Working on same area. What I've done is break it down by place, each having a brief bit to itself and separated by white space. I think I'll probably have to go back and take out the white space where there's no time passing or real change in setting. I mean, if this was a movie or play the setting might change--or at least the shot--but in real life it'd be like continuing a conversation while you move from one room to another. So, will have to look closely at pacing here.

Now I've come to a very, very brief transition. This time it's driven by character. The characters are in one place and decide to move to another place for a very specific purpose. This sounds easy, like I just have them say it out loud and go. But I've got to be very, very careful, because this is the exact thing that has messed me up before. Notice I said "have them say it out loud." This shows that I'm already slipping out of the mindset where the characters drive the story. A page or two of showing setting and movement, and I'm in danger of losing my grip. Somehow I've got to pause and get back into their heads. They need to do it on their own. They would do it on their own--I know they would. I just need to get my head back in the right place to feel it out.

Looking at it, this wee transition is really kind of important. The reader won't understand what the characters are deciding to do, because I haven't set it up. The story previous to this is full of other things and won't support more explanation or backstory. I don't know that I can dump it here, either--but it has to come out or nobody will understand what's going on. Maybe the thing to do is try to figure out what bare minimum of info is needed. Often just a hint serves as a hook till you can really sit down and explain it. Then there will be the question of exactly when the sitting down and explaining takes place and what it consists of, but I don't suppose I'll worry about that right now.