Definition
A scene break is a visible gap in the text, often marked by extra white space or a symbol, that tells the reader the story has jumped in time, place, or viewpoint. It replaces a clumsy "three hours later" when the shift is clear.
Example
A blank line between the argument in the kitchen and the character alone on a train platform shows we have moved without needing a full transition paragraph.
Related terms
Common mistakes
- Using scene breaks so often that chapters feel like scattered fragments with no through-line.
- Breaking scenes without changing anything meaningful in situation, knowledge, or tension.