Hidden Interest

Sometimes its what’s not said that draws interest and attention.  The hidden and the lost seem to matter more than what is available and obvious.

Take a page of text and blot a line out beyond legibility and they, the words no more, overshadow the remaining words that jump up ready to be read.

Hide something and it becomes worth finding out, regardless of it true (pre-hidden) value.

I remember a time where such was the case in high school.  Just before Valentine’s Day, students filled out a short survey.  Based on their answers a compatibility list was made showing their closest matches.   My list had a girl in the first spot that I didn’t particularly like.  She was not popular (not that I was, but to me she seemed even less so) and not attractive.  I didn’t want others to see that she was on my list.  So I crossed her off.

And that crossed off name became more important that what was in plain view.

In writing interest comes from not always immediately having all the answers.  We, as authors, lead our readers along telling then certain things and purposefully withholding other things.  Part of the craft comes in knowing how to balance.