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Scene breaks help?

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-alex-

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Hey guys,
I hope this is the correct place. Sorry if it’s not.

I have a question about scene breaks.

Now, I know usually scene breaks are used when switching POV or when time has passed, like the next day or hours later, but I’m wondering on the scenes below.

The story is set in one POV, and is written in first person.

Should or shouldn’t there be a scene break between scenes 1 and 2. And scenes 4 and 5?

Scene 1: Character in staff room. Scene ends with character opening door.
- Scene break (example: ***)
Scene 2: Character steps into hallway, meets and talks to another character.
- Scene break
Scene 3: Time lapse of say, 15 minutes. Character walking down the street, meets boyfriend for coffee, before heading to the airport.
- End chapter
- New chapter
Scene 4: Four hours later. Character briefly explains airplane ride, then scene jumps to present; plane has landed. Scene ends with character A talking to character B. Character B exits plane while character A is still seated.
- Scene break
Scene 5: Less than two minutes later, Character steps off the airplane onto a small private airfield, meets another character (character C—character B is now standing next to C waiting for character A).

Or, should it be:

Scene 1: Character in staff room. Scene ends with character opening door.
Scene 2: Character steps into hallway, meets and talks to another character.
- Scene break (example: ***)
Scene 3: Time lapse of say, 15 minutes. Character walking down the street, meets boyfriend for coffee, before heading to the airport.
- End chapter
- New chapter
Scene 4: Four hours later. Character briefly explains airplane ride, then scene jumps to present; plane has landed. Scene ends with character A talking to character B. Character B exits plane while character A is still seated.
Scene 5: Less than two minutes later, Character steps off the airplane onto a small private airfield, meets another character (character C—character B is now standing next to C waiting for character A).

Scenes 1-2. I’m not sure on this because at the end of the scene, character opens door, and then the first paragraph of the new scene, character walks into the hallway. Yes, it’s a change of location, but is it a substantial change of location?

Scenes 4-5. Same thing, really. The plane has landed, it’s on the airfield. Scene ends with character B walking out of the plane, leaving character A stunned about something. First paragraph of new scene is character A stepping out of the plane, but, again, is the location difference enough to warrant a scene break, or just a new line?

Thanks!
 
rwm4768

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You don't need a scene break between every two scenes. If the next scene starts immediately after the previous, as is the case in your examples, you can just keep going. You use a scene break when time passes between two scenes or when you're switching viewpoint characters.
 
Emerald

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rwm4768 said:
You don't need a scene break between every two scenes. If the next scene starts immediately after the previous, as is the case in your examples, you can just keep going. You use a scene break when time passes between two scenes or when you're switching viewpoint characters.
Click to expand...

So say if you have two characters at a hotel, one is running late for work. And then that scene ends and the next scene is at the character's work, say about 15 minutes inbetween scenes plus an obvious change of location, would you put a scene break there?

This is what I mean, do I need the scene break where I've put it...

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

A hurried goodbye and Jackson was out the door and running then, leaving one life behind for another.

***

“You’re late,” true to form Bob Jones had swooped on Jackson as soon as he’d stepped foot onto the set. “And Christ what did you do last night, sleep in a ditch?”

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

And thanks so much to the OP for starting this thread, this is a major issue for me that I need to work on as well.
 
Debbie V

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Is this a novel or a script?

In a novel, you wouldn't need to note a scene break for most of these. The action notes it for you. In a script, where a set change comes in, it might be necessary to have a note - but I don't write those.

Why not post a chapter to SYW? Comments will let you know if you're handling the transitions well.
 
rwm4768

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Emerald said:
So say if you have two characters at a hotel, one is running late for work. And then that scene ends and the next scene is at the character's work, say about 15 minutes inbetween scenes plus an obvious change of location, would you put a scene break there?

This is what I mean, do I need the scene break where I've put it...

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

A hurried goodbye and Jackson was out the door and running then, leaving one life behind for another.

***

“You’re late,” true to form Bob Jones had swooped on Jackson as soon as he’d stepped foot onto the set. “And Christ what did you do last night, sleep in a ditch?”

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

And thanks so much to the OP for starting this thread, this is a major issue for me that I need to work on as well.
Click to expand...

In that case, you would use a scene break. Time elapses between the two events. Some authors will show this with a scene break. Others will write in a quick summary of what goes between.

Jackson drove as fast as he could, but he was still late to work. He hoped it would go unnoticed.

Without a transition like this, you need the scene break.
 
Emerald

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Debbie V said:
Is this a novel or a script?

In a novel, you wouldn't need to note a scene break for most of these. The action notes it for you. In a script, where a set change comes in, it might be necessary to have a note - but I don't write those.

Why not post a chapter to SYW? Comments will let you know if you're handling the transitions well.
Click to expand...

_deleted_

Sorry replied to the wrong post *blush*
 
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Emerald

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rwm4768 said:
In that case, you would use a scene break. Time elapses between the two events. Some authors will show this with a scene break. Others will write in a quick summary of what goes between.

Jackson drove as fast as he could, but he was still late to work. He hoped it would go unnoticed.

Without a transition like this, you need the scene break.
Click to expand...

Thank you, that helps me to understand it better. :)
 

-alex-

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rwm4768 said:
You don't need a scene break between every two scenes. If the next scene starts immediately after the previous, as is the case in your examples, you can just keep going. You use a scene break when time passes between two scenes or when you're switching viewpoint characters.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply.
Yes, I know I don’t need a scene break between every two scenes in the book (if this is what you meant?). Some chapters only have one scene in them, some two, some more.
I guess I’m getting a little confused in ‘how much time’ and ‘substantial change in location’. This is why I asked.


Emerald said:
So say if you have two characters at a hotel, one is running late for work. And then that scene ends and the next scene is at the character's work, say about 15 minutes inbetween scenes plus an obvious change of location, would you put a scene break there?
This is what I mean, do I need the scene break where I've put it...
-------------------------
A hurried goodbye and Jackson was out the door and running then, leaving one life behind for another.
***
“You’re late,” true to form Bob Jones had swooped on Jackson as soon as he’d stepped foot onto the set. “And Christ what did you do last night, sleep in a ditch?”
-------------------------
And thanks so much to the OP for starting this thread, this is a major issue for me that I need to work on as well.
Click to expand...

I would definitely put a scene break there. I would say that it is a substantial change in location, and flow of the story/plot. Just my two cents, of course.


Debbie V said:
Is this a novel or a script?
In a novel, you wouldn't need to note a scene break for most of these. The action notes it for you. In a script, where a set change comes in, it might be necessary to have a note - but I don't write those.
Why not post a chapter to SYW? Comments will let you know if you're handling the transitions well.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply.

This is a novel.
So, is the second example the more accurate one?

Also, I’m not brave enough to post anything. Yet. Haha.
 
Roxxsmom

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If a scene starts shortly after the previous one ended and is a sort of logical progression, you don't have to include a scene break. For instance, you could merely include a bridging sentence or two. Something like:

He spent the rest of the morning clearing his inbox, then met Alycia for lunch at the Starbucks down the street.
 

BethS

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Based on the little bit of information you've given us, I don't think you need a scene break between 1 & 2 and 4 & 5. There was neither a POV shift nor a time shift in between those.
 

BethS

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Emerald said:
So say if you have two characters at a hotel, one is running late for work. And then that scene ends and the next scene is at the character's work, say about 15 minutes inbetween scenes plus an obvious change of location, would you put a scene break there?

This is what I mean, do I need the scene break where I've put it...

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

A hurried goodbye and Jackson was out the door and running then, leaving one life behind for another.

***

“You’re late,” true to form Bob Jones had swooped on Jackson as soon as he’d stepped foot onto the set. “And Christ what did you do last night, sleep in a ditch?”

-------------------------
Click to expand...

Yes, a scene break works well there.
 

guttersquid

I agree with Roxxsmom.
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One way to think of a scene break, assuming you're not doing it for a change of POV, is to imagine that a chunk of narration is missing.

For example, say you have two cops outside a house. One cop is going to return to the police station while your POV cop is going to stay and search the house.

At this point you can write about your POV cop searching the house, finding a handgun, and then going back to the police station and showing the handgun to his partner. Or you can omit the narration for the search and use a scene break. Like this:

Smith opened the front door and stepped inside.

### (scene break)

Smith set a .38 Colt revolver on Dan's desk and said, "Look what I found."
 
Hikari

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-alex- said:
Scene 1: Character in staff room. Scene ends with character opening door.
- Scene break (example: ***)<--- this scene break is not necessary.
Scene 2: Character steps into hallway, meets and talks to another character.
- Scene break <--- this is also not necessary.
Scene 3: Time lapse of say, 15 minutes. Character walking down the street, meets boyfriend for coffee, before heading to the airport.
- End chapter
- New chapter
Scene 4: Four hours later. Character briefly explains airplane ride, then scene jumps to present; plane has landed. Scene ends with character A talking to character B. Character B exits plane while character A is still seated.
- Scene break <--- really not necessary at all.
Scene 5: Less than two minutes later, Character steps off the airplane onto a small private airfield, meets another character (character C—character B is now standing next to C waiting for character A).
Click to expand...

You use a scene break when a very long time has passed. there's nothing wrong with writing this:

James gathered his things and left the office. It was almost five anyway and he had promised Sara an evening at the coffee shop.
When he stepped into the hallway, he saw Karmen approaching him. The puffy man was holding what looked like a delivery parcel and was waving it angrily in his direction.

So scene breaks occur when character A is at work and then the time lapses to the next morning or a time during the night. Scene breaks also happen when flashbacks are involved and/or the POV changes. Scene breaks also occur when an event happen that is not stated in the narrative but is counted in the character's life/story and does effect the plot line.

Forgive my grammar, it's really late in here. :D
 
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