What About Transitions and Scene Breaks?

Transitions are used for a variety of purposes such as to:

1. Begin a new scene...

" With the same POV character.

" With a different POV character.

2. "Always try to have a good hook--an uh-oh moment-- before you break." --Linda Goodnight

"This keeps the reader from having an excuse to lay your book down and go to sleep," explained Linda Goodnight, a multi-published author.

3. Show the passage of time.

" Write a summary paragraph to tell what happened in the period of time being summarized or left out.

• POV character unconsciousness.

Ex. Character wakes to describe the new-to-her surroundings and situation.

• POV character slept.

Ex. Character wakes up to describe new surroundings / situation.

Ex. Character wakes up...experiences emotions, then decides on the next action.

" No summary is needed when nothing much has happened and only a few hours passed.

Ex. Four hours later, after tending to other task, Rene found Gene behind the wheel.

4. Switch POV characters in the middle of a scene without jarring or confusing the reader.

5. "If you have a scene, an action, remember you have to have the reaction." --Linda Goodnight.

"Have the character react when something important is said or done. Newton was right. To every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction! A scene break is used sometimes as a way to move into that sequal or 'reaction' moment." --Linda Goodnight.

6. Show the beginning of a plot point when it a scene is made up of more than one.

7. Show a change of place or location.

To show a scene break, just skip a line.
If it comes at the beginning or end of a page, show the scene break with five spaces between three ***.

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Copyright © 2007 Diane Dishman