How to Use the Domino Effect in Your Novel
Dominos
A domino is a flat, thumb-sized rectangular block that is either blank or marked with an arrangement of dots (known as pips) and bears from one to six on each side. A complete set of dominoes consists of 28 such tiles. Also called bones, cards, men, tiles, or spinners, dominoes are used to play games of chance and skill. Most commonly, a game of domino is played by placing adjacent dominoes edge to edge so that their pips match: for example, two matching “one’s” touch, or a group of “five’s” touches a pair of “one’s.” The exposed ends of these tiles are then counted; if the total number of points on the exposed ends is a multiple of five, the player wins the game.
Thousands of dominoes can be arranged in long lines to create amazing displays. A small nudge can cause one domino to fall and trigger the chain reaction of the rest of the line to tip over. Domino builders compete to see who can create the most complex domino structures and effects before an audience of fans.
When it comes to writing, the domino effect is all about a similar chain reaction: one action leads to many more actions and consequences. Whether you plot your novel off the cuff or use a more careful process, it all comes down to answering that fundamental question: What happens next? And considering how to use the domino effect in your story can help you tell it better.
The first domino effect relates to the pace of your story and how scenes progress. The scene dominoes—the individual pieces that advance the narrative—should not be too long (heavy on details or minutiae, making a scene seem overlong at critical junctures) or too short (not enough detail to make a scene feel shallow at key plot points). Once one scene’s goal is accomplished, it should be followed up pretty quickly with the next challenge or goal.
In the early days of Domino’s, founder Thomas Monaghan was deliberate about setting up franchise locations in college towns to capitalize on the demand for pizza. He emphasized the need to provide quick delivery service and placed pizzerias near campus to ensure that Domino’s could deliver on its promise. This strategic approach fueled the company’s rapid growth.
Like Domino’s, the most successful stories depend on careful planning and execution. The best stories elicit an emotional response in readers that reflects the hero’s struggle or triumph. They have a certain rhythm that allows the reader to follow along with the hero as they face challenges and overcome obstacles. Taking a cue from the domino effect can help writers build stories that are both fun to read and emotionally satisfying for their readers.