In this video, we explore how the same transitional words can serve both literary and genre fiction. Like so many elements of effective writing, it’s all about context. How do the transitions you choose channel your character’s voice? Are you trying to smooth the path, introduce complexities, or maneuver characters into and out of situations? Each of these situations will call for different transitions.
If you’re unsure of your options, I list a number of popular transitional words and phrases to help highlight the possibilities.
Jane Cleland here. “When you use transitional words and phrases, are there some that are more appropriate for literary fiction and others for genre fiction?” The answer is no. The words are the words. Now, as a writer of literary fiction versus genre fiction, you’re going to be providing context so that the character’s voice will come through, and some of the transitions will end up sweet, some nasty, some more complex, some to get a character out of a situation, some to get a character into a situation, but the words are the words.
Let me give you some examples of the kinds of words and phrases we’re talking about here. If you are looking to show similarity, you might use words like “also,” “in the same way,” “just as,” “uh,” “likewise,” or “similarly.” To show differences, you might use words like “but,” “however,” and you realize that “however” is just “but” in a tuxedo, right? Okay. You could also use phrases like “in spite of,” “on the one hand,” “on the other hand,” and you know if you’re going to say “on the one hand,” “on the other hand,” you have to use both. You can’t say “on the other hand” unless you first said “on the one hand.” You could say “none,” “nonetheless,” “nevertheless,” and so on. There are many.
To show sequence, you might use words like “first,” “second,” “third,” or how about just the word “then”? For time, you could use “after,” “afterward,” “last,” “before,” “currently,” “earlier,” “immediately,” and so on. If you’re going to be indicating an example, you could say “for example,” “for instance,” “to illustrate,” and the like. To show cause and effect, you might use words like “accordingly,” “consequently,” “hence,” “therefore,” and others. And if you want to indicate additional support, you’d use words like “again,” “also,” “and as well,” “besides,” “equally important,” and of course, an array of others.
The issue isn’t the word you use as much as it is how you use it to indicate this relationship that we are transitioning to show the linkage from one thing to another. How do you do it? Any tricks about transitioning using words and phrases? I’d love to hear about them. Put them in the comment section. And if this tip had value for you, would you like it? Would you share it? Would you subscribe to the channel? That opens up features that make these videos even more valuable for you. Thank you so much.
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