Domino is a small, flat block used for gaming or decoration that features two square ends with dots (also called pips) arranged in a standard pattern. The number of pips on each end determines its value. The more pips, the higher the value of the domino. Dominos are commonly stacked in long rows, with each domino touching the ends of one or more other dominoes. When a row is complete, it is called a domino line or a domino rally.
Lily Hevesh has been collecting and playing with dominoes since she was 9 years old. Her grandmother gave her a 28-piece set, and she fell in love with the challenge of setting up curved or straight lines before flicking just the right domino to make them all fall. She soon began posting videos of her creations on YouTube and became a professional domino artist, creating spectacular setups for movies, TV shows, and even a celebrity album launch for Katy Perry.
Hevesh carefully tests each section of a set before beginning construction. She also films each piece in slow motion to make sure it will work as intended. When she is certain each part of a set will work together, she begins putting it together in layers. She starts with the largest 3-D sections, then adds flat arrangements, and finally the domino lines. Hevesh usually uses a double-six set of dominoes, which has 12 ends in total, but some games may use larger sets with more or less pips.
Dominoes are most often used as a game, although they can also be used to teach children math. Each domino has a set of pips that determines its value, with some ends being blank or marked with a single dot. The pips are placed in a standard pattern, which is known as the “suit.” A domino with a single suit has a single number of pips on each side; doubles have the same numbers on both sides; and combination dominoes have different numbers on each half of the face.
If you’ve ever watched a domino rally or read about one, the images likely remain in your mind as a reminder of how a simple action can lead to a chain reaction. In fact, the domino effect is a common metaphor for describing many different scenarios in life.
Whether you’re a pantser or someone who works from a detailed outline, when you write a novel, you must always consider how one scene will impact the scenes that follow it. If you’re not careful, your story may end up with a bunch of scenes that don’t build tension or have much in common with the scene before it. Fortunately, there are some writing techniques you can use to avoid this fate. In this article, we’ll take a look at how to use the domino effect to create an exciting plot. We’ll also talk about using scenes that help your reader understand the motivation of the protagonists, as well as how to avoid scenes that don’t advance the plot in any way.