A domino is a small rectangular wood or plastic block with a blank or marked surface. Its purpose is to serve as a base for a game of chance or skill, with players placing other pieces on top that have the same value (or, more often, the same color) as those already placed. A game can involve a single player or multiple. Most domino games are positional, with players taking turns positioning pieces edge to edge until they form a line and the last piece places its value at the end of the line. There are many variants on these rules, with different strategies for forming the line and scoring points.
Dominos are a symbol of the domino effect, which is a series of events that result in a larger sequence of similar or related events. It is an analogy for causal linkages within systems such as global finance or politics. A domino can also refer to any number of specific games or structures.
Hevesh began making domino art at age 10. Her YouTube channel, Hevesh5, has more than 2 million subscribers, and she has made arrangements for movies, TV shows, and events such as the launch of Katy Perry’s album. She has even set the Guinness Record for most dominoes in a circular arrangement.
She builds her intricate creations by testing each section individually to make sure it works before putting them together. She explains that this allows her to make “exact corrections” if something goes wrong, as well as refine the design before the full display. This process also teaches her the importance of timing: “If you want it to work, the pace needs to be right.”
As a writer, we can think of each scene as a domino, which advances a character closer or farther from their goal and sets up a chain reaction that naturally leads to the next scene. This is a good way to keep an eye on the pace of a novel, especially in scenes that advance the plot or illustrate a theme.
Hevesh’s domino designs are as mesmerizing as her skill. Watching her create and then tip over the entire arrangement in one swift movement is mesmerizing, but what is equally as fascinating is how much potential energy is sitting still right there on the table before she begins to tip it over. This is what makes it so frustrating when, as writers, we create complex structures that seem to be ready to fall — but then they don’t.
Dominos are great examples of this principle of momentum: once they start to move, they continue at a steady pace and lose energy only when stopped or hindered by another object. This is why a little nudge is so effective at pushing the first domino over its “tipping point” and into motion. Likewise, a tiny nudge is all it takes to propel a narrative forward at the proper pace. The key is to figure out what the “tipping point” for your story is and then nudge it along until you reach the finish line.