When you see a domino show, you might be amazed at the complexity and beauty of what can happen when just one piece is set in motion. Similarly, when we write a story, the whole thing is a cascade that happens over time, bringing our hero closer to or farther from his or her goal. The most successful stories build a compelling narrative by setting pieces in motion, one right after another. This process, called a “domino effect,” is what makes the story interesting to readers.
Domino is also the name of a game that many people play. The individual pieces are called dominoes, though some people call them bones, cards, chips, or tickets. A typical domino set contains 28 pieces that are shaped like little squares or rectangles. They have a black or white background with contrasting dots (called pips) that can be either white or black. Some sets are made of natural materials, such as bone, silver lip ocean pearl oyster shell (mother-of-pearl), ivory, or a dark hardwood such as ebony. These sets look more elegant and are heavier than polymer dominoes.
Most domino games involve blocking or scoring, and they help teach kids counting and math skills. For example, in the game bergen, players place a tile on the table that has matching ends to an existing domino chain that continues to grow longer and longer. If the exposed ends of a chain total any number that is a multiple of five, then the player gets those points.
In some games, players may try to make chains of a certain shape. For example, a player might try to make a snake-shaped domino chain that is as long as possible.
Dominoes can also be used to illustrate scientific principles, such as gravity. An expert domino artist, known as a “domino master,” can create incredible patterns that use the laws of physics to demonstrate physical phenomena. For example, a domino artist can create a circle of hundreds or thousands of dominoes that is completely toppled by the simple force of gravity.
The success of Domino’s Pizza is an important business lesson for anyone who wants to succeed in a competitive industry. Founder Thomas Monaghan understood that his company could attract customers by opening stores close to college campuses. His strategy helped the company gain a foothold in the market and quickly expand its business.
Whether you write your manuscript off the cuff or follow a meticulous outline, every scene in your story should answer the question: What will happen next? If your scenes advance the plot and make the hero move further toward or closer to his or her goal, readers will want to turn the page. That’s why it’s so important to set your scenes up correctly in terms of pace and momentum. If you rush a scene, it will feel flat and uninteresting. If you drag it out too long, the reader might lose interest. Likewise, if the scene is too short, it won’t have enough impact at key plot points.