Writing About Dominoes
Dominoes have been a favorite toy for generations. They are easy to carry, durable, and can be used in a variety of ways. One way is to line them up to make an interesting shape. Another way is to play a game with them. The games are usually simple and have a clear goal: to get all the dominoes in order. Dominoes are also popular for creating art, as they can be arranged in many different ways to create unique designs.
In the most basic domino game, players start with a set of 28 tiles that are shuffled face down to form a stock or boneyard. Each player draws seven dominoes from this stock. Each domino has a number that must match a tile in the player’s hand. If the player cannot lay down a domino, they must pass their turn. If they have a matching tile, they may choose to play it. Players must also take turns until they have no more dominoes to play.
The oldest recorded written mention of dominoes comes from a Yuan Dynasty author who listed pupai (gambling plaques) as items sold by peddlers. The word domino probably derives from the Latin dominum, meaning “flip over.”
When a domino is tipped ever-so-slightly, it releases a pulse of energy that travels down the chain. This energy converts to kinetic energy, which gives the next domino the push it needs to fall over. Then, that domino transmits the same amount of energy to the next domino until the entire sequence is complete.
In writing, we can think of scene dominoes as the scenes that advance a story. Each scene domino is ineffective by itself, but when arranged together, they help move the story along. When the scene dominoes are in the correct order, the story makes sense. When a writer sees a way to arrange the scene dominoes in a more effective manner, they can use this knowledge as a tool for writing better scenes.
A key ingredient in Domino’s success is its commitment to listen to customers and act on their feedback. This commitment extends to all employees. For example, if a worker feels that the company’s dress code is too casual, the company will make changes to accommodate that employee. In addition, if the company is hearing that it is not putting enough pizzas near colleges, it will try to open more pizzerias in this area.
Hevesh has a process she uses when making her mind-blowing domino setups. She first tests each section of her creations individually to ensure that it works properly. Then, she assembles the sections into larger arrangements and finally lines them up to create the final installation. Taking this approach to her work allows Hevesh to make precise corrections when necessary. She even records the test versions of her designs, so that she can review them later.