Advice please on writing a 'mute' character?

[The Tennessee Kid]

I would just like it if someone would give me some information on the best way to write about a mute character. They are the main character and the story is from their POV. But i dont want to tell it in third? person because constantly saying 'i thought' would annoy me as a writer as it is not the direction I want to go.

Any help please?

Josh x

 

[Kissmequick]

Well, you don't have to put *I thought* in any more than you would have to put in *she thought* if there is ony one POV character.

i.e.

The man infront me pulled a knife. Legging it would be a good idea I thought

Becomes

The man in front of me pulled a knife. Legging it seemed a good idea.


The man in front of her pulled a knife. Run, she thought in fright.

becomes

The man in front of her pulled a knife. She ran for it, frightened out of her wits.


OK, crappy examples off the top of my head, but I've had it drummed into me that using *I thought* or *she thought* is a bad thing m'kay, and they are generally completely unnecessary words, even more so if there is only one POV( because who else is going to be sharing their thoughts on the page?). Even in multiple POV it is perfectly possible to write without using the words.

One of my tutors even went so far as to say that using the phrase can competely lose a readers immersion, as if you don't use *I thought* the sentence reads in the readers head as though they are thinking it, and it becomes more intimate and immediate, allowing them to connect much more easily with your character.

Just type it as though she is talking to herself in her head - do you ever add the tag I thought when you do that?

 

[The Tennessee Kid]

Excellent,thankyou. How would you show action though, as in, my character is 'legging it' would you not need to say they are legging it? lol

Josh x

 

[Kissmequick]

Well you'd only use they if there was more than one I should think.

I legged it
She legged it
They legged it

If you say they, you imply your POV character AND someone else is legging it

for the action

Legging it would be a good idea. I/she ran for it.

edit: Two examples

First person

[FONT=&quot]He crooked one knotty finger at me and headed off down the corridor, seemingly unaware, or unconcerned, at the target his back made. I followed cautiously, past a dark opening on my left where I could hear faint breathing. Whoever had made those muffled steps earlier?

Third person

[/FONT][FONT=&quot]She felt the blood drain from her face, leaving her lips numb with fear. She clutched at her knife. How little use it would be against this beast that towered over her by a head and more, but there was nowhere to run, even if she had the strength for it.

In each of these the POV thinks something, and it's wrtten without the thought tag, yet it's still clear who is doing the thinking.
[/FONT]

 

[Nik]

Can he/she 'sign' ??

And remember that there are dialects within the different systems...