The use of sections

One useful literary device is sectioning. There are many potential uses for this. Sections can be used to build a story systematically, each piece adding to the one before it.  Sections can also contain scattered, unrelated topics that are drawn together at the end. Or they may be used to explain different aspects of a story separately.

When writing in my personal journal, I use sections whenever it seems like a mental break is needed. For example, if a certain part is especially weighty I let it stand alone so it can be considered more independently from the rest of the writing. Using spaces between sections is also easier on the eyes of the reader.
 
I will keep these things in mind when I use sections in my creative nonfiction. Putting a space in is a good way to signal to the reader that a particular part of the story has been resolved. The purposes I mentioned above, such as building a story gradually, are also good reasons for which I may use sections in my writing. The exact way I will utilize them will depend on the focus and type of piece I create.
 
A temptation that I will have to avoid is putting in a break simply because there hasn’t been one in awhile. It is important that every section be purposeful and self contained.