Writing Transitions

Transition, it’s described as the piece of writing that connects two topics or sections. Writing transitions can be both interesting and challenging. Whether it’s the changing of a chapter, the changing of a character’s actions over time, or handing off from one major sub theme in a book to the other, it needs to be navigated well.

We’ve talked about chapter changes, so briefly I’d like to say they should lead into the next chapter, and connect with the previous. While offering something new, they should not be a strange environment to the reader from the last chapter they just came through. It should be a true transition, not an abrupt change.

The transition of a character should be either understandable or relatable. The difference being this, some transitions people will not be personally aquatinted with. A dramatic example would be the transformation of a character into a super hero. A person will never get bit by an insect and suddenly climb the walls, but give them enough details to follow it.

The second type of character transition, being relatable speaks to a reader’s own life. A reader can not only read the facts of the character’s transition, but they can relate it something they’ve experienced. This is true even in some extreme examples, such as Ebenezer Scrooge. While most won’t become greedy old misers, they will see how rejection, pain, loneliness, and fear of losing control can lead someone down that path.

They can also see at the same time, not only how Scrooge became Scrooge, but how he became a better Ebenezer Scrooge than before. This transitions perfectly to the last topic, the handing off of one major sub theme to the other.

Over the course of A Christmas Carol, almost at the same time that we are seeing how the boy became the Miser, we are seeing the Miser see himself, and begin becoming a better man. The transition is so smooth we can consciously miss it, but it’s there. As a Wise man taught me, it’s about the flow of things.

Writing transitions well is very important to your writing. It will allow the reader to flow from the first word of your book to the last with understanding, relatability, and appreciation. They will see your book as well written, well structured, and one they can recommend to others.