Domino is a large, rectangular wood or plastic block marked with one to six dots in each half, and used for playing games of skill or chance. Each domino has two ends that match it with other pieces to form a chain. Each end has a value, usually indicated by a number of spots called pips or, more specifically, the digits 0 through 6, that determines how it is played in a given game.
When the pips are arranged in a domino set, a domino’s potential energy becomes available to push on other pieces and cause them to fall over, starting a new chain. Each domino that falls adds more potential energy to the next, causing it to push on even more pieces and so forth until it eventually collapses under its own weight.
A domino can be made out of many different materials and are often made to resemble ivory or bone, with a dark hardwood like ebony for contrast. Some sets are fabricated from metals (such as brass or pewter) and ceramic clay; others are made of natural stone (like marble, granite or soapstone); other types of wood (including hickory, oak, redwood, ash, cedar and alder); or glass and crystal. Traditionally, the pips on a domino were inlaid or painted, but more recently they have been cast in polymer.
While the word Domino may be used to describe the entire chain of events that leads to a particular conclusion, it also refers more generally to any type of sequence or pattern that depends on the reaction of one thing to another. The COVID-19 pandemic of the last year has been a prime example, as takeout and delivery services have become popular among diners who are avoiding restaurants due to the risk of being infected with the bacterial infection.
Hevesh, the domino artist featured in this article, is an expert in creating complex and imaginative domino effects and reactions for public displays. Her YouTube channel has more than 2 million subscribers, and she has created setups for movies, TV shows, and events (including a Katy Perry album launch).
To ensure that each section of a display works correctly, Hevesh first tests the biggest 3-D sections by building them flat and then arranging them on top of each other. This allows her to correct any sections that don’t work properly and then to build the domino chains that connect all of the sections together.
When the final piece is in place, Hevesh’s only job is to wait for the dominoes to fall, relying on their built-in inertia to take over. “When that first domino is positioned correctly, it doesn’t take much to get it rolling,” she says.
Whether you plot your manuscript off the cuff or use a tool like Scrivener to outline the story, writing a novel ultimately comes down to answering this question: What happens next? Keeping the concept of domino in mind can help you craft a narrative that will keep your readers engaged.
