The Domino Effect in Writing

Dominoes are small, flat blocks of rigid material used as gaming objects. They are also known as bones, men, tiles, or even cards and are normally twice as long as they are wide. Unlike playing cards or dice, which have specific defining features, dominoes are generic in that they can be arranged to form a large variety of games. The identifying feature of a domino is the arrangement of spots, or pips, on its faces. These dots are generally grouped into three sets, each of which represents one of the 21 possible combinations of a thrown die. The other face of a domino is blank or identically patterned to the first. Unlike playing cards, the spots on a domino are not divided into suits, although some dominoes have special pips that distinguish them from other pieces in a particular set.

In a domino show, builders construct elaborate chains of hundreds or thousands of dominoes, each meticulously placed to trigger the next piece. A single domino, on its own, is useless and tedious; it only becomes interesting when a sequence of dominoes are positioned and nudged to fall all at once. Similarly, a story is best when its scenes are arranged in such a way that they create a natural flow, leading to the story’s climax.

Whether you write off the cuff or carefully craft your manuscript, each scene must be a domino in the sense that it advances the story, either moving farther away from the protagonist’s goal or closer to it. It must be placed in the correct order to allow for the smooth progression of events, without feeling too long (heavy on minutiae) or too short (making the hero seem shallow at important moments).

Like a domino effect, an effective story requires careful planning and expert execution. The domino theory can help writers understand how to structure a plot that will keep readers engaged from start to finish.

In 1968, Tom Monaghan was attempting to establish Domino’s Pizza in Ann Arbor, Michigan when he realized he needed to take a new approach to the business in order to succeed. He had tried introducing a new menu and expanding the Domino’s brand to college campuses, but the company was still struggling financially. In the end, he was $943 million in debt, and if things continued on this path, it could be just a matter of time before Domino’s faded from memory.

Instead, he sought out an industry expert to help him turn the company around. Ken Heavlin, a business consultant and former Domino’s executive, knew that the key to domino’s success was not only in the quality of the product but in giving customers what they wanted and then adapting as necessary. By implementing this strategy, Domino’s was able to survive and thrive, becoming the dominant pizza delivery company that it is today. By applying the Domino’s formula to your own work, you can ensure that your story is a success as well.