How do you keep your underage kids away from your writings?

[MediocreAuthor]

I know that a lot of my fellow authors have kids. Currently, my child is not old enough to read, but when the little munchkin finally learns, I don't want to risk accidentally exposing them to the stuff I write.

Do any of you have specific means to keep your underage kids from finding your writings?

How careful are you? Do your kids know that you write things that they aren't allowed to read, or is it a secret?

(if your kids are already grown, then Shoo! Don't brag... This question isn't for you, {unless you want to explain what you used to do. })

 

[KeithD]

My youngest is 50.

 

[MediocreAuthor]

My youngest is 50.

(if your kids are already grown, then Shoo! Don't brag... This question isn't for you, {unless you want to explain what you used to do. })

You're a writer, @KeithD I know you can read!

 

[KeithD]

You're a writer, @KeithD I know you can read!

My youngest grandchild is 22.

 

[MediocreAuthor]

My youngest grandchild is 22.

So how do you keep your great-grandchildren away?

 

[KeithD]

So how do you keep your great-grandchildren away?

My grandchildren are dragging their feet in providing great-grandchildren.

 

[KeithD]

Are you the cousin of Abraham Lincoln?

Umm, no, not to my knowledge.

 

[emme8]

I do most of my rough writing on my phone in a password folder. Then when editing on my computer, I basically store the files in my email as attachments in sent emails.

And name the files really boring names. Work stuff. Something like "budget", training, HR bullshit.

 

[emme8]

Also I intentionally write a few paragraphs of boring stuff, before getting to the real story.

That saved me when my daughter wanted to know what I was writing. She read a few sentences thought it was bad and religious based stuff.

 

[MediocreAuthor]

Also I intentionally write a few paragraphs of boring stuff, before getting to the real story.

That saved me when my daughter wanted to know what I was writing. She read a few sentences thought it was bad and religious based stuff.

Clever.
I may have to do something similar

 

[DeLaFaye]

We don't share fingerprints, and none of them know any of our passwords, so they can't get into my computer. Honestly that's about it right now. I do scribble notes in a notebook that I suppose I'll need to be more careful about soon.

FWIW, I abhor anyone looking over my shoulder when I write, (or ever really) them included. So that doesn't happen. I also just can't write this stuff when they're around. So it's mostly a non-issue.

They know I write 'stories' and that some of them are only for grown ups. And honestly they don't give two bananas about what that means right now. My biggest struggle is when I get stuck in my head plotting out a 'grown up' story and they want another one of theirs. "Okay, guys. You gotta give mommy a minute here."

My gameplan when they're older is pretty much the same - Separate devices. Don't touch my stuff. No, you can't see what I'm doing.

 

[MediocreAuthor]

For a moment, I imagined your kid reading your stuff with bulging eyes, and I roared with laughter.

"Mommy, why did that one lady pee-pee on that other lady's face?"

"IT WAS AN ACCIDENT!! DON'T READ THAT!!!"

 

[Candy_Kane54]

52 years ago I decided to avoid the situation by not having any children.

 

[Voboy]

They know not to touch my stuff. It’s not difficult.

 

[MediocreAuthor]

If, God forbid, the nightmare scenario comes true, explain to them that it's not your fantasies but other people's, for which you were hired to write.

If they inquire about how they reached you, simply explain that you posted an ad on the Internet, and the pervs were willing to pay good money.

"So you fulfilled sexual fantasies in exchange for money...?"

"Well..."

"Does that make you a prostitute...?"

"WELL....!"

 

[oneagainst]

Uh, dedicated laptop, encrypted hard drive, non shared laptop password, one-time unlinked email account, password protection on individual Word files, acronym titles. Same as everyone I guess.

 

[MediocreAuthor]

Uh, dedicated laptop, encrypted hard drive, non shared laptop password, one-time unlinked email account, password protection on individual Word files, acronym titles. Same as everyone I guess.

I've currently just been keeping all my work on my phone and Google docs, to which only I have the password.

But I leave it openly accessible because my spouse has no interest in the stories, and the kid can't read. I'll probably have to change that before too long.

 

[Rob_Royale]

There are ways to lock or hide files. Talk to someone familiar with your OS and see if they can help or try a Google search.

 

[MediocreAuthor]

There are ways to lock or hide files. Talk to someone familiar with your OS and see if they can help or try a Google search.

I'm familiar with some, and I'm generally tech savvy enough to follow online guides on stuff like this. I was just curious what options others used.

 

[Britva415]

Store them online instead of on the computer, and LOG OUT* of the service when you don't want someone stumbling across them.

* this is the important part

 

[onehitwanda]

Store them online instead of on the computer, and LOG OUT* of the service when you don't want someone stumbling across them.

* this is the important part

log out and also don't save the password for the site or firefox/chrome/edge/safari will helpfully provide the keys to the Kingdom.

 

[Blind_Justice]

The best way to keep children away is not having children.

 

[onehitwanda]

The best way to keep children away is not having children.

People tend to complain when you try to shove them back into the old baby-maker.

 

[Omenainen]

Well, for a while I relied on them not knowing how to read, then I relied on them not knowing how to read English, and now I think I mostly rely on them not being interested in anything I do… seriously, I don’t leave my devices unlocked when I’m not around. We all have our own computers and phones and stuff so it’s not like they’d be on my devices unsupervised.

 

[oneagainst]

But I leave it openly accessible because my spouse has no interest in the stories, and the kid can't read.

Mum and Dad are feeding their young son. She mutters to him, over the head of their darling offspring, "You know last night? Well, you left the c-o-n-d-o-m on the p-a-t-i-o, honey."

He looks concerned but before he can reply, the son looks up.

"Dad, what's a patio?"