If you’ve ever watched a domino set, you’ve seen a perfect example of the “domino effect.” You see something small and relatively harmless knock over another thing much bigger. But the effect goes even farther than that: Scientists have determined that a single domino can actually knock over things one-and-a-half times its size. Dominoes are often used to demonstrate this principle because of their relatively low weight. In a domino show, hundreds or thousands of these little tiles are set up in careful sequence. Then a builder steps back and watches as the whole thing topples with a slight nudge of only one domino. It’s truly amazing to watch, and it shows how powerful the domino effect can be.
Domino (also known as bones, cards, men, or pieces) are flat, thumb-sized rectangular blocks with each face divided visually into two squares and each bearing from one to six pips or dots. 28 such pieces form a complete set. A domino may also feature a line in the middle to differentiate it from its identical twin, with one side bearing a number and the other blank or without any pips. The number of pips on either end of a domino determines its rank or value, with a domino bearing more pips considered heavier than one with fewer pips.
Hevesh has been creating stunning domino displays for years, and she’s made a name for herself as a professional domino artist, building setups for movies, TV shows, and events. Her YouTube channel has more than 2 million subscribers, and she’s even set a Guinness record for the most dominoes toppled in a circular arrangement. When she’s constructing a large project, Hevesh starts by testing individual sections. By filming her test sets in slow motion, she’s able to make precise corrections and refine her design.
When you’re writing a story, the process of plotting it can feel like building a set of dominoes. The first scene lays the foundation, and each subsequent scene adds to it. But you must be sure that the scenes logically connect, and that energy flows from one to the next in a natural way.
Whether you write your manuscript off the cuff or follow a strict outline, you need to ask yourself whether the scenes in your story flow from one to the next in a natural manner. You also need to ensure that the logical reactions of your characters reflect their emotional beats, and that the scene you’re working on supports the action that comes before it.
Just as a drop of water creates waves in a glass, a domino can cause a chain reaction that makes your story soar. And if you don’t pay attention to the details of your domino effect, it might just fall apart like a cheap plastic toy. So, before you hit the publish button, make sure your domino effect is solid. Otherwise, your readers might not be convinced that the events of your story are plausible.