The Domino Effect in Writing and Playing Dominoes

Domino is a generic term for any of a series of gaming pieces used to play games. The defining characteristic of dominoes is that they are marked on one side with an arrangement of spots, or “pips,” like those on a die, while the other face is blank or identically patterned. This design allows for many different games to be played with a single set.

The word is also used in a more general sense to describe the effect that one event has on a sequence of related events, whether it is a physical domino effect or a political or economic effect. This phenomenon is often referred to as the domino theory, though this theory is not the same as the game of dominoes.

In writing, the domino effect describes how a scene in a story influences the next scenes in the story. If a writer does not plan out their scenes ahead of time, such as by using a tool such as Scrivener to outline the plot, they can end up with scenes that do not flow well or do not have enough logical impact on those in front of them. A domino effect can also be used to describe how one character’s actions affect the actions of other characters in a story.

For example, if a character takes a risky or immoral action, such as shooting a stranger, that action can influence other characters to take similar risks, or even act immorally in a way that can create a chain reaction that leads to societal collapse. The domino effect is also used in the context of political events, such as a coup that overthrows a government and triggers other unintended consequences.

There are many ways to enjoy domino, from simple games of chance to complex artistic designs. A popular form of domino art involves creating a colorful pattern of overlapping and intersecting dominoes. A person can even use the pieces to create an elaborate mural on a wall.

Lily Hevesh has enjoyed playing with dominoes since she was 9. She learned to make intricate domino setups from her grandparents’ classic 28-piece set, which included a curved line that could be used for a rainbow spiral. Now she’s a professional domino artist who makes large-scale projects for movies, TV shows, and events, including the album launch of pop star Katy Perry. Her largest setups can contain hundreds of thousands of dominoes and can take several nail-biting minutes to fall.

Hevesh uses a special technique to arrange the dominoes for her large installations. She first draws a line of the main action on a piece of paper, then puts the dominoes in place and steps back. As the dominoes are set up in a straight or curved line, she flicks the first piece and watches it cascade to the ground. She’s created a number of impressive displays, from a five-color spiral to an eight-foot-long rainbow domino. She’s also broken several world records for longest and most complete domino chains.