The Domino Effect in Writing and Playing Dominoes
Domino, or dominoes, are small flat rectangular blocks used in various games as a form of chance. The name is derived from the Latin word for “falling.” A domino’s inertia keeps it standing still, until it is nudged ever-so-slightly by an outside force, which can be as simple as the tip of a finger. This is what sets apart a good domino player: they understand how to harness the potential energy of a domino, and then release it to propel the next piece forward.
A skilled builder may set up a row of thousands of dominoes, forming a complex pattern that eventually falls with the slightest nudge. Domino displays are a common feature in domino shows, where builders compete to create the most spectacular effect or reaction before a crowd. They’re also a useful metaphor for the way plot works in a story: the first domino starts to fall, and then the rest follow, triggered by the action or event that preceded it.
As a result, the best writers, whether they’re outlined planners or pantsters, know how to use this concept of the domino effect to help them construct a compelling plot. A skillful writer will plan out the beginning of a novel and its end, ensuring that each scene in between will have a logical impact on the one before it. Likewise, the best writers ensure that their story’s last scenes logically connect, and build upon or shift the emotional beats in the previous scene.
A player must make his or her first play by drawing a hand of dominoes from the stock (also called the hand). The tiles in the hand are placed face down, and any that match an open end of the already-played domino will be laid across it. The resulting chain develops a snake-line shape. This is referred to as the “domino effect.”
Lily Hevesh, a master domino artist who has set several world records for her large-scale installations, begins each project with a plan. She brainstorms images or words that she wants to incorporate, and then she figures out how to arrange the dominoes on a grid. She might be building a line of dominoes 24 inches long, for example, and will have to plan out how many dominoes she will need to complete the installation and if they are to be stacked in a linear or 3-D fashion.
When she draws her hand, Hevesh takes into consideration that a domino must be played before it to avoid having to draw another tile and risk losing control of the chain. She also takes into account the rules of the game, which may allow players to buy tiles from the stock (also known as “byeing”).
Hevesh is also careful to count each tile she draws before placing it. She knows that if she’s playing to a double, the new tile must be placed so that the two matching sides of the domino touch fully. Otherwise, the player will lose.