Scene Break Generator

Free scene break generator: 24 text ornaments and 6 image flourishes, styled and previewed in a real book page, with Kindle-safety rating, HTML + CSS for EPUB, Word steps and transparent PNG/SVG downloads.

1. Pick an ornament or type your own

Custom text

2. Style

Size 120%Letter spacing 0.3emSpace above & below 1.5emColour

First paragraph after the break has no indent Small caps on the first line after the break

Preview

The last of the light slipped behind the hills, and the village fell quiet. Ayesha waited at the window until the lamps went out one by one.

She did not sleep that night.

* * *

Morning came grey and cold. By the time she reached the river, the others were already there, standing in a silent line along the bank.

Nobody said a word.

✓ Kindle-safe — plain characters

3. Use it

Paste the HTML where the break goes and add the CSS to your stylesheet:

<p class="scene-break" role="separator">* * *</p>

.scene-break {
  text-align: center;
  text-indent: 0;
  margin: 1.5em 0;
  font-size: 120%;
  letter-spacing: 0.3em;
  color: #333333;
}
.scene-break + p {
  text-indent: 0;
}

Also: DOCX → EPUB converter turns *** lines into scene breaks automatically • manuscript checker

💡 Help us improve the Scene Break Generator

Missing a feature or found a problem? Tell us — we read every message and add the most-requested features.

How to Use the Scene Break Generator

1
Pick an ornament or type your own
2
Set size, spacing and colour
3
Preview in print, Kindle or dark mode
4
Copy HTML + CSS or download PNG/SVG

Features

✓24 text ornaments + 6 image flourishes

✓Live book-page preview

✓Kindle-safety rating

✓HTML + CSS for EPUB

✓Transparent PNG & SVG

✓Word, Vellum & Atticus steps

✓Favourites

What is a scene break?

A scene break marks a jump in time, place or point of view within a chapter. In printed books it is usually a blank line with a small ornament in the middle — three asterisks (* * *), an asterism (⁂) or a decorative fleuron (❦). The ornament is called a dinkus. Without one, readers may miss the change, especially in ebooks where a blank line can fall at the bottom of the screen.

How to use the generator

Pick an ornament, an image flourish, or type your own.
Set size, letter spacing, colour and space above and below.
Preview it inside a real page — print, Kindle and dark mode.
Copy the text, the HTML and CSS for your EPUB, or download a transparent PNG or SVG.

Which ornament is safest for ebooks?

Ornament	Kindle & e-readers
* * * # ~ • • •	Always display correctly
⁂ ◆ ★ ❖	Usually fine on modern devices
❦ ❧ ⚜ ✦	May show as an empty box on some older e-readers — use the PNG version

Scene break styling tips

Don’t indent the first paragraph after a break — the tool adds this to the CSS.
Small caps on the first line after a break is a classic, elegant touch.
Use the same ornament throughout the book.
Keep it small: the break should be noticed, not dominate the page.

Using it in Word, Vellum and Atticus

In Word, centre the ornament on its own line with zero first-line indent and save it as a “Scene Break” style. Vellum and Atticus replace a line of *** with their own ornament and accept a custom image. Our DOCX to EPUB converter turns *** lines into styled scene breaks automatically.

What a scene break is

A scene break (also called a section break or dinkus) marks a jump in time, place or point of view inside a chapter. In print it is usually a centred symbol such as * * * or ⁂ with space above and below.

Why not just leave a blank line?

A blank line disappears when it lands at the bottom of a page, and many ebook readers remove empty lines completely. A visible symbol always shows the reader that the scene has changed.

Choosing a style

Classic: * * *, ⁂ or • • • — fits almost any book.
Decorative: floral hearts ❦ ❧, stars or fleur-de-lis ⚜ for romance, fantasy and historical fiction.
Image ornaments: lines, swirls, waves or leaves as transparent PNG or SVG for a custom look.

Preview each one as a printed page, on a Kindle and in dark mode — some fancy symbols are missing from e-reader fonts and show as an empty box. Classic symbols like * * * work everywhere.

Add it to your book

EPUB / HTML: copy the ready code with a centred paragraph and spacing.
Word: copy the symbol and use a centred paragraph style with space before and after.
Vellum and Atticus: use their built-in scene break setting; for image ornaments, upload the PNG.

Keep one style for the whole book. Building an ebook from Word? Try the Word to EPUB formatter.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a dinkus?

The small ornament, such as * * *, used to mark a scene break.

Which scene break works on Kindle?

Plain characters like * * * always work; fancy glyphs are safest as a PNG image.

Should the next paragraph be indented?

No, the first paragraph after a scene break is usually not indented.

Can I download it as an image?

Yes, as a transparent PNG (1200 px wide) or SVG.

How is a scene break different from a chapter break?

A chapter break starts a new chapter on a new page; a scene break is a pause within a chapter.