How to depict people talking at once

[JT Woody]

I'm pretty sure I've asked this before. But, because I cant find it on here, i think I asked this on the old forum.

My FMC often overhears the gossip going around in the village. sometimes it reveals things that she doesnt know, sometimes the gossips have things to say about her. My problem is... i've yet to find a consistent way to depict this. I have it 3 ways in my WIP (example text the different ways:

"Is that her? Sickly little thing…”​

“The little desert girl?”​

“Such a strange choice—”​

“This proves Vasc has not been right in the mind…”​

----------------------------------------------------------------------

— Is that her? Sickly little thing…​

— The little desert girl?​

—Such a strange choice—​

—This proves Vasc has not been right in the mind…​

----------------------------------------------------------

Is that her? Sickly little thing…​

The little desert girl?​

Such a strange choice—​

This proves Vasc has not been right in the mind…​

​

The additional challenge is, I already use italics for my MC's direct inner thoughts as well as for the ghostly voice that haunts her.
But, I've kind of given the village a "personality" by making it a character. Their frequent gossiping becomes important to the development of my FMC.

 

[THUNDAIR]

Here is the industry standard ... “Don’t touch that!” John shouted — “I just wanted to look!” Maria yelled.
And after the first two tags are applied, you can rant without a tag.
“Don’t touch that!” John shouted. “I just wanted to look!” Maria yelled. — "My mother gave me that." — "She always loved you more."
The single line shows them speaking at the same time. I have friends that do that all the time, and yet they heard and replied to all that was said. My friend Stan will start telling a story, and Miss Vicky will talk over him to get her POV in the mix. It took a while to keep up but I have no problem with them now.

 

[JT Woody]

“Don’t touch that!” John shouted. “I just wanted to look!” Maria yelled.

What if the people talking are nameless voices in a crowd?

 

[THUNDAIR]

Then as a reader I would only want to know that. ... The crowd started screaming, "Get them out of here!"--"Where is the sherif?"--"Don't push me."

 

[CatrionaGrace]

I second Thundair's solution. A variation:

The crowd erupted in verbal cacophony.

"Get them out of here!"

"Where is the Sharif?"

"Don't bogart that joint, man!"