Author fingerprint.

[Brutal_One]

Not as the title maybe suggests but I was looking over one of my early submissions and the character uses a certain technique regarding a characters name and the literal translation or meaning of the name. It can apply to certain surnames too. When I was writing the final, and very much the same technique the same character uses it but for several characters.

I guess in this way and it may be something I use again. This is only a trait of this particular character that suits who and what he is.

For readers some may notice - some of course may not care.

But although it is not as if I am prolific with just around 30 or so stories published.

But do you have either though characters as in my example, or in phrases or expressions you use across your writing that identifies it’s you, in the writing I mean. What I refer to as the author’s signature, maybe fingerprint is better so I will adjust the title.

Brutal One.

 

[dmallord]

Reply to Brutal_One Regarding 'Technique'

Not as the title maybe suggests but I was looking over one of my early submissions and the character uses a certain technique regarding a characters name and the literal translation or meaning of the name. It can apply to certain surnames too. When I was writing the final, and very much the same technique the same character uses it but for several characters.

I guess in this way and it may be something I use again. This is only a trait of this particular character that suits who and what he is.

For readers some may notice - some of course may not care.

But although it is not as if I am prolific with just around 30 or so stories published.

But do you have either though characters as in my example, or in phrases or expressions you use across your writing that identifies it’s you, in the writing I mean. What I refer to as the author’s signature, maybe fingerprint is better so I will adjust the title.

Brutal One.

I read your post - several times - before I think I understood some of what you are asking.

Are you looking for a unique trait that only you, as the writer, can point to legally that the name convention is your personal type of brand, watermark, or trademark?

Something that is hidden from the eye of a thief so that if you catch them, you can prove you wrote the article as opposed to the pirate who pilfered your work?

After reading about the number of thefts from this site, it seems they copy everything as is or just do a search and replace of text for character names. So, naming characters might not hold water as they may be replaced.

I have started to just include the words copyright, copy-right, Literotica exclusive post only, and date scattered in a few places in the stories hoping a thief publishes the entire thing without reading the articles. If someone reads it, they may see my copyright note in the middle of a paragraph break or other location. Hopefully, the reader will have realized it is stolen and alert someone.

Not sure that does anymore than give me a slight sense of comfort, though.

 

[gunhilltrain]

I read your post - several times - before I think I understood some of what you are asking.

Are you looking for a unique trait that only you, as the writer, can point to legally that the name convention is your personal type of brand, watermark, or trademark?

Something that is hidden from the eye of a thief so that if you catch them, you can prove you wrote the article as opposed to the pirate who pilfered your work?

After reading about the number of thefts from this site, it seems they copy everything as is or just do a search and replace of text for character names. So, naming characters might not hold water as they may be replaced.

I have started to just include the words copyright, copy-right, Literotica exclusive post only, and date scattered in a few places in the stories hoping a thief publishes the entire thing without reading the articles. If someone reads it, they may see my copyright note in the middle of a paragraph break or other location. Hopefully, the reader will have realized it is stolen and alert someone.

Not sure that does anymore than give me a slight sense of comfort, though.

I don't think he's talking about story theft or copyright infringement; I think he's talking about personal style.

I often use very specific locations. So if there is a story set at Lydig Avenue and Bronx Park East it's by me - or maybe Richard Price! In fact, the movie version of The Wanderers has a scene on Lydig Avenue. It's the one where Ken Wahl tries to pick up Karen Allen on the sidewalk.

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M...OTc4Nzc0XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMjUyNDk2ODc@._V1_.jpg

 

[MillieDynamite]

Most writers have some kind of fingerprint in the writing. The style, the usage of certain words or phrases, and the way you construct certain sentences can identify you or me as the writer of this or that.

 

[Brutal_One]

I don't think he's talking about story theft or copyright infringement; I think he's talking about personal style.

Gunhill is right. This is what I meant. I think you ultimately find your own stick as a writer. It may come out in different ways but characters aside which of course can be the mainstay of that fingerprint there can be other elements that are typical and you can recognise.

 

[PennameWombat]

Most writers have some kind of fingerprint in the writing. The style, the usage of certain words or phrases, and the way you construct certain sentences can identify you or me as the writer of this or that.

Which is why Stylometry is an actual practice. And why 'Anonymous' isn't always a label that won't be scratched off if you have a body of public work and someone cares enough to look.

I've little doubt my stories here wouldn't provide plenty of fingerprints. Some, such as some of my use of names, is intentional. But plenty around vocabulary, sentence structure and more, is likely subconscious.

 

[dmallord]

Stylometry the next Writeometry tool in my new story!

Which is why Stylometry is an actual practice. And why 'Anonymous' isn't always a label that won't be scratched off if you have a body of public work and someone cares enough to look.

I've little doubt my stories here wouldn't provide plenty of fingerprints. Some, such as some of my use of names, is intentional. But plenty around vocabulary, sentence structure and more, is likely subconscious.

Absolutely Amazing! I read 'Styometry' and said "Stylometry? What!" Then ran off to explore what that meant!

Wow! I saw a demo at https://cmu-lib.github.io/dhlg/project-videos/juola/ of a search of documents to discover the authors based upon writings as compared to unknown document authors. Then came back here to say ....

Thank you for this introduction! Reminds me of my next story!

 

[SimonDoom]

It would not surprise me if we as authors have published enough written works -- and therefore have a sufficiently large sample size -- that a sufficiently sensitive program could identify tics in our writing that would enable it to identify us, as opposed to others, as the author of a particular work.

 

[ElectricBlue]

But do you have either though characters as in my example, or in phrases or expressions you use across your writing that identifies it’s you, in the writing I mean. What I refer to as the author’s signature, maybe fingerprint is better so I will adjust the title.

My fingerprint includes:
Slow burn seduction, often with long cafe scenes; intense, precise observation of a movement or a physical feature - I took three or four paragraphs to describe a cigarette being lit, for example. I'm a very visual writer, folk have often commented that they can see my scenes running like a movie; I evoke all senses, especially colour; there's often rain, wind, weather becoming part of the mood; timeless interconnection of places - time never flows linearly or constantly, it's forever changing.

I have a theory that life is a series of very short, intense moments, peak experiences; and living is the time in between. As I get older, those remembered moments get longer, the times in between, shorter; so by the time I die, it will one great long stream of yesterday, and today won't matter. So that's what I tend to write.

 

[sophism]

It would not surprise me if we as authors have published enough written works -- and therefore have a sufficiently large sample size -- that a sufficiently sensitive program could identify tics in our writing that would enable it to identify us, as opposed to others, as the author of a particular work.

This would be a pretty interesting program if it doesn't already exist. Tbh I'd be pretty curious as to what less-obvious traits it might be able to point out about my own writing.

 

[PennameWombat]

It would not surprise me if we as authors have published enough written works -- and therefore have a sufficiently large sample size -- that a sufficiently sensitive program could identify tics in our writing that would enable it to identify us, as opposed to others, as the author of a particular work.

This exists. github: JGAAP and JGAAP: Releases. To repeat an earlier link, Stylometry references the JGAAP tool, and, to quote:

It describes the process of using the tool JGAAP, which proved that Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling also wrote the Robert Galbraith detective novel The Cuckoo’s Calling.

This would be a pretty interesting program if it doesn't already exist. Tbh I'd be pretty curious as to what less-obvious traits it might be able to point out about my own writing.

JGAAP is focused on trying to match an 'unknown' sample of writing against one or more 'known' authors. It has a number of 'event drivers' and 'analysis methods' that they use to look for matches. But, it doesn't seem like it highlights 'tics' or such. It apparently comes back with a metric indicating how well it matches to any of the known authors.

But, using its controls, you could probably get some insight, but it's not like it's oriented to saying "quit typing 'off of' you barely literate yokel!" (Well, that's one thing it would tell me...)

Another test would be to deliberately try to write something in the style of someone else and compare that to your other work. I'm of the general opinion I'm not good enough to imitate 'real' writers (like the Raymond Chandler-alike event.)

 

[SimonDoom]

I knew there were tools of this sort out there. There are crude ones you can use that will tell you which famous author you write like. I find those particular apps to be unconvincing.

Are there stylometric tools that will identify for you your authorial "fingerprints" -- the repeated tics and habits in your writing?

 

[BuckyDuckman]

For me - at some point - my characters are going to drink some damn coffee, quite often in a local, knock-off version of a Starbucks.

Occasionally, they'll go out to dinner - but mostly? It's coffee. Go figure.