The domino effect occurs when one thing causes a chain reaction that results in further events. For example, if someone is arrested for possession of marijuana, it could lead to further investigations that eventually result in a drug trafficking charge. A domino effect also applies to relationships. If a woman is dating a married man, she could find herself in the middle of legal and social issues that might impact her life long after she’s moved on.
Dominoes (also known as bones, men, stones or tiles) are small rectangular blocks used to play games of chance and skill. They’re normally twice as long as they are wide and feature a line down the center to separate them into two identical squares, called ends. The identity-bearing side of each domino is marked with an arrangement of spots, called pips, similar to those on a die. Some sets of dominoes use more readable Arabic numerals on the pips, while others are blank or patterned with stripes or dots.
Generally, the value of a domino depends on the number of pips on its two exposed sides. Most dominoes have a number of pips that range from six to zero, with more valuable ones having more of them. The value of a domino isn’t always apparent, however, since some pips may be hidden under another.
Dominoes are available in a variety of shapes, sizes and materials. They can be made from wood, bone or plastic. They’re also sometimes painted or decorated to enhance their appearance. They’re usually stacked, with one domino on top of the other, and can be designed to form straight lines or curved lines, grids that create pictures when they fall, or 3D structures such as towers and pyramids.
Although they may look complex, dominoes are relatively easy to play. To make a domino, players begin by placing one on the end of a row or column of other dominoes, or “pile.” They continue to place dominoes in this manner until the pile is covered and no longer possible to extend, or “knock out” with a single move.
The process of plotting a novel can be very similar to laying out a set of dominoes. Whether you write a manuscript off the cuff or carefully plot each scene with an outline, there is one question that must be asked. What happens next? As a writer, you’ll want each scene in your novel to naturally influence the scene that comes after it. This will help readers understand the logic of your story and give them a reason to keep reading.
When a hero in a novel has a situation that seems hopeless, the writers can easily solve it with a deus ex machina. For example, in the film While You Were Sleeping Sandra Bullock’s character Lucy has a love triangle with Jack and Peter. She’s getting on really well with both of them but the plot dictates that she must leave them. So, the writers reach in at a party scene and arbitrarily create a fight between the two characters. The scene works but it doesn’t make for great storytelling.