1) When a second inner voice is used:

quote:

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Even though he didn't feel like it, Tavi forced himself to take a much-needed bath and, as he ate dinner, it occurred to him that if Falmet truly believed the accusation, she would not have bowed at all. His heart lifted ever so slightly at this.
She would've had every right to disdain proper protocol, just as Baland had. Or, said a dead, dull voice, she might have been too frightened to do anything that would upset a killer such as yourself. He got up from the table, his meal unfinished.

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2) When a quick, imperative thought occurs:

quote:

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A guard. Why had he been so careless? Now he would be dragged into the light and they'd see he'd escaped again. They would beat him. Worse, they would beat Falmet. Get away. Now.

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3) To show a quick flashback image:

quote:

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Silvam would be alive and with him still, if it hadn't been for the knife, the foolish, carelessly left out knife -- handle slick and red and protruding from the old man's chest, the old man gaping wide like a sacred fish, eyes glossed with pain, scrolls everywhere, blood everywhere, on his tunic, on his hands…
Tavi looked down at his own hands resting on his lap, clean and brown and dry. They were trembling.

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4) To show an almost uttered phrase:

quote:

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O, Liars! Tavi wanted to shout, but held his tongue, even though it took every fiber in his being.

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5) Remembering a voice from the past:

quote:

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Every life is sacred, the old man would've said, even yours.

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So what do you think? Is this usage appropriate? Or is there a better way to show such moments without the shifty, slanty letters that (I'm told) are to be avoided at all cost?

1) When a second inner voice is used:

I'm not sure where you were going with this example. Are there two people in her head? Is there telepathy going on here? Who, exactly, is thinking the part in italics?

2) When a quick, imperative thought occurs:

This is a perfect time to use italics. Short, to the point, and requiring extra emphasis.

3) To show a quick flashback image:

In your example, you did two things...switched to present tense AND used italics. I'm not sure what I think about that. To be honest, the whole example was jarring.

4) To show an almost uttered phrase:

Yes. Although this should happen rarely, even in deep penetration, this is a perfectly good time to use italics.

5) Remembering a voice from the past:

No. This would be a time to use quotations.

"Every life is sacred," the old man would've said, "even yours."

Or actally...this isn't phrased how I had thought at first. Remembering a voice from the past, in my mind, means remembering something someone actually said. "Every life is sacred," the old man had once said, "even yours."

This is different from imagining what the person would have said. In the latter case, italics would be appropriate to distinguish this from the character's actual inner voice.

****

I extended the first example to clear up some of the confusion, so you can read more of the first draft (in all its rough-shod glory). Even so, I just realised that without context, you wouldn't know that Falmet is a she. What a mess!

He should get away. Now.

6) To show a foreign word or concept:

quote:

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He fixed his attention toward the great stone haikals shimmering on the horizon...

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The only time I do this is when an English word can't convey an exact meaning, and I don't feel like bringing the story to a screeching halt to explain everything.

Nevertheless, it could get annoying.

It's interesting to see how different worldbuilders have handled "foreign" words. Frank Herbert's Dune didn't italicize them, but simply put a glossary in the back. Tolkien italicized AND had a glossary. Robert Jordan and Stephen King, on the other hand, continue to use foreign phrase italics by the truckload. And J.K. Rowling, despite her tendency to italicize emphasis and thought, lets words like "muggle" be known by inference alone.

Hmmm. What to do, what to do...

Write and fret later, I suppose.