Writing a Domino Effect-Driven Novel

Dominoes, also known as bones, cards, men, or pieces, are small, flat rectangular-shaped game pieces that have been used in many different games over the centuries. They can be made from a variety of materials including plastic, bone, ivory and stone. They are normally twice as long as they are wide and feature a line down the middle to divide them visually into two square ends that are each marked with an arrangement of dots, or pips, that differ from one another in value from six down to none or blank.

When a domino is standing upright, it stores potential energy that enables it to push the next domino over. As soon as that happens, the potential energy is converted to kinetic energy, and the chain reaction continues until all the dominoes have fallen over.

Like the domino effect, when a writer plots a story they have to think about how the scenes they create will affect what comes next. Each scene should advance the story, taking it either farther from or closer to its goal; however, the scenes must be spaced right so that they don’t drag on (and overrun the reader’s patience) or get too short and drab (not giving enough information about what is happening).

The process of writing a domino effect-driven novel starts with planning the overall structure and theme of the piece. Then, as the writer writes, they can fill in the details with scenes that will work together to move the story along.

A domino is a small, flat, rectangular-shaped piece of wood, bone or ivory with a line down the middle that divides it visually into two square ends, each marked with an arrangement of dots, or “pips,” which differ in value from six down to none or blank. A domino is normally twice as long as it is wide and has a line in the center to distinguish it from other similar pieces that are stacked to form a larger domino.

Dominoes can be arranged into many different shapes, patterns and layouts to play a wide range of domino games. Some of the most common games involve blocking opponents’ play and scoring points based on the total number of pips in opposing players’ hands; others are played just for fun or to teach children counting skills.

The domino effect occurs when a small change has a chain reaction that causes you to adopt other habits or beliefs. For example, Jennifer Dukes Lee noticed that making her bed each day led to a more tidy house and new self-image, which then led to other changes in her daily routine. This is an excellent example of the domino effect in action. Once you start doing something, the rest often follows suit — sometimes in ways you never expected.