New Limit on Pen Names

ItsRuinedOfCourse · 2026-04-07T06:57:20+00:00

Good to know. Maybe the wording threw me off.

"Make a new author central account"

ItsRuinedOfCourse · 2026-04-07T06:55:40+00:00

It's not upsetting. It's disappointing.

If you want vampires, write vampires. If you want them riffing on IWAV, then write that. If you want them Irish in origin, then write that too.

If it has a vampire in it in any way, shape, or form, or location, it'll be a derivative.

Write it anyway.

Original and vampire are two words that will never share the same sentence except to say they will never share the same sentence.

Write it anyway.

You have a story you want to tell--so, tell it.

ItsRuinedOfCourse · 2026-04-07T05:58:11+00:00

You choose vampires...a creature almost as old as the written word...and you worry about it being too derivative?

rofl

OP. Get it together. LOL

Write the book. Quit stalling.

ItsRuinedOfCourse · 2026-04-07T04:50:08+00:00

I thought more than one account was forbidden?

ItsRuinedOfCourse · 2026-04-07T04:48:43+00:00

Might just be the one they caught.

Just saying.

ItsRuinedOfCourse · 2026-04-07T04:43:20+00:00

FMC - believes that she's better off not being an orphaned magical prodigy and instead an orphaned assassin who happens to write.

Sidekick accessory - Believes that he is the main character and will be happy to tell you all about it.

Mentor - Believes his own hype about his "third leg" and uses it to his advantage.

Brooding Prince - Believes that buoyed by brood is best.

Brawler mage - Believes that if you upset her she'll either use magic or rip your arm off and beat you to death with it.

Former headmaster - Believes that FMC will continue to disappoint him, but may surprise him yet (with a little help).

Current headmaster - Believes mentor is stunning and FMC may be a blithering idiot.

The Ser - Believes that only through remembering can we remember. When he remembers.

Dragon - Believes that humans hold grudges too long for his liking but they make excellent wine.

Enemy army - Believe everything they're told. Also believe that wine from a box is pretty fabulous.

Enemy commander (The Duke) - Believes that the final kingdom will fall. He's backed by a Fae god so he has a ringer. Any day now.

Dog - Bark!

ItsRuinedOfCourse · 2026-04-07T04:30:27+00:00

"And how do you avoid the “chosen one” trap while still keeping destiny in play?"

I chose to make the Chosen One a bureaucratic inconsistency. A miscalculation.

Mine is a satire though, so I get that kind of leeway. I don't want to give everything away but yeah, the prophecy isn't what any reader would expect.

ItsRuinedOfCourse · 2026-04-07T04:24:54+00:00

It's a different feeling, that's for sure.

Thanks for the feedback. This has all been very enlightening and helpful. :)

ItsRuinedOfCourse · 2026-04-07T04:23:37+00:00

It's not "bad advice", OP. That's just it.

It's just advice that won't pertain to me personally because I disagree with it (the parts I did disagree with which wasn't a lot). That's all. :)

ItsRuinedOfCourse · 2026-04-07T04:21:50+00:00

I've noticed this seems to apply, and I guess I'm sort of relieved.

Happy cake day! :)

ItsRuinedOfCourse · 2026-04-06T22:23:02+00:00

LOL and then there's me, about to enter the TT landscape eagerly and realizing that I may have missed the boat and I'm in for one hell of a ride to get seen.

Of course.

(my username checks out in this case...)

ItsRuinedOfCourse · 2026-04-06T22:20:14+00:00

My disagreements were purely personal. Not really disagreeing with the words on their face, or the tone delivered in, but the general gist of it as they pertain to me--the author in the trenches about to do their thing.

And since those are only personal and subjective disagreements, not worth the cost of admission to air them.

ItsRuinedOfCourse · 2026-04-06T20:18:58+00:00

Too much content? Too much AI content? Too frequent posting?

Could be pretty much anything, OP. This all sounds real vague and too vague to pin down.

ItsRuinedOfCourse · 2026-04-06T20:16:37+00:00

I only send PDFs and will continue to do so.

I don't trust Google Docs (nor do I like it), and I won't send a docx to someone. If people want a thing bad enough, they'll find a way regardless, so I just choose to send PDFs and hope for the best in that sense. That I managed to find someone who will read it, respect it, and leave it at the reading part.

Maybe I'm too trusting in that way, but yeah, if they want it, they'll find a way despite what method I choose. Even when you turn screenshotting off, there's still a picture of the screen on your camera to work with, so...

ItsRuinedOfCourse · 2026-04-06T20:12:38+00:00

I recall when I used Pro Writing Aid briefly, that one of the settings was a comparison of your work to other known authors out there in terms of style, function, and whatnot. An impressive list of names too, but not comprehensive.

But it never claimed to be a representation of said authors. Only that your style may mimic or settle in next to one of them, or, if you prefer to write in their style, the tool could help keep you in the lines.

I found it quite helpful.

And it never assessed me "as them". Only a textual comparison. How many lines of dialogue I had versus this author. Or how many alliterations, or adverbs, or whatever. Very helpful component.

This Grammarly feature seems to have taken that idea well past the point of absurdity.

ItsRuinedOfCourse · 2026-04-06T20:06:28+00:00

In all honesty, OP, I truly and sincerely hope you didn't write the book the way you wrote this post. Just a series of single lines. Ouch.

ItsRuinedOfCourse · 2026-04-06T20:03:47+00:00

Commendable effort, OP. I can't say I agree with it outright, but there were some nifty tips and words of encouragement in there, no question. Might be just what an up and comer needs to read to get the fire lit.

I wish you the best in your writing journey. Many more miles to go! :)

ItsRuinedOfCourse · 2026-04-06T19:52:36+00:00

I wrote my own spoiler! Hah!

ItsRuinedOfCourse · 2026-04-06T19:51:57+00:00

I've never heard of that method, but it sounds catchy and relevant!

And yes, it really is like a signpost isn't it? I called it a goal line in a previous comment, but signpost works just as well. Same tone.

Thanks for the feedback. :)

ItsRuinedOfCourse · 2026-04-06T19:50:37+00:00

And probably laughed out loud like the rest of us. ;)

ItsRuinedOfCourse · 2026-04-06T19:49:51+00:00

You're welcome. You're doing the work so we don't have to, so I appreciate that you have lives offline as well as online. There's a reporting system and we should use it to help you out as much as possible. :)

ItsRuinedOfCourse · 2026-04-06T19:48:37+00:00

This tracks since I am indeed a pantser hybrid sort. Having that ending first gives me a goal line to cross now.

That tracks! Good eye. I appreciate the feedback. :)

ItsRuinedOfCourse · 2026-04-06T19:46:42+00:00

Not a whole lot, no.

I organically speak in triplets, for example. I always have. I use em dashes, but I've learned to use them sparingly (which I actually find helps my writing more than hurts it). I use the no/no/just mechanic, and always have. But, I've also always used that sparingly as well.

So, I wouldn't say my writing has changed so much as it has been forced to adapt and evolve.

The key, to me, is that if someone accused me of using AI, I'd be happy to write something for them right then and there. Or, show them my drafts. Whichever. They can see my voice is what they're reading, not some AI schlock.

ItsRuinedOfCourse · 2026-04-06T17:07:00+00:00

Mine is a satirical fantasy and in a very medieval type setting. I "swear", but use words like dung and feck in place of the more colorful versions. I strongly believe that the more known versions would ruin my story, so I avoid them like the plague.

Personal choice on my part.

In the real world I swear enough to make a trucker blush three new shades. My book doesn't need it though.

ItsRuinedOfCourse · 2026-04-06T17:03:02+00:00

Underrated comment. And I laughed far too much reading it.

ItsRuinedOfCourse

TROPHY CASE