Resources Formatting Guides
How to Format Scene Breaks
What a scene break is, how to show one clearly, and why a blank line alone is not enough, especially in ebooks.
A scene break is the pause between two moments in the same chapter. The location changes, time jumps forward, or the point of view shifts, and the reader needs to know. Handled well, a scene break is invisible and intuitive. Handled with a plain blank line, it is one of the easiest ways for two separate scenes to blur into one, especially in ebooks. This guide covers how to format scene breaks so they always read clearly.
What a scene break does
A scene break signals a shift inside a chapter that is not big enough to warrant a new chapter. It gives the reader a beat to reset before the next scene. The key is that it has to be visible: the reader should be able to see, at a glance, that the story has moved.
Why a blank line is not enough
Many writers mark a scene break with a single blank line. In a fixed document that can look fine. The trouble appears when the text reflows, as it always does in an ebook, or when the break happens to fall at the very bottom or top of a printed page. The blank line simply disappears into the page margin, and the reader sees two unrelated scenes running straight into each other. This is why a scene break needs a mark that stays visible no matter where it falls.
Asterisks or an ornament
The two standard options are a centred row of asterisks, often written as three asterisks with spaces, or a small decorative ornament centred between the scenes. Asterisks are plain and dependable. An ornament looks more designed and can be matched to the style of the book. Both do the same job, and both survive reflow because they are actual content, not empty space. Whichever you pick, use it consistently for every scene break in the book.
Scene breaks in Koberger
Koberger gives you a proper scene-break marker that you can set as an ornament or a simple symbol, and it renders as real, centred content in both the ebook and the print PDF, so it never vanishes when the text reflows. You choose the style once and it stays consistent through the whole book. If your scenes include text-message exchanges, see our guide to formatting text messages in a book, and you can try it all for free.
Frequently asked questions
What is a scene break?
A scene break marks a shift within a chapter: a jump in time, a change of location, or a switch in point of view. It tells the reader that the scene has changed without starting a whole new chapter.
How do you show a scene break in a book?
With a visible marker centred between the two scenes, most often a small ornament or a row of asterisks. A visible marker is important because a plain blank line can vanish if the break falls at the bottom of a page, leaving the reader confused.
Should scene breaks use asterisks or an ornament?
Either works. A row of asterisks is simple and clear; a small ornament is more elegant and matches a designed book. What matters is that the marker is visible and used consistently throughout the book.
Why do scene breaks disappear in my ebook?
Because they were formatted as a blank line rather than a visible marker. When the text reflows and the blank line lands at the top or bottom of a screen, it disappears, and two separate scenes appear to run together. A centred ornament or asterisks never disappears.