Scene Breaks in Books and Manuscripts

When a book is divided into sections, each chapter will typically start on a new page. But what about scene changes within a chapter? How do writers and publishers indicate a shift of perspective, time, or location? And what do you need to know about this when you’re proofreading creative writing? In this post, we take a look at:

• How to use scene breaks in books and manuscripts
• How symbols are used to indicate scene breaks
• How to proofread scene breaks

Scene Breaks in Books and Manuscripts

There are several ways of indicating a scene break within a chapter in a book. Perhaps the most common is to simply add an extra blank line between paragraphs:

Here, the blank line between paragraphs shows the reader that a shift has occurred (in this case, the story skips forward to the next day). Authors and publishers use this kind of break when something changes, but it isn’t a big enough change to move to a new chapter.

Often, a line break like this will indicate a soft scene change (i.e., a minor shift in time, location, or perspective). For a harder break, authors and publishers often include a symbol as well.

Symbols Used to Indicate Scene Breaks

Asterisks are among the most common symbols used to indicate section breaks in a book. Traditionally, this was often in the form of a triangle of three asterisks known as an asterism:

This symbol is often flattened into a line now, though, which is known as a dinkus:

More rarely, you’ll see a fleuron used in the same way, or sometimes a horizontal line. This tends to depend on the preferences of the publisher or typesetter producing the book proofs. Some authors will even creatively design their own symbols, perhaps reflecting imagery from the story.

In a manuscript meanwhile, it is common for authors to use this symbol for section breaks:

This symbol’s name differs depending on your location. In the US, this is known as a pound symbol, but UK readers would know it as a hash sign. It is also referred to as the number sign (since it can be used to show the order or placement of an item, for example, “We’re the #1 publisher!”). Nowadays, it is also sometimes referred to as a hashtag or the hashtag symbol.

No matter what the symbol is called, it tells the typesetter who receives the manuscript where to include section breaks.

Proofreading and Scene Breaks

There is no single standard method for marking section breaks in a book or manuscript. Some people prefer a blank line, while others use a symbol. And some use a mix of both for different breaks. This is ultimately a decision for the author, publisher, or typesetter responsible.

When proofreading, your main role will be to check for consistency, including in terms of:

• Where scene breaks have been added within chapters in the text
• The symbols or spacing used to indicate scene breaks

If you spot an issue with either of the above, either make an edit or leave a note for your client (depending on the scope of your brief and the type of document you’re working on). And if you’re not clear how scene breaks are being indicated, make sure to check with your client.

Becoming A Proofreader

For more advice on proofreading, check out our Becoming A Proofreader course. It includes an entire module dedicated to creative writing, so you can learn about working with manuscripts, dialogue, screenplays, and more. And to delve even deeper into polishing creative writing, why not consider our Becoming An Editor course too? Request two free lessons today to find out more.

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