We’ve all seen domino art—that amazing arrangement of stacked tiles that, when tipped ever so slightly, falls in a rhythmic cascade. This same idea of domino effect can be applied to a story, whether you’re writing fiction or nonfiction. In fact, it’s the foundation for many of the best scenes in any story.
A domino is a small rectangular wooden or plastic block, twice as long as it is wide, that features two square ends (sometimes called edges) and numbers, or dots, on each face. The number of spots on a domino ranges from six to none or blank. The most common dominoes are double-six pips, but there are also many other variants, including double-twelve pips, four-six pips, and one-to-six pips.
Dominoes are used in a variety of games, both recreational and competitive. Most are positional games in which a player places a domino edge to edge against another domino, with each successive pair of adjacent faces either identical or forming some specified total. The resulting total is then added to the value of each domino.
The first domino in a game typically has a value of zero, but it can have any value that is greater than or equal to the sum of the values of its neighbors. A domino that has a value of zero is sometimes described as “naked,” and a blank or unmarked domino is often called a “wild.” Dominoes are played in almost every country in the world, though most of the games are based on European traditions.
As each domino tumbles, much of its potential energy converts to kinetic energy, the energy of motion. This energy is transferred to the next domino, giving it a push that can knock it over as well. The process continues, until the last domino has fallen.
In the case of a story, each scene in the story is like a domino that must fit perfectly with its surroundings. If a story isn’t built properly, it will fall apart. This is why it’s important to plan out your scenes in advance.
Hevesh, the domino artist whose YouTube channel has more than 2 million subscribers, starts her creations with a plan. She brainstorms ideas for the layout of her domino art, and then she tests each section individually by placing it on a table and pushing it down with her hands. This helps her make precise adjustments before putting all the pieces together. Once she has a full layout, she then records the final result on video. The final videos help her show other people the amazing displays she’s capable of creating.