The Domino Effect in Story Writing
A domino is a small rectangular block with a central square marked with dots that resemble those on dice. A set of dominoes can be used for games such as arachne, and can also be arranged to create artistic structures such as curved lines, grids that form pictures when they fall, stacked walls, or 3D structures like pyramids. A domino is a symbol of power and control, which makes it a popular symbol in game pieces, chessboards, and architectural designs. It can be a fun way to practice engineering and math skills, as well as learning the basics of geometry.
In Domino, the first domino must be positioned to fit over an existing domino that has at least some of its ends touching it. This is why the game is played on a hard surface, so players can more easily stand the dominoes on their edges. Each time a player plays a domino, that domino must touch two other tiles with matching ends, or the chain is broken and play passes to the next player. If the player cannot place a tile, he or she must “knock” the current piece over to free up space on the board.
Hevesh, a domino artist from the Philippines, has crafted mind-blowing designs that look more like art than a domino track. Her process begins with considering the theme or purpose of the installation and brainstorming images or words she might want to use. She then creates a sketch to determine the size and shape of the design, and calculates how many dominos are needed to complete it. Finally, she uses the sketch to plan out the way in which the dominoes will fall, including arrows indicating the direction of travel and where gaps in the design will be created.
One of the most interesting aspects of domino is its ability to create a cascade of motion, as in a sequence of dominoes falling in rhythmic order. This principle, which is known as the domino effect, can be applied to the story writing process.
When a scene in your novel goes against what readers believe is logical, it can cause the entire narrative to stall. To keep your reader interested, you need to provide a logical explanation for the action. Think of the scene as a scene domino, and see how it can affect the rest of the story.
Dominos
When Domino’s faced serious issues in 2004, it was clear something needed to change. The company had gotten away from its core values, especially its commitment to employees. The previous CEO, David Brandon, had instituted changes like a more relaxed dress code and new leadership training programs, but these weren’t enough to save the struggling franchise. Doyle, the new CEO, committed to re-establishing the company’s values and started listening directly to employees. He even took part in employee training sessions and visited Domino’s stores to meet with them in person. This new line of communication was a huge success and helped the company turn things around quickly.