transition

A lot of people write scenes that are dull and they don’t know why. The Story Grid knows why.

Scenes that exist only to impart some information or to move characters into some location are “shoe leather” scenes. Nobody wants ’em, but writers keep thinking they have to write ’em for fear of confusing their reader. Well, don't worry about that— are you confused when you watch a movie/TV show and they cut to a different location? (Really? Oh dear. Well, maybe the new location was badly described.)

If a lot of time has passed since the previous scene or the location shift is radical, just start a new chapter. I promise no one born in this century or the last will fail to understand. But if you must have a transition within the chapter there’s a very simple way to do it:

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Right, did you see those asterisks? They were a scene separator. Now I’m in a totally different location, changed my clothes, made some food. I’m just setting the table. Want to join me (sip, munch)? I made corn salad!