The Domino Effect in Fiction
Domino is a game where players place tiles in a sequence until a chain of one or more pieces falls. Each domino has a number on either end, and when placed properly, the number should line up with the other ends to form a long chain that gradually increases in length.
Dominoes are also used in other games where the players try to place tiles in a particular pattern. The first player to do so wins that round of play. Players can also use the tiles to make artistic designs, and the art they create often incorporates the theme of the game.
The modern dominoes we know and love are made of polymer, but they originally were made from wood, ivory, or bone and had a more distinctive and elegant look. The most common domino set today consists of 28 tiles that are double-sided with a number of spots, or pips, on each end. The pips are normally colored black or white, but some sets are made of different colors to distinguish the ends from each other.
A very popular game involves putting the dominoes in a row, putting a single tile on top of it, and then placing more tiles on top of that until a long chain is formed. This chain may then be knocked over by another player, resulting in a win for that player.
Other types of games involving dominoes involve drawing or picking from sleeping or “unplayed” tiles to build chains that are longer than the previous one. This is a more difficult game for beginners, but it can become very interesting when the players try to find ways to build larger chains that are harder to knock down.
Artists and hobbyists who like to create domino art use the same principle of laying out their design on a flat surface and then marking where each domino should be placed. The designs can be as simple or elaborate as the creator wants – straight lines, curved lines, grids that form pictures when they fall, stacked walls, and 3D structures such as pyramids.
The idea behind the domino effect in fiction is that, whether you plot your novel with a detailed outline or write it by the seat of your pants, scenes will develop that run counter to logical expectations. If you want to keep your readers interested in your story, then you need to provide them with a compelling reason or motivation for your hero to take actions that go against the norm. Otherwise, they’ll quickly lose interest.