Writing Scenes With Dominoes

Domino is a type of game that involves placing tiles in such a way that each subsequent tile will cover the previous one. Dominoes (also called bones, men, or cards) are rectangular pieces twice as long as they are wide. Their surfaces are marked with an arrangement of spots, or pips, similar to those on dice. The pips are normally in one of seven different colors or a blank (indicated by a zero).

Dominoes are used for both blocking games and scoring games. Blocking games require a player to play all of his dominoes before the opponent can. In scoring games, the number of dots on a domino determines its value. Typical sets of dominoes contain 28 tiles: seven doubles (a number on both ends from double blank to double six) and 21 singles (different numbers on each end or a number and a blank). Some larger sets feature more easily readable Arabic numerals instead of pips.

Each domino has inertia—the tendency to resist motion unless some outside force acts upon it. A tiny nudge is all it takes to tip over that first domino. That domino in turn triggers a cascade that eventually leads to the final result. A domino effect can be seen in everything from a car crash to an explosion at the zoo, and it is important for writers to understand this principle when writing scenes that involve characters.

Like a domino, a scene must have the proper structure to work. Ideally, the plot will have a clear beginning and middle and a satisfying conclusion. But more importantly, the story must also be logical. This means that characters must act in ways that make sense given their motivation and environment. Otherwise, the story will fail to engage readers and leave them wondering what on earth the writer was thinking.

For example, if a character does something immoral, it is important to provide enough logic so that readers will either forgive her or at least understand why she went against societal norms. To do this, it helps to think of every action in a scene as a domino that must be carefully positioned and then tipped over.

Domino can be an excellent tool for writers to practice the art of constructing and manipulating scenes, but it is best used in conjunction with other tools—such as a storyboard or outline—to ensure that the scene is well-formed before it’s written. This approach can help writers avoid common traps, such as overwriting or introducing unnecessary details. It can also help authors develop a rhythm that will set the pace for their story, and it will help them spot when a scene isn’t working and adjust its structure accordingly.