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Q&A Should a scene break always be put in place when there is change in location, times, and dates?

You can do it either way--a formal scene break or through the use of transitioning language. I stewed hard over this because like you, I had seen scenes defined as a change in location, time, or ...

posted 4y ago by DPT‭  ·  edited 4y ago by DPT‭

Answer
#4: Post edited by user avatar DPT‭ · 2020-03-03T03:33:10Z (over 4 years ago)
  • You can do it either way--a formal scene break or through the use of transitioning language.
  • I stewed hard over this because I too had seen scenes defined as a change in location, time, or characters. When you get down into the weeds, you can start slicing and dicing and end up with hundreds of 'scenes' in a book, because one of these has changed.
  • But that's getting silly. I'd say if you can meld two 'scenes' with a simple joining clause, try it and see if it is smooth to your ear. Here's a very bad example:
  • *Jane and June were whispering about Jillian's bad hair cut. Jane shushed June when Jillian walked over. "You're such meanies," Jillian said. "I hate you." And as Jane thought about it, both then and later, she realized Jillian had a point. In fact, that evening she asked her dad what he thought. "Yes," he said, "gossiping is a bad habit." Unbeknownst to Jane, June was having the identical conversation across town with her mom. But June's mom said, "Oh there are far worse things in the world to worry about."*
  • There's lots of people and places and times in that paragraph. But it still makes sense more or less without scene breaks (although it is quickly constructed and poorly written overall.)
  • So, I think the answer is that a scene break belongs where it helps to craft a better story. Like a chapter break. A scene break causes a little 'break' in the reader's mind. More than a period or paragraph break, less than a chapter break.
  • It's one of your tools, and you are free to use it to create your art.
  • You can do it either way--a formal scene break or through the use of transitioning language.
  • I stewed hard over this because like you, I had seen scenes defined as a change in location, time, or characters. When you get down into the weeds with that kind of definition, you can start slicing and dicing and end up with *hundreds* of 'scenes' in a book.
  • But that's getting silly, to add a scene break when someone changes rooms or whatever. I'd say if you can meld two thusly-defined 'scenes' like that with simple joining language, try it and see if it is smooth to your ear.
  • Here's a very bad example:
  • *Jane and June were whispering about Jillian's bad hair cut. Jane shushed June when Jillian walked over. "You're such meanies," Jillian said. "I hate you." And as Jane thought about it, both then and later, she realized Jillian had a point. In fact, that evening she asked her dad what he thought. "Yes," he said, "gossiping is a bad habit." Unbeknownst to Jane, June was having the identical conversation across town with her mom. But June's mom said, "Oh there are far worse things in the world to worry about."*
  • There's lots of people and places and times in that paragraph. But it still makes sense more or less without scene breaks (although it is quickly constructed and poorly written overall.)
  • So, I think the answer is that a scene break belongs where it helps to craft a better story. Like a chapter break. A scene break causes a little 'break' in the reader's mind. More than a period or paragraph break, less than a chapter break.
  • It's one of your tools, and you are free to use it to create your art.
#3: Post edited by user avatar DPT‭ · 2020-03-03T03:31:35Z (over 4 years ago)
  • You can do it either way--a formal scene break or transitioning language.
  • I stewed hard over this because I too had seen scenes defined as a change in location, time, or characters. When you get down into the weeds, you can start slicing and dicing and end up with hundreds of 'scenes' in a book, because one of these has changed.
  • But that's getting silly. I'd say if you can meld two 'scenes' with a simple joining clause, try it and see if it is smooth to your ear. Here's a very bad example:
  • *Jane and June were whispering about Jillian's bad hair cut. Jane shushed June when Jillian walked over. "You're such meanies," Jillian said. "I hate you." And as Jane thought about it, both then and later, she realized Jillian had a point. In fact, that evening she asked her dad what he thought. "Yes," he said, "gossiping is a bad habit." Unbeknownst to Jane, June was having the identical conversation across town with her mom. But June's mom said, "Oh there are far worse things in the world to worry about."*
  • There's lots of people and places and times in that paragraph. But it still makes sense more or less without scene breaks (although it is quickly constructed and poorly written overall.)
  • So, I think the answer is that a scene break belongs where it helps to craft a better story. Like a chapter break. A scene break causes a little 'break' in the reader's mind. More than a period or paragraph break, less than a chapter break.
  • It's one of your tools, and you are free to use it to create your art.
  • You can do it either way--a formal scene break or through the use of transitioning language.
  • I stewed hard over this because I too had seen scenes defined as a change in location, time, or characters. When you get down into the weeds, you can start slicing and dicing and end up with hundreds of 'scenes' in a book, because one of these has changed.
  • But that's getting silly. I'd say if you can meld two 'scenes' with a simple joining clause, try it and see if it is smooth to your ear. Here's a very bad example:
  • *Jane and June were whispering about Jillian's bad hair cut. Jane shushed June when Jillian walked over. "You're such meanies," Jillian said. "I hate you." And as Jane thought about it, both then and later, she realized Jillian had a point. In fact, that evening she asked her dad what he thought. "Yes," he said, "gossiping is a bad habit." Unbeknownst to Jane, June was having the identical conversation across town with her mom. But June's mom said, "Oh there are far worse things in the world to worry about."*
  • There's lots of people and places and times in that paragraph. But it still makes sense more or less without scene breaks (although it is quickly constructed and poorly written overall.)
  • So, I think the answer is that a scene break belongs where it helps to craft a better story. Like a chapter break. A scene break causes a little 'break' in the reader's mind. More than a period or paragraph break, less than a chapter break.
  • It's one of your tools, and you are free to use it to create your art.
#2: Post edited by user avatar DPT‭ · 2020-03-03T03:30:42Z (over 4 years ago)
  • You can do it either way--a formal scene break or transitioning language.
  • I stewed hard over this because I too had seen scenes defined as a change in location, time, or characters. When you get down into the weeds, you can start slicing and dicing and end up with hundreds of 'scenes' in a book, because one of these has changed.
  • But that's getting silly. I'd say if you can meld two 'scenes' with a simple joining clause, try it and see if it is smooth to your ear. Here's a very bad example:
  • *Jane and June were whispering about Jillian's bad hair cut. Jane shushed June when Jillian walked over. "You're such meanies," Jillian said. "I hate you." And as Jane thought about it, both then and later, she realized Jillian had a point. In fact, that evening she asked her dad what he thought. "Yes," he said, "gossiping is a bad habit." Unbeknownst to Jane, June was having the identical conversation across town with her mom. But June's mom said, "Oh there are far worse things in the world to worry about."*
  • Lots of people and places and times. But it makes sense (although it is quickly constructed.)
  • So, I think the answer is that a scene break belongs where it helps to craft a better story. Like a chapter break. A scene break causes a little 'break' in the reader's mind. More than a period or paragraph break, less than a chapter break.
  • It's one of your tools, and you are free to use it to create your art.
  • You can do it either way--a formal scene break or transitioning language.
  • I stewed hard over this because I too had seen scenes defined as a change in location, time, or characters. When you get down into the weeds, you can start slicing and dicing and end up with hundreds of 'scenes' in a book, because one of these has changed.
  • But that's getting silly. I'd say if you can meld two 'scenes' with a simple joining clause, try it and see if it is smooth to your ear. Here's a very bad example:
  • *Jane and June were whispering about Jillian's bad hair cut. Jane shushed June when Jillian walked over. "You're such meanies," Jillian said. "I hate you." And as Jane thought about it, both then and later, she realized Jillian had a point. In fact, that evening she asked her dad what he thought. "Yes," he said, "gossiping is a bad habit." Unbeknownst to Jane, June was having the identical conversation across town with her mom. But June's mom said, "Oh there are far worse things in the world to worry about."*
  • There's lots of people and places and times in that paragraph. But it still makes sense more or less without scene breaks (although it is quickly constructed and poorly written overall.)
  • So, I think the answer is that a scene break belongs where it helps to craft a better story. Like a chapter break. A scene break causes a little 'break' in the reader's mind. More than a period or paragraph break, less than a chapter break.
  • It's one of your tools, and you are free to use it to create your art.
#1: Initial revision by user avatar DPT‭ · 2020-03-03T03:29:44Z (over 4 years ago) 
You can do it either way--a formal scene break or transitioning language. 

I stewed hard over this because I too had seen scenes defined as a change in location, time, or characters. When you get down into the weeds, you can start slicing and dicing and end up with hundreds of 'scenes' in a book, because one of these has changed. 

But that's getting silly. I'd say if you can meld two 'scenes' with a simple joining clause, try it and see if it is smooth to your ear. Here's a very bad example: 

*Jane and June were whispering about Jillian's bad hair cut. Jane shushed June when Jillian walked over. "You're such meanies," Jillian said. "I hate you." And as Jane thought about it, both then and later, she realized Jillian had a point. In fact, that evening she asked her dad what he thought. "Yes," he said, "gossiping is a bad habit." Unbeknownst to Jane, June was having the identical conversation across town with her mom. But June's mom said, "Oh there are far worse things in the world to worry about."*

Lots of people and places and times. But it makes sense (although it is quickly constructed.)

So, I think the answer is that a scene break belongs where it helps to craft a better story. Like a chapter break. A scene break causes a little 'break' in the reader's mind. More than a period or paragraph break, less than a chapter break. 

It's one of your tools, and you are free to use it to create your art.