Formatting actions and dialogue

Actions and spoken dialogue

Place an action between single asterisks for italics. Keep spoken dialogue outside the action text. For example:

*I slide the shipping receipt across the counter.*
"Does this number mean anything to you?"

The action belongs to your persona. The question leaves the character room to answer without assigning their thoughts or reaction.

Names and emphasis

Double asterisks make text bold. In a group scene, use them to identify a speaker, not to emphasize every sentence:

**Dispatcher:** The last ferry leaves at nine.
**Engineer:** Then we have time for one more test.

A name on its own line also works. Pick one convention and keep it consistent across the scene.

Notes that need a fixed layout

Wrap a small block in three backticks to keep lines together. This can make an inventory or a brief status note easier to scan. For example, the text inside the block might be:

Location: harbor office
Time: 20:40
Inventory: receipt, radio, sealed case

A formatted note is still message text. Use a pin when you need a persistent reminder, and review saved scenes separately.

Checking a greeting

Preview the greeting before publishing. Check paired asterisks, readable paragraph breaks and speaker names on a phone as well as a wider screen.

For a portrait or scene image, use image settings. Styling a message does not attach a gallery or generate a picture.