Identifying the Domino Effects of Each Scene in Your Novel
Domino, the world’s largest pizza chain, operates more than 10,000 outlets in over 70 countries and has more than 145,000 employees. In addition to pizza, the company offers delivery services, has a technology division and has several business lines including restaurants and e-commerce. Domino’s leadership is focused on achieving results through innovation and encouraging teamwork, which has led to the company being recognized as one of the top workplaces in America by Fortune magazine.
The term domino is also used to describe a sequence of events in which the end result is determined by the outcome of an earlier event. For example, a domino effect can be seen in a game of poker. Each player has a set number of chips and the first player to play a hand wins all the chips in that hand. Then, the remaining players will follow suit in order to finish the last chip and win the pot.
When it comes to writing fiction, plotting a novel is much like setting up a game of domino. There are certain rules that must be followed in order for a story to flow smoothly and for readers to become engaged with the characters. Whether you are an off-the-cuff writer who creates a loose outline or take your time with a carefully prepared draft, following these rules will help ensure that your story has the necessary elements to succeed.
While writing a novel, it is important to understand the effect that each scene has on the overall story. This is especially true when it comes to setting and character development. Developing scenes that are out of order can confuse the reader and ruin the impact that your work has on the reader. Fortunately, there are ways to avoid this problem by identifying the domino effects of each scene in your manuscript.
Creating mind-blowing domino setups like this 15-color rainbow spiral requires precise planning and a lot of energy. Lily Hevesh, who made this setup using 12,000 dominoes in 2017, explains that she follows a version of the engineering-design process to create her pieces. She starts by considering the theme or purpose of an installation and brainstorms images or words she might want to use.
After that, she lays down the first domino and starts placing it next to the others in a curved line or a straight row. The dominoes have inertia, meaning they resist motion unless an outside force acts on them. When Hevesh flicks the first domino over, its potential energy converts to kinetic energy, which gives it the push needed to cause the next domino to fall.
The next domino then absorbs the kinetic energy of the first and passes it on to the ones surrounding it, providing the push that causes them all to fall in a domino effect. This process continues until all the dominoes are tipped over, one by one.
