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FEATURE ARTICLE: Using Punctuation to Create Transitions
by Mike Klaassen
According to Jessica Page Morrell, in Between the Lines, "Transitions are like punctuation in your sentences--you employ them as a courtesy to readers so they find their way through your story and keep the fictional dream flowing."
Punctuation may not be the first thing writers consider when thinking of transition, but in reality, punctuation is all about transition. As observed by Rene J. Cappon, in the Associated Press Guide to Punctuation, "Punctuation in skilled hands is a remarkably subtle system of signals, signs, symbols and winks that keep readers on the smoothest road." Those signs and symbols are indicating change of some sort; in other words, they are facilitating transition.
Transition exists on three levels of punctuation: micro, meso, macro.
- Micro-level transitions punctuate sentences: periods, commas, semicolons, colons, dashes, dots, question marks, exclamation marks, etc.
- Meso-level transitions define paragraph structure with paragraph breaks.
- Macro-level transition includes the bullhorns of punctuation: section breaks and chapter breaks.
As stated by Noah Lukeman, in A Dash of Style, "Few people would think of the paragraph break as a punctuation mark, but it certainly is." Also notes Lukeman, "The section break (also known as the line space) is the most subjective of punctuation marks. [It] is used to delineate sections within chapters, which might range from several paragraphs to several pages. It signifies a major transition within a chapter, usually a change of time, place, or even viewpoint."
CHAPTER BREAKS
According to Jordan E. Rosenfeld, in Make a Scene, "The end of a . . . chapter is a note to the reader that you are concluding something, taking a break from the preceding events in order to change, refresh, or throw a twist into character or plot details." As Rosenfeld indicates, a chapter break may signal a change in the story's action. But a chapter break might also involve a change in time, location, or viewpoint character.
Readers have been conditioned to expect that the end of one chapter and the beginning of another coincides with changes of one sort or another. If the changes signaled by a chapter break are slight (little or no change in time or location), then the chapter break alone might serve as an adequate transition.
However, depending on the changes and the needs of the story, more aid may be desirable to help the reader with the transition. Transitions may occur within three time-frames:
- BEFORE. A change may be signaled before it occurs (at the end of the old chapter). For example, using dialogue to signal transition: "I'll meet you back at the ranch tomorrow around noon."
- WHILE. The chapter break itself signals that a change is occurring, while it is occurring.
- AFTER. Further transitional opportunities are available after the change (at the beginning of the new chapter, to establish the new time, location, or even a new viewpoint). For example: As Cisco eased out of the saddle, Gabby stepped out of the bunkhouse door with a sawed-off shotgun. "You're late!"
SECTION BREAKS
Typically, chapters include at least one complete scene or sequel. They may also include sections. The transition from one section to another, in manuscript format, is indicated with a blank line. These dividers are called section breaks (also known as space breaks or line spaces).
Les Edgerton, in Hooked, notes that "Virtually the only times a space break should be used as a transition is when signaling an abrupt departure from the present scene, followed by either a different point of view, a switch in geographic location, or a shift in time, forward or back."
Evan Marshall, in the Marshall Plan for Novel Writing, states that "Whenever a section featuring one viewpoint character is followed by a section featuring a different viewpoint character, use the space-break connector. You can also use the space-break connector to indicate the passage of time between two sections featuring the same viewpoint character."
In A Dash of Style, Noah Lukeman admits that section breaks are rarely discussed, and there is not even a consensus on how to indicate them. "In manuscript form, this mark is generally indicated by a blank line followed by text set flush to left, or by a single asterisk, or by a set of asterisks running across the page, centered and evenly spaced with a tab between each."
According to Orson Scott Card, in Characters & Viewpoint, "Readers are trained to recognize a line space as a signal that a major change is taking place in the story--a change in location, a long passage of time, or a change in viewpoint character. However, you must be careful that you establish what the change is immediately after the line space.
- Who the viewpoint character is.
- Where she is.
- How much time has passed."
Jordan E. Rosenfeld, in Make a Scene, echoes that thought when she observes "Don't make the reader wait for a page to figure out whose eyes he is looking through!"
Punctuation is an effective shorthand for creating transition, and it should not be overlooked as an opportunity to enhance the seamless flow of a story.
WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEBSITE? You may, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Author Mike Klaassen publishes "For Fiction Writers," a monthly e-zine.
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