A paper-first reading field guide
Trace Public and Private Character Voices
Use three linked fields: public voice, private voice, and gap changes. Keep each field brief and attach the page or chapter landmark that supports it.
Compare what a character says publicly with what the reader sees in private. A compact three-anchor trail keeps the note useful when you return later or discuss it with someone using another edition.
Step 1
Anchor the location
Record the page or chapter before interpreting the moment. Add the current reading boundary when later knowledge could change the note.
Step 2
Public voice
Anchor one public statement.
Step 3
Private voice
Choose a private thought or action that complicates it.
Step 4
Gap changes
Mark when another character begins to notice the gap.