How to Use the Domino Effect in Your Writing
Dominoes are a type of tile that is used in a game of skill and chance. They are normally twice as long as they are wide and feature a line in the middle that divides them visually into two squared ends, each of which is marked with an arrangement of spots or “pips,” like those on a die. They may also be blank or identically patterned on both sides. The value of one side or the other is identified by its number of pips, and the sum of the values of both is called its rank or weight.
Dominoes can be arranged in various ways to create different patterns, such as straight lines, curved lines, and grids that form pictures when they fall. They can also be stacked to create 3D structures like towers and pyramids. Whether they are used in games of skill or chance, the simple act of tipping over a domino creates a chain reaction that is both exciting and satisfying to watch. The same principle can be applied to a novel plot, and learning how to use the Domino Effect in your writing will help you achieve the satisfying results you are seeking.
As a kid, you likely played with dominoes or watched others play them. You may even have seen the highly satisfying videos that show a long string of dominoes being tipped over one by one until they all end up revealing a giant artwork or portrait on the floor. While the process of knocking over dominoes is fun and exciting, it is not very productive. As a writer, you need to focus on getting your work done in small increments and build up momentum for the big payoffs at the end of the day.
You can apply the Domino Effect to your writing by treating each scene in your novel as a domino that you are setting up. Each scene should lead to the next in a sequence that leads to the final result you want your reader to experience at the end of your story. This means that every scene must be set up to build to a climax and then fall in order, just as a domino falls when it is tipped over from one end to the other.
The idiom “domino effect” was first coined by journalist Alsop in 1939. He was explaining how it only takes a single domino to tip over the whole row of them. The idea that one small trigger can initiate a larger series of events has spread to many aspects of our daily lives. For example, if your child wins an award in the school competition, that may spark a whole chain of other victories in their life, which can ultimately lead to success in the future.