A domino is a small, rectangular piece with one or more dots on each end that can be used to play a variety of games. Each domino has a value, which is determined by the number of dots it has on each end (called pips). A traditional set contains 28 dominoes with values from one to six. The larger sets are called extended sets and contain more combinations of ends.
The power of dominoes lies in their ability to trigger a chain reaction that can knock over something much bigger than the domino itself. This is known as the Domino Effect. In a business setting, this principle applies to a strategy that starts with one high leverage action that can trigger a series of subsequent actions that create an even greater impact.
Domino’s exemplified this strategy with a new marketing campaign, which featured the company’s leaders and employees reading scathing critiques of the pizza chain. This was a rare moment in corporate history when a business publicly owned up to its mistakes and looked to make amends.
As a result, the company boosted its reputation, and its financials improved as a result of taking responsibility for its past transgressions. In addition, the company also launched a new delivery system that has been touted as an industry game changer. The new delivery system is a combination of Domino’s World Resource Center technology and 3rd party delivery services that aren’t traditional Domino’s delivery vehicles.
In fiction, scene dominoes are similar to the way a Domino’s order can trigger the next scene in a story. When you have a strong domino effect in your novel, it’s easier to create a story that keeps readers engaged. Whether you write an outline for your novel or compose it off the cuff, domino writing can help you create an interesting story that builds and resolves conflict in a way that feels natural.
The process of domino writing involves identifying the most important action for each scene. It’s then a matter of laying out each scene in a manner that makes the dominoes fall in an order that naturally leads to a conclusion.
In a fiction setting, these scenes are called scene dominoes because each one serves as a “domino” that can trigger the next scene in your story. They might be a scene that reveals information about your main character or a scene that demonstrates the effect of an event on someone else. In nonfiction, dominoes are often points to illustrate a theme or statement.
The best way to understand the importance of domino writing is to read through a few examples. Then, take a look at your own manuscript and see how your scenes work together like a line of dominoes. The main action for each scene should be the first domino that teeters on the edge of its seat. From there, you can use the rest of the scenes to build toward the dramatic conclusion you want your reader to experience.