Transitions are the glue that allows our WIP to move from scene to scene, week to week.
We try to avoid “The next day,” “Later,” and other time markers. The good transitions move us into the action of the next scene.
I am using Betsy Byars Good-bye, Chicken Little for simple examples of our Line-By-Line exercises. Byars wrote MG books for years, won prestigious awards, and knew her stuff.
Chapter 10 ends with these words:
In the living room Mrs. Little began quietly playing ‘Silent Night.’ Jimmie closed his eyes and slept.
Chapter 11
“Mom, now the other goldfish is dead!”
We instantly know it is daytime, and Cassie has lost the second goldfish.
The beauty of this transition is that there is no time marker, such as “The next morning.” We are instantly brought to a new scene, with dialog.
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