Domino is a small flat block used as a gaming object that can trigger a series of other dominoes to fall over. A domino is also known as a bone, piece, men, or card. The most basic domino game involves laying out a line of dominoes and tipping one to begin the domino effect, where one domino sets off a chain reaction of the other pieces falling in rhythmic motion.
Dominoes are fun to play with and can be arranged in many different ways. They can be stacked in rows, curved lines, grids that form pictures when they fall, or 3D structures like towers and pyramids. The key to a good domino design is in the planning. You have to think about the layout ahead of time and figure out the sequence that will work best for your design. Hevesh is well-known for her mind-blowing domino designs and follows a version of the engineering-design process in her creative work.
She starts by considering the theme or purpose of her domino design. Then, she brainstorms images or words that would be appropriate for the design. Finally, she decides on the overall layout.
When writing a novel, it’s important to plan the scenes in advance. If you’re a pantser—that is, you don’t make detailed outlines of your plot—you may end up with scenes that don’t connect to the scene before them or have enough momentum to lead to a climax. Think of each scene as a domino. The more you have in place, the smoother your story will flow and the more impact it will have on readers.
For example, if your hero shoots someone in self defense, it will be important to provide the logic and motivation for readers to accept this immoral act. Otherwise, they will quit reading the story because it won’t feel logical. This is why it’s essential to get your story dominoes in order—to ensure that each scene builds on the previous and leads to the climax.
Whether you’re a pantser who writes by the seat of your pants or a planner who uses outlines and software like Scrivener, thinking about domino actions is an effective way to create a smooth story. Regardless of how you create your scene dominoes, one important lesson is that high leverage actions—those that have a big impact when triggered—are the most exciting. Think of a domino action as a script command that kicks off a sequence of other actions. The more dominoes you have in place, the faster your story will move. And that’s what readers want.