No break (defined here as grid dots do not move between your ball and the cup): aim right at the hole and putt with enough power so that if hole is missed the ball stops 1 to 2 feet past the hole. Doing this consistently avoids the 'never up, never in' issue.
There is a break (the dots are moving):
1. the ball will take a curved path, and the severity of the curve will increase as the speed of the ball slows down approaching the cup. (this is probably why you're having issues with the shorter putts)
2. if the putt is uphill the severity of the break is less; if the putt is downhill the severity of the break will increase. If the putt is a side-hill break (cup level with ball), yep - you guessed it - the break will be somewhere in between.
3. for the same slope, and dot movement, the putt will break less on slower speed greens and more on faster greens.
4. for severe breaks, the arcing path the ball takes to the cup will be significantly longer than the direct distance to the hole; for this reason you need to add power to the putt. For a 5 footer, it may be only 1/2 foot extra, but for long putts 2 or 3 extra feet of power might be required.
Since the majority of the break occurs in the last few feet the putt travels (as the ball is slowing down), I always line up the putt using the reverse view. The putt starts off along the aim line, then curves towards the hole ... so the trick is to have that curved path intersect the hole.
You can lessen the break somewhat in two ways:
a. miss the ding slightly on the uphill side of the break;
b. add a bit more power (get the ball into the cup before the break can occur).
I prefer method 'a' for anything longer than 3 or 4 ft, since if I mis-judge the break the ball won't blaze by the cup.
With enough practice, you'll get a good feel for relating the speed of grid dot movement to how much break will occur, for given length of putt.