Definition
A transition is any word, phrase, sentence, or technique that bridges one idea, scene, or section to the next. Transitions guide the reader through shifts in time, place, perspective, or topic without jarring them out of the story. They can be as small as a single word ("meanwhile") or as structural as a chapter break with a new date stamp.
Why It Matters
Bad transitions are invisible in the worst way - readers just feel lost without knowing why. Good transitions are invisible in the best way - readers glide from one scene to the next without even noticing the seams. If your beta readers say your story feels "choppy" or "hard to follow," your transitions probably need work.
Types of Transition
Common Mistakes
If you need a paragraph to explain how you got from Scene A to Scene B, the problem might not be the transition - it might be that the scenes are in the wrong order. Try rearranging before adding connective tissue.
You don't need to account for every hour of your character's day. "The next morning" is perfectly fine. Your reader can fill in the gaps.
If you're jumping between characters, give the reader a clear anchor - a name, a distinctive voice, a location - within the first sentence of the new section.
Try It Yourself
Take two scenes from your current project that feel disconnected. Write three different transitions between them: one that uses a time marker, one that uses a shared sensory detail to bridge the gap, and one that uses only white space. Read each version and notice how differently the story flows.
See where your transitions stumble
Novelium's pacing analysis visualizes the flow of your manuscript scene by scene, helping you spot abrupt jumps, sluggish passages, and transitions that need smoothing before your reader ever trips over them.