining on the eyes.

Dear Marilyn,
I am so looking forward to visiting you in Adelaide next month.
Love Bob

Indented

My favourite format is to indent text from letters and diary entries from both the left and right margins, so they sit more central on the page, with a blank line before and after them. 

Different font 

I have also seen different fonts used to make letters and diary entries stand out from the narrative.

Why Bring Non-Verbal Communications Into a Story? 

Now you can clearly format non-verbal communications in your stories so they stand apart from the narrative, while adding value to the overall plot. 

There are many more types of written communications than I've listed here, so don't discount police reports, hand written notes, excerpts from websites, telegrams, facsimiles, postcards, contracts, newspaper articles, etc. 

Incorporating written communications into a story is a great way to bring an added layer of realism and depth, allowing readers to experience your characters' inner thoughts and unique perspectives.

Just as dialogue reflects a character's unique voice, these written elements should also stay true to the individual, using their speech patterns, salutations, and colloquialisms to make their personality shine through. By paying attention to these details, you can create compelling and authentic written communications that enhance your narrative and connect with your audience.
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