As we all know, talk is cheap. Internal monologue is even cheaper. Stick with action.
— William Bernhardt - "Creating Character"
Action costs the character something, which is why it convinces us. Anyone can think a brave thought or say a brave line, but when a character actually steps between a bully and a smaller kid, that choice is paid for in real risk, so we believe it. Internal monologue is free because nothing is on the line yet; talk is only slightly more expensive, since words can be taken back. Try this: instead of writing "she was furious and wanted to scream at him," have her set his coffee mug down a little too hard and walk out without finishing her sentence. The fury reads instantly. The caution is that not every moment needs a grand gesture — strip out all interiority and you get characters who feel hollow, reacting without ever seeming to think. Use action to reveal thought, not replace it entirely.
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