How to break up chapters and to switch scenes...?

[Shay]

Help?

I'm writing a paranormal novel that's heavy in science and politics. (about 300 pages in) There are two story-lines happening simultaneously. The first is a romance between the two primaries and the second is a murder investigation between two cops - who are hunting one of the primaries. In Part Two, the four protagonists come together and it all smooths out.

I'm about half-way through and the feedback that I'm getting from my preliminary Betas is that it's 'jarring' to switch from story to story. Going from the romance story to the investigation back to the primaries... well, it isn't smooth.

I've been breaking down each chapter by day... July 28th... such and such happens with the primaries, then we go on to the cop's investigation, then back to the primaries. Then we move on. My betas are saying that it's taking them about three chapters to catch the rhythm and really get into the book.

When I began this story, the Betas told me that it was boring and 'dragging' to stick with the primaries all the way through. When I added emphasis to the investigation, the approval was 100%.

ALL the Betas (6, so far) say that it's the way that I'm indicating the segue. Lines, stars, etc... not winning. I need a clear indicator that gives them a signal that we're switching. Some way to let the reader know who we're with when we switch. Nobody wants me to kill the investigation. (From the feedback that I'm getting, the investigation is taking over the book. I'm fine with that.)

If I break it all into chapters, I'll have some chapters that are just one or two pages long.

Does anyone have any experience with this? Is it completely insane to give each scene it's own chapter in this scenario?

I've actually considered putting an indicator at the top of each scene with the date and location.

Everyone's telling me that they're catching on eventually and they do enjoy it once it clicks, but I'm wondering if there's a known rule to this issue.

ANY help, advice or experience would be MOST welcome.

[Emma]

You could put the name of the characters whose perspective you're talking from in italics at the top of their section

[Shay]

Thank you, Emma. Would you continue to keep each chapter as one 'day'? (I skip ahead a few days at a time)

[Emma]

I tend to change chapters either when there's a passage of time eg when the character goes to bed or takes a journey or when there is a change of event such as a new character arriving/ leaving. I also shorten chapters for dramatic effect, usually they are between 2 and 3 thousand words but during action scenes they can be much shorter, usually only 1000-1500 words as the scene in a fight changes more rapidly as the odds swing or since the event is short but very different to the adjoining events. Try not to stick to too many rules like a chapter a day unless you are writing as if it's a diary or something where each entry is dated. Out the chapters where you feel you need them. I can usually tell when I need a new chapter because I realise anything else I write is dragging on without one. Not that I always get it write first time but that's what editings is for right!

[Shay]

Thank you again!

One more question: What is the appropriate indicator for a scene break within a chapter?