S27E8 - How Do I Transition From One Scene to Another?

There are two kinds of moments in a story: The Scene and The Sequel. Not every moment needs to be action. Not every moments needs to propel the plot forward. Sometimes you need a sequel. You need a moment in between the scenes. A moment to pause, to think, to talk. The idea of scene and sequel is an important one when learning how to transition from one scene to the next.

Knowing exactly when to end one scene and start another is a skill learned with time. Readers don't want to read all of the traveling and walking and the in-betweens with nothing happens. That means whenever you have a moment of Sequel, it need to have purpose. Otherwise it's just filler and fodder for the editing room. You need to trust your readers. Trust they will fill in the gaps. Those scene transitions aren't as jarring as you think.

Listen to this episode for more about how to transition between scenes, and a breakdown of the concept of scene and sequel.

First aired December 27, 2021.