As the heading says, I have several characters that are going to be saying the same thing. In this scene, there are ten people at the table. One of them just said grace, and six of them are going to recite "amen" together. However, I can't say that all of them say "amen" because three of them don't, and this difference is significant.

Any suggestions? Since I'm so behind right now, I very well might just go around the table and have everyone say "amen" separately, but how's it actually supposed to look?

Thanks!

I think it'd be something you'd use dual dialogue for. The characters names who say "amen" would be in one column with "Amen" below - as normal, but a second column would be on the same line with the other characters names and whatever they say.

Look here for a visual example: http://wiki.celtx.com/index.php?title=Dual_column_dialogue
___
NaNo 2006: Steel Bars - 59,233 words
Screnzy 2007: The Enchanted Forest - won
NaNo 2007: Turning Beetles into Buttons - 51,949 words
Screnzy 2007: Simple Gifts - 43 pages total & Butterfly - 6 episodes

Thanks!

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
NaNo 2007: Quixotic Hope (win!)
Screnzy 2008: Degeneration
Keep your friends close...and your family as far away from you as possible.

If the 3 characters who do not join in the chorus of "Amen" say something else, then use the dual columns to show the majority Amens on one side, and what the minority says on the other, e.g.

ALL (except Jane, Rob, Curtis] JANE, Rob, Curtis
(in unison)
Amen! As if!

But if each one in the minority says something different, I'd list it like dialogue in the regular way.

Remember it will be difficult to capture exactly what each of them says if it's literally at the same time that everyone else saying "Amen!" -- at least, it would be hard to understand what each of them says -- so if what each of them says really *is* significant, separate for clarity -- e.g.

ALL (except Jane, Rob, Curtis)
(in unison)
Amen!

JANE
As if!

BOB
Yawn.

CURTIS
Not.

You could also say:

-

GRACE, HARRY AND FRANKIE

Amen.

JACK & PETER
(simultaneously)

Lousy prayer, that.

-

Dunno if that would be good screenwriting grammer, but it would work.

~Kathy

PotterPuffs are l

He he. I like it. And I love the Potterpuffs!

Katie

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
NaNo 2007: Quixotic Hope (win!)
Screnzy 2008: Degeneration
Keep your friends close...and your family as far away from you as possible.