Why Dominoes Are Associated With the Concept of Cause and Effect
Dominoes are a popular game played with gaming pieces. The markings on each domino (known as pips) represent the results of throwing two six-sided dice. Traditionally, dominoes are made of bone or ivory, wood, or a dark material like ebony. They can also be made of other natural materials, such as stone, and even ceramic clay. In addition, they can be carved from wood or painted on glass or crystal.
The word domino comes from the Latin dominus, meaning “lord,” and it’s associated with the concept of cause and effect. A domino who believes in the power of cause and effect can see their actions ripple through a world full of other players, knocking down larger and larger chains.
When creating one of her mind-blowing domino installations, Hevesh follows a version of the engineering-design process. She begins by considering a theme or purpose, then brainstorms images or words that might relate to it. She then creates test versions of each section before putting them all together. As a result, each piece works perfectly before being connected to the others.
Once the pieces are in place, the first player — determined either by drawing lots or who holds the heaviest hand — plays a domino. Then other players follow in turn, placing their tiles so they touch one end of the domino chain that’s already in place. They must be careful not to play a tile that will make the chain jump, or else they’ll have to start all over again.
This chain reaction is what makes the game so much fun. When the first domino falls, most of its potential energy converts to kinetic energy, giving the next domino a push that knocks it over. As a result, the domino effect is repeated over and over again, until the last domino falls.
For writers, the domino effect is a powerful tool to understand how their characters’ actions will affect the others. By thinking of every plot beat as a domino that can be pushed over, a writer can plan how their story will unfold.
This can help a writer keep their scenes logical and avoid running into problems when they’re writing something that runs outside the norms of what readers think is logical. For example, if a character does something immoral, like shooting a stranger or having an affair, the writer needs to provide enough logic and motivation for the reader to accept it as a hero action. Otherwise, the scene won’t be plausible and readers will stop believing in the hero. Then, the whole chain of events will fall apart. As a consequence, the reader will stop caring about what happens to the character. And if the reader doesn’t care, they won’t continue reading the story. This is a critical lesson that all writers should remember.
Dominoes are a popular game played with gaming pieces. The markings on each domino (known as pips) represent the results of throwing two six-sided dice. Traditionally, dominoes are made of bone or ivory, wood, or a dark material like ebony. They can also be made of other natural materials, such as stone, and even ceramic clay. In addition, they can be carved from wood or painted on glass or crystal. The word domino comes from the Latin dominus, meaning “lord,” and it’s associated with the concept of cause and effect. A domino who believes in the power of cause and effect can see their actions ripple through a world full of other players, knocking down larger and larger chains. When creating one of her mind-blowing domino installations, Hevesh follows a version of the engineering-design process. She begins by considering a theme or purpose, then brainstorms images or words that might relate to it. She then creates test versions of each section before putting them all together. As a result, each piece works perfectly before being connected to the others. Once the pieces are in place, the first player — determined either by drawing lots or who holds the heaviest hand — plays a domino. Then other players follow in turn, placing their tiles so they touch one end of the domino chain that’s already in place. They must be careful not to play a tile that will make the chain jump, or else they’ll have to start all over again. This chain reaction is what makes the game so much fun. When the first domino falls, most of its potential energy converts to kinetic energy, giving the next domino a push that knocks it over. As a result, the domino effect is repeated over and over again, until the last domino falls. For writers, the domino effect is a powerful tool to understand how their characters’ actions will affect the others. By thinking of every plot beat as a domino that can be pushed over, a writer can plan how their story will unfold. This can help a writer keep their scenes logical and avoid running into problems when they’re writing something that runs outside the norms of what readers think is logical. For example, if a character does something immoral, like shooting a stranger or having an affair, the writer needs to provide enough logic and motivation for the reader to accept it as a hero action. Otherwise, the scene won’t be plausible and readers will stop believing in the hero. Then, the whole chain of events will fall apart. As a consequence, the reader will stop caring about what happens to the character. And if the reader doesn’t care, they won’t continue reading the story. This is a critical lesson that all writers should remember.