Domino is the name of a small rectangular block that is either blank or bearing one to six pips or dots. A complete domino set includes 28 such tiles. It is the basis of a number of games, most involving matching the ends of dominoes and then laying them down in lines or angular patterns. Other games involve scoring points by putting down one domino after another. Dominoes can also be used to simulate the action of dice or to circumvent religious proscriptions against playing cards.

When a person tips the first domino ever-so-slightly, it causes a beautiful chain reaction as the other dominoes fall in rhythm with one another. This is known as the “domino effect.” As writers, we use this idea all the time when we create our novels. Whether you’re a pantser, writing off the cuff without an outline, or a plotter, thinking in terms of domino can help you make sure your scenes progress in the right direction.

For example, if you write a scene where your protagonist does something immoral, such as murdering a stranger, it’s crucial to have a strong reason for why she does so. Otherwise, the reader will not believe that your protagonist’s actions are logical, and may stop reading. In this case, you need to show that the hero’s immoral act has a clear domino effect on other people.

In addition, you should consider the effect that your novel’s antagonist will have on your protagonist. For example, if your protagonist is trying to solve a murder, but the villain she’s up against does nothing to help her, the plot will seem illogical. You need to provide a clear explanation as to why the antagonist does what she does, and how that impacts the hero.

The draw game starts with fewer dominoes than the block game. Each player takes seven dominoes at the start and then plays a tile adjacent to each of the four sides of the first doublet (or cross) that is played. If the player cannot play a tile, she passes her turn. Play continues until one player has all of his or her dominoes in play. The players then tally their scores.

Hevesh is an incredible artist who uses the physical phenomenon of gravity to create her amazing displays. She’s worked on projects involving 300,000 dominoes and has even helped set a Guinness World Record for the most dominoes toppled in a circular arrangement. Her biggest domino installations take several nail-biting minutes to fall, but the process is a simple one: letting the law of physics do its work.