A domino is a small oblong block, about the size of a thumb, with either one or two ends bearing spots arranged like those on a die. When a domino is positioned so that it can be tipped, it starts a chain reaction whereby the remainder of the pieces fall over. Dominoes can be stacked to form long lines that allow players to build intricate designs. They can also be used to play a variety of games.
Most people know that dominoes can be tipped over to create complex chains, but not all may be aware of how this happens. The principle behind a domino effect is simple: a single action leads to much greater (and often catastrophic) consequences. This is also the essence of an idea that I teach when I provide book editing services to authors: Think of every plot beat in your novel as a domino that you want to tip over.
If you can get readers to feel this domino effect, they’ll be drawn into your story and eager to see what comes next. Of course, you’ll need to make sure that your scenes logically connect. Otherwise, you might find yourself attempting to create a domino effect that doesn’t work.
A common mistake is to try to add too many plot elements, which can confuse your reader. The best way to avoid this is to plan out your entire story in advance, which can help you determine if your dominoes will fall properly.
For example, let’s say that you have a scene in which your character tries to break an antitrust law. If this is outside of societal norms, you need to make it clear to readers why your hero does what he does.
This will allow them to understand that his actions are a natural extension of his motivations and beliefs. If you don’t, your reader might not accept the scene and wonder why your hero acts in such a bizarre way.
You can plan out your dominoes on paper, if you’re a visual learner. You can create straight lines, curved lines, grids that form pictures when they fall, and 3D structures. Just remember to calculate the number of pieces you’ll need.
Another fun way to use dominoes is to create domino art. The artist Hevesh has created a domino YouTube channel with more than 2 million subscribers, and she’s worked on projects involving hundreds of thousands of dominoes. Her most intricate setups can take several nail-biting minutes to complete.
Dominoes can also be used in artistic displays, such as when a photographer captures the moment when a massive domino falls over to reveal a portrait or landscape. This technique has been popularized by photographers such as Thomas Ruff and Chris Jordan. Unlike traditional dominoes, which are made of polymer materials, these artworks can be constructed from natural materials such as bone, silver lip ocean pearl oyster shell (mother of pearl), ivory, or dark hardwoods such as ebony.