: Re: How to turn an unknown detail in the story into a mystery instead of a lacking detail? I mean, how to make so that an undefined information in the plot be considered a mystery, i.e. an intentional

@Sent2472441

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You might need to clarify your question: I'm not sure exactly what you mean. But maybe:

(a) As Dale Emery says, have the character's comment on it. If, for example, you never mention what Fred does for a living, the reader may not even notice that you don't bring it up. Or if it's obviously relevant, the reader may wonder if the author made a mistake by failing to clarify. But if a character says, "It's funny that nobody knows what Fred does for a living", then you make it explicit.

(b) Have the characters do, or attempt to do, something about it. I often get maddeningly frustrated when the characters in a story never do what would seem the obvious thing to solve their problem. Sometimes I find myself just wanting to shout at the book or the TV screen, "Why don't you just call the police?" or "Why don't you just tell her you love her?" or whatever. And I know that the real reason is because if the characters did do the obvious thing, that the story would be over in five pages. But this is easily solved by having the characters attempt the obvious thing and it not working for some reason. Like they call the police and the policeman shows up and turns out to be part of the conspiracy and calls that station and says, "Nothing going on here. Just some nutcase making up crazy stories."

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