If media has taught us anything, it's that the truth can easily be bent. The headline of a story can determine whether we like something or not without reading the article/hearing the actual truth of it. The beauty of this is the same thing can be applied to writing your fiction. You can make readers loathe a character or make them feel sorry for them just by releasing certain bits of information.
In the two examples below, we're looking at the same story, but slightly different information is given in each one.
The perpetrator ran out the back door, with the freshly stolen jewelry clenched into his fists. As he flung the back door open, he failed to read the wet cement sign until his legs were suctioned firmly into the damp, but thick concrete. He tried to move his legs, but wasn't able to lift a single limb. He quickly whipped out his phone and dialed 9-1-1.
Obviously not the sharpest tool in the shed. We already don't like this criminal and we are cheering him on for being dumb enough to call for help in this situation.
Now for the other version:
The child ran out the back door, with his mom's jewelry clenched into his fists. As he tried to escape the mad man behind him, he flung the back door open and failed to read the wet cement sign until his legs were suctioned firmly into the damp, but thick concrete. He tried to move his legs, but wasn't able to lift a single limb. He quickly whipped out his phone and dialed 9-1-1.
You feel different about this story, why?
... it's amazing what a few details either added of left out can do.
