Run: 2026-02-20-01KHY8H5S9N00W9DHVKS36E6EA

Run Details

Duration:
22.2s
Cost:
$0.002160
Provider:
xAI

Model input

System
You are an expert and award-winning novel writer in the dark Literary Fiction genre. Your readers are hooked on your stories and can't wait to read the book you have in store. <important> - MUST: Start each chapter in medias res (in the middle of action). AVOID talking about the weather, time of day, the position of the sun, or other boring stuff. - The instructions/summary are just a that, a summary. Feel free to add details, stretch sections and add interesting transitions/descriptions/fillers. - When called for it, have fast-paced action, but otherwise take things slow. This is an experience, and not for people with short attention spans. Enjoy the wine, not slurp Red Bull. - Add descriptions when transitioning places/times/etc, or when coming by new places (e.g. a corner shop, a cafe, etc.). But remember: NOT at the start or end of a chapter. - MUST: AVOID ending in internal monologue, reminiscing or waiting for the next day. A good chapter end is when we're ending right when shit hits the fan. We want to have the reader be excited for what comes next. So no reminiscing, contemplating or summarizing the day. It's popcorn time! </important>
User/Human
Take into account the following glossary of characters/locations/items/lore... when writing your response: <codex> <character id="4412" name="Aurora Carter" aliases="Rory, Laila, Aurora, Carter, Malphora" pronouns="she/her" species="Human" storyRole="Protagonist"> <eyeColor>bright blue</eyeColor> <hair>straight shoulder-length black</hair> <height>5'6"</height> <age>25</age> <scar>small crescent-shaped scar on her left wrist from a childhood accident</scar> <description>Aurora, referred to by her friends as Rory, is cool-headed, intelligent, and known for quick out-of-the-box thinking.</description> <backstory>Born in Cardiff to an Irish barrister father (Brendan Carter) and Welsh teacher mother (Jennifer Carter née Ellis), Rory reluctantly pursued Pre-Law at Cardiff University. She fled to London at the behest of her childhood friend Eva after leaving an abusive ex named Evan. By day, Rory works part-time as a delivery person for Yu-Fei Cheung's Golden Empress restaurant. She lives in a flat above Silas' bar.</backstory> </character> <character id="4413" name="Silas Blackwood" aliases="Silas, Si, the Spymaster" pronouns="he/him" species="Human" storyRole="Mentor"> <eyeColor>hazel</eyeColor> <hair>grey-streaked auburn</hair> <height>6'1"</height> <age>58</age> <beard>neatly trimmed, matching his grey-streaked auburn hair</beard> <limp>slight limp in his left leg from an old knee injury</limp> <signetRing>silver signet ring, always worn on his right hand</signetRing> <description>Silas is a retired intelligence operative turned bar owner. He carries himself with quiet authority.</description> <backstory>Former MI6 field agent who retired after a botched operation in Prague left him with a permanent knee injury. He opened "The Raven's Nest" bar in Soho as a front for his network of contacts.</backstory> </character> <location id="854" name="The Raven's Nest" aliases="the Nest, Raven, Silas' bar" realm="Earth"> <signColor>distinctive green neon sign above the entrance</signColor> <secretRoom>hidden back room accessible through a bookshelf, used for clandestine meetings</secretRoom> <description>A dimly lit bar in Soho, London. The walls are covered with old maps and black-and-white photographs.</description> </location> </codex> <proseGuidelines> <styleGuide> - Write in past tense and use British English spelling and grammar - Keep a Flesch reading ease score of 60 - Respect the the Royal Order of Adjectives: The order is: opinion, size, age, shape, color, origin, material, purpose, followed by the noun itself (e.g., "a lovely little old rectangular green French silver whittling knife") - Respect the ablaut reduplication rule (e.g. tick-tock, flip-flop) - Write in active voice - Passive voice: <bad>The book was read by Sarah.</bad> - Active voice: <good>Sarah read the book.</good> - Reduce the use of passive verbs - <bad>For a moment, I was tempted to throw in the towel.</bad> - <good>For a moment, I felt tempted to throw in the towel.</good> - Avoid misplaced modifiers that can cause confusion when starting with "-ing" words: - <bad>Considering going to the store, the empty fridge reflected in Betty's eyes.</bad> - <good>Betty stared into the empty fridge. It was time to go to the store.</good> - Avoid redundant adverbs that state the obvious meaning already contained in the verb: - <bad>She whispered quietly to her mom.</bad> - <good>She whispered to her mom.</good> - Use stronger, more descriptive verbs over weak ones: - <bad>Daniel drove quickly to his mother's house.</bad> - <good>Daniel raced to his mother's house.</good> - Omit adverbs that don't add solid meaning like "extremely", "definitely", "truly", "very", "really": - <bad>The movie was extremely boring.</bad> - <good>The movie was dull.</good> - Use adverbs to replace clunky phrasing when they increase clarity: - <bad>He threw the bags into the corner in a rough manner.</bad> - <good>He threw the bags into the corner roughly.</good> - Avoid making simple thoughts needlessly complex: - <bad>After I woke up in the morning the other day, I went downstairs, turned on the stove, and made myself a very good omelet.</bad> - <good>I cooked a delicious omelet for breakfast yesterday morning.</good> - Never backload sentences by putting the main idea at the end: - <bad>I decided not to wear too many layers because it's really hot outside.</bad> - <good>It's sweltering outside today, so I dressed light.</good> - Omit nonessential details that don't contribute to the core meaning: - <bad>It doesn't matter what kind of coffee I buy, where it's from, or if it's organic or not—I need to have cream because I really don't like how the bitterness makes me feel.</bad> - <good>I add cream to my coffee because the bitter taste makes me feel unwell.</good> - Always follow the "show, don't tell" principle. For instance: - Telling: <bad>Michael was terribly afraid of the dark.</bad> - Showing: <good>Michael tensed as his mother switched off the light and left the room.</good>- Telling: <bad>I walked through the forest. It was already Fall, and I was getting cold.</bad> - Showing: <good>Dry orange leaves crunched under my feet. I pulled my coat's collar up and rubbed my hands together.</good>- Add sensory details (sight, smell, taste, sound, touch) to support the "showing" (but keep an active voice) - <bad>The room was filled with the scent of copper.</bad> - <good>Copper stung my nostrils. Blood. Recent.</good> - Use descriptive language more sporadically. While vivid descriptions are engaging, human writers often use them in bursts rather than consistently throughout a piece. When adding them, make them count! Like when we transition from one location to the next, or someone is reminiscing their past, or explaining a concept/their dream... - Avoid adverbs and clichés and overused/commonly used phrases. Aim for fresh and original descriptions. - Avoid writing all sentences in the typical subject, verb, object structure. Mix short, punchy sentences with long, descriptive ones. Drop fill words to add variety. Like so: <good>Locked. Seems like someone doesn't want his secrets exposed. I can work with that.</good> - Convey events and story through dialogue. It is important to keep a unique voice for every character and make it consistent. - Write dialogue that reveals characters' personalities, motivations, emotions, and attitudes in an interesting and compelling manner - Leave dialogue unattributed. If needed, only use "he/she said" dialogue tags and convey people's actions or face expressions through their speech. Dialogue always is standalone, never part of a paragraph. Like so: - <bad>"I don't know," Helena said nonchalantly, shrugging her shoulders</bad> - <good>"No idea" "Why not? It was your responsibility"</good> - Avoid boring and mushy dialog and descriptions, have dialogue always continue the action, never stall or include unnecessary fluff. Vary the descriptions to not repeat yourself. Avoid conversations that are just "Let's go" "yes, let's" or "Are you ready?" "Yes I'm ready". Those are not interesting. Think hard about every situtation and word of text before writing dialogue. If it doesn't serve a purpose and it's just people talking about their day, leave it. No one wants to have a normal dinner scene, something needs to happen for it to be in the story. Words are expensive to print, so make sure they count! - Put dialogue on its own paragraph to separate scene and action. - Use body language to reveal hidden feelings and implied accusations- Imply feelings and thoughts, never state them directly - NEVER use indicators of uncertainty like "trying" or "maybe" - NEVER use em-dashes, use commas for asides instead </styleGuide> <voiceGuide> Each character in the story needs to have distinct speech patterns: - Word choice preferences - Sentence length tendencies - Cultural/educational influences - Verbal tics and catchphrases Learn how each person talks and continue in their style, and use their Codex entries as reference. <examples> - <bad>"We need to go now." "Yes, we should leave." "I agree."</bad> <good>"Time's up." "Indeed, our departure is rather overdue." "Whatever, let's bounce."</good> - Power Dynamic Example: <bad> "We need to discuss the contract." "Yes, let's talk about it." "I have concerns." </bad> <good> "A word about the contract." "Of course, Mr. Blackwood. Whatever you need." "The terms seem..." A manicured nail tapped the desk. "Inadequate." "I can explain every-" "Can you?" </good> </examples> </voiceGuide> <dialogueFlow> When writing dialogue, consider that it usually has a goal in mind, which gives it a certain flow. Make dialogue sections also quite snappy in the back and forth, and don't spread the lines out as much. It's good to have details before, after, or as a chunk in-between, but we don't want to have a trail of "dialogue breadcrumbs" spread throughout a conversation. <examples> - Pattern 1 - Question/Deflection/Revelation: <good> "Where were you last night?" "Work. The usual." "Lipstick's an interesting shade for spreadsheets." </good> - Pattern 2 - Statement/Contradiction/Escalation: <good> "Your brother's clean." "Tommy doesn't touch drugs." "I'm holding his tox screen." </good> - Pattern 3 - Observation/Denial/Truth: <good> "That's a new watch." "Birthday gift." "We both know what birthdays mean in this business." </good> - Example - A Simple Coffee Order: <bad> "I'll have a coffee." "What size?" "Large, please." </bad> <good> "Black coffee.""Size?""Large. Been a long night." "That bodega shooting?" "You watch too much news." "My brother owns that store." </good> This short exchange: - Advances plot (reveals connection to crime) - Shows character (cop working late) - Creates tension (unexpected connection) - Sets up future conflict (personal stake) - Example - Dinner Scene: <bad> "Pass the salt." "Here you go." "Thanks." </bad> <good> "Salt?" "Perfect as is. Mother's recipe." "Mother always did prefer... bland things." "Unlike your first wife?" </good> - Example - Office Small Talk: <bad> "Nice weather today." "Yes, very nice." "Good for golf." </bad> <good> "Perfect golf weather." "Shame about your membership." "Temporary suspension. Board meets next week." "I know. I called the vote." </good> </examples> </dialogueFlow> <subtextGuide> - Layer dialogue with hidden meaning: <bad>"I hate you!" she yelled angrily.</bad> <good>"I made your favorite dinner." The burnt pot sat accusingly on the stove.</good> - Create tension through indirect communication: <bad>"Are you cheating on me?"</bad> <good>"Late meeting again?" The lipstick stain on his collar caught the light.</good> <examples> - Example 1 - Unspoken Betrayal: <bad> "Did you tell them about our plans?" "No, I would never betray you." "I don't believe you." </bad> <good> "Funny. Johnson mentioned our expansion plans today." "The market's full of rumors." "Mentioned the exact numbers, actually." The pen in his hand snapped. </good> - Example 2 - Failed Marriage: <bad> "You're never home anymore." "I have to work late." "I miss you." </bad> <good> "Your dinner's in the microwave. Again." "Meetings ran long." "They always do." She folded the same shirt for the third time. </good> - Example 3 - Power Struggle: <bad> "You can't fire me." "I'm the boss." "I'll fight this." </bad> <good> "That's my father's nameplate you're sitting behind." "Was." "The board meeting's on Thursday." </good> </examples> </subtextGuide> <sceneDetail> While writing dialogue makes things more fun, sometimes we need to add detail to not have it be a full on theatre piece. <examples> - Example A (Power Dynamic Scene) <good> "Where's my money?" The ledger snapped shut. "I need more time." "Interesting." He pulled out a familiar gold pocket watch. My mother's. "Time is exactly what you bargained with last month." "That was different-" "Was it?" The watch dangled between us. "Four generations of O'Reillys have wound this every night. Your mother. Your grandmother. Your great-grandmother.Shall we see who winds it next?" </good> - Example B (Action Chase) It's much better to be in the head of the character experiencing it, showing a bit of their though-process, mannerisms and personality: <good> Three rules for surviving a goblin chase in Covent Garden: Don't run straight. Don't look back. Don't let them herd you underground. I broke the first rule at Drury Lane. Rookie mistake. The fruit cart I dodged sailed into the wall behind me. Glass shattered. Someone screamed about insurance. *Tourist season's getting rough*, the scream seemed to say. Londoners adapt fast. "Oi! Market's closed!" The goblin's accent was pure East End. They're evolving. Learning. I spotted the Warren Street tube station sign ahead. *Shit.* There went rule three. </good> - Example C (Crime Scene Investigation) <good> "Greek." Davies snapped photos of the symbols. "No, wait. Reverse Greek." "Someone's been watching too many horror films." I picked up a receipt from the floor. Occult supply shop in Camden. Paid by credit card. *Amateur hour*. "Could be dangerous though," Davies said. "Remember Bristol?" "Bristol was Sanskrit. And actual cultists." I pointed to the nearest symbol. "This genius wrote 'darkness' backwards but used a Sigma instead of an S. It's summoning Instagram followers at best." "Speaking of followers..." Davies pointed to heavy foot traffic in the dust. Multiple sets. All new trainers. *Ah.* "Anyone check local uni paranormal societies?" </good> - Example D (Dialogue-heavy) <good> "Found your card in her wallet." The detective slid it across the table. Worn edges. Folded corner. Three years old at least. "Standard practice. I work missing persons." "Funny thing about missing persons.Eventually they stop being missing. Turn up in the Thames. Under motorways. In pieces." "I don't-" "You found four last year. All breathing." She opened a file. "This would've been your first dead one. If we hadn't found her first." The card felt heavier somehow. </good> </examples> </sceneDetail> <sceneOpenings> KEY RULE: Never open with more than one paragraph of description, no matter how beautiful. Description should be earned through action and dialogue. Instead of opening with setting description, open with: - A character doing something specific - A line of dialogue that raises questions - An unexpected observation - A moment of tension or conflict - Start with a hook that's 1-2 sentences maximum - Follow with a smaller paragraph that provides immediate context - Vary paragraph size from the start to create visual interest </sceneOpenings> </proseGuidelines> Write a chapter based on the following instructions: <instructions> Write a fully fleshed out scene of at least 1000 words in the literary fiction genre. Two old friends who haven't seen each other in years run into each other unexpectedly at a bar. One of them has changed significantly. Through their conversation and the tension between who they were and who they've become, reveal the weight of time and unspoken regret. Use the codex entries above as your world reference for characters and setting. Only include the prose of the scene without any markdown or commentary. </instructions>

Model response

AI
Rory slammed the delivery bag onto the scarred wooden counter, the zipper's rasp cutting through the low hum of conversation. Grease from the Golden Empress's latest order clung to her fingers, and she wiped them on her jeans, ignoring the bartender's raised eyebrow. The Raven's Nest pulsed with its usual mid-evening rhythm—glasses clinking, a jazz record scratching out a mournful sax solo—but tonight, the air carried an edge, like the prelude to a storm she couldn't name. Silas emerged from the shadows behind the bar, his limp more pronounced than she remembered, the silver signet ring on his right hand catching the dim light as he gripped a rag. He froze mid-wipe, hazel eyes locking onto hers. For a split second, the bar's noise faded, swallowed by the weight of recognition. "Rory Carter." His voice rumbled low, gravel over silk, unchanged after all these years. "Bloody hell. When did you slink back into London?" She straightened, forcing a grin that didn't reach her bright blue eyes. The small crescent scar on her left wrist itched under the sleeve of her hoodie, a ghost from playground swings and stitches. "Slithered, more like. Eva twisted my arm. Said Soho needed a dose of Cardiff grit." He tossed the rag aside and rounded the counter, his grey-streaked auburn beard trimmed sharp as ever. Up close, the lines etched deeper into his face, mapping out the decade since she'd last seen him—back when her father dragged her to his "old mate's" pub crawls in Dublin, before Brendan Carter's barrister robes hung too heavy and the family splintered. Silas had been the uncle who wasn't, the one slipping her extra crisps and tales of shadowed ops that sounded like fairy stories to a ten-year-old. "You look..." He paused, scanning her from straight black hair to scuffed boots. The words hung, unspoken: different. Harder. The girl who'd once perched on barstools sketching maps from his wall had edges now, honed by whatever chased her from university and that bastard Evan. "Older?" She slid onto a stool, the leather creaking under her. "You haven't aged a day, Si. Still lording over this dive like it's MI6 headquarters." He chuckled, but it scraped dry, and poured her a pint without asking—dark ale, foamy head just right. His hand brushed hers as he slid it over, and she caught the faint tremor, the knee injury's lingering bite. "Headquarters closed shop years ago. Prague saw to that." He leaned on the bar, close enough for the scent of pipe tobacco and polished oak to wrap around her. "Heard whispers. Your da mentioned you in a letter last spring. Law degree gathering dust?" Rory sipped, the bitter foam grounding her. The bar's walls loomed behind him, plastered with faded black-and-white photos—spies in trench coats, bombed-out streets—and yellowed maps curling at the edges. One caught her eye: a Prague street grid, pins still marking a corner she didn't want to think about. "Dust and delusions. Pre-Law was Dad's dream, not mine. Eva's the one who bolted me up here, above your nest. Said you'd keep an eye out." Silas's gaze sharpened, the spymaster peeking through the barkeep. "Eva. Sharp girl, that one. Always had a nose for trouble." He glanced away, polishing a glass that gleamed spotless. "And you? Delivery runs for Chinese takeaways? Not exactly the Bar Association." The jab landed soft, but she felt the undercurrent, the probe for cracks. She traced the pint's rim with her thumb, the cool glass slick against her skin. "Pays the rent. Beats courtrooms and exes who think fists are arguments." The words slipped out, rawer than intended, and she cursed inwardly. Silas's limp shifted as he adjusted his stance, the old injury flaring. His eyes flicked to her wrist, where the sleeve had ridden up, exposing the scar. Not new, but the bruises she'd hidden last week? Faded, thank Christ. "Evan," he said, name flat as a dossier. "Brendan wrote about him too. Said you vanished after some row. Thought you'd end up in Dublin, crashing my couch like old times." "Old times." Rory's laugh tasted sour. She pictured it: summer '05, her at twelve, him fresh off a stint in Belfast, spinning yarns about double agents over fish and chips. He'd taught her to spot a tail in crowds, how a man's shoes told his secrets. Back when her world was arguments behind closed doors, not shattered glass. "Those were simpler. Now? London swallows you whole. Eva's off chasing art grants, and I'm hauling dim sum through rain-slick alleys." He nodded, slow, the beard shadowing his jaw. "Swallows, spits out bones. I know the flavour." His voice dipped, and he gestured to the empty stool beside her. No one sat there; it was his perch for watching the room. "Sit proper. Tell me why Eva really called you here. Not just for my charming decor." She swung her legs up, boots thudding the rail. The ale warmed her chest, loosening the knot. "She didn't say. Just, 'Rory, get out. Now.' And poof—flat keys, job lead. Your place, funnily enough." A lie, half-true; Eva's emails hinted at shadows, old debts from Evan's crowd nipping at her heels. But Silas didn't need that yet. His signet ring tapped the bar, rhythmic, like Morse. "My place. Aye. Figured you'd wash up eventually. Blood calls to blood." He meant her father, the Irish ties that bound them loose. Brendan had vouched for Silas once, pulled strings for a favour that kept a case from blowing up. Regret flickered in his eyes—unspoken, the botched Prague op that ended his field days, the one he'd never detailed to a kid's ears. Rory leaned in, voice dropping. "You changed too, you know. Used to bounce me on your knee, promising adventures. Now you're... anchored." She nodded at the limp, the bar's haze clinging to his shirt. "What happened out there? Prague. Dad never said." Silas's hand stilled. The jazz swelled, a trumpet wailing discord. "Anchored's kind. Washed up, more like." He poured himself a whiskey, neat, the amber liquid glinting. "Knee went in a alley scuffle. Knife work. Lost a partner." The words clipped, no flourish. He downed half, throat working. "You? That scar's the same, but the rest... you're carrying weight, Rory. Eyes like mine after Belfast." She bristled, fingers tightening on the glass. "Weight? Try baggage. Evan wasn't just slaps; he owned the flat, the friends, the future. I bolted with a backpack and spite." The admission burned, but his steady gaze pulled it out, like old interrogations turned confessions. "Regret? Leaving Dad to clean up. He thinks I'm studying still, playing safe." "Brendan's tough. Always was." Silas's tone softened, but his eyes roamed the room—habit, scanning exits, faces. A patron laughed too loud at the end of the bar, and he tensed, subtle. "Regret's a bastard. I left the Service thinking it'd fade. Opened this hole to forget. But ghosts linger." He touched the map on the wall, finger tracing Prague's Vltava River. "You see 'em in the mirrors, the what-ifs." Rory followed his gaze, the photo beside it—a younger Silas, arm around a woman with sharp features, both grinning in Berlin rain. Gone now, she guessed. Time's thief. "Ghosts. Yeah. Eva says I should call home, but what's the point? Mum's buried in lesson plans, Dad in briefs." She mocked the pun, but it fell flat. The scar itched again, memory's hook. "We were kids once, you and me. Chasing spies in your stories. Now look—me dodging debts, you pouring pints." He turned back, hazel eyes piercing. "Kids grow claws. Necessary." A pause, heavy. "Heard from Eva lately? She mentioned trouble in her last note. Something about your ex's mates sniffing around Cardiff." Her pulse spiked. The ale soured in her gut. "What note?" She set the glass down hard, foam sloshing. Silas's limp dragged as he straightened, hand drifting under the bar—old habits, where a pistol might hide. "Two days back. Slipped it with the post. Said Evan's crew's asking questions. Debts unpaid." His voice hardened, the mentor surfacing. "You run into them here?" Rory's mind raced, piecing Eva's vague texts. The delivery route that skirted certain alleys. A shadow tail last week, chalked up to paranoia. "Not yet. But if they show..." The door banged open then, three men spilling in—leather jackets, eyes darting like wolves scenting blood. One nodded at the bar, familiar, from Evan's pub nights. Silas's ring glinted as his fist clenched. "Speak of devils," he muttered. The leader's gaze locked on Rory, a smirk curling slow.
created_at"2026-02-20T19:30:52.355Z" 2/20/2026, 7:30:52 PM
model"x-ai/grok-4-fast"
app_id182717
external_user(null)
streamedtrue
cancelledfalse
latency6151
moderation_latency(null)
generation_time21852
tokens_prompt4618
tokens_completion2169
native_tokens_prompt4203
native_tokens_completion2685
native_tokens_completion_images0
native_tokens_reasoning729
native_tokens_cached151
num_media_prompt(null)
num_input_audio_prompt(null)
num_media_completion0
num_search_results(null)
origin"https://ncbench.com/"
is_byokfalse
finish_reason"stop"
native_finish_reason"completed"
usage0.00216045
router(null)
provider_responses
0
endpoint_id"c9586d9d-97ff-40ca-ae94-22504d6f9b7e"
id"68eb093c-7009-6ca5-6b60-879b065ed1c2"
is_byokfalse
latency936
model_permaslug"x-ai/grok-4-fast"
provider_name"xAI"
status200
api_type"completions"
id"gen-1771615852-TQ1At04Sf1BAmLnkXqEU"
upstream_id"68eb093c-7009-6ca5-6b60-879b065ed1c2"
total_cost0.00216045
cache_discount0.00002265
upstream_inference_cost0
provider_name"xAI"

Evaluation details

Result Evaluator Details Meta Data
100.00% Adverbs in dialogue tags
Target: ≤10% dialogue tags with adverbs
totalTags23
adverbTagCount1
adverbTags
0"He glanced away [away]"
dialogueSentences40
tagDensity0.575
leniency1
rawRatio0.043
effectiveRatio0.043
96.55% AI-ism adverb frequency
Target: <2% AI-ism adverbs (58 tracked)
wordCount1451
totalAiIsmAdverbs1
found
0
adverb"really"
count1
highlights
0"really"
100.00% AI-ism character names
Target: 0 AI-default names (16 tracked, −20% each)
codexExemptions
0"Blackwood"
found(empty)
100.00% AI-ism location names
Target: 0 AI-default location names (33 tracked, −20% each)
codexExemptions(empty)
found(empty)
24.19% AI-ism word frequency
Target: <2% AI-ism words (290 tracked)
wordCount1451
totalAiIsms22
found
0
word"eyebrow"
count1
1
word"pulsed"
count1
2
word"weight"
count3
3
word"silk"
count1
4
word"etched"
count1
5
word"scanning"
count2
6
word"unspoken"
count2
7
word"loomed"
count1
8
word"traced"
count1
9
word"flicked"
count1
10
word"shattered"
count1
11
word"rhythmic"
count1
12
word"flickered"
count1
13
word"glinting"
count1
14
word"tracing"
count1
15
word"pulse"
count1
16
word"raced"
count1
17
word"familiar"
count1
highlights
0"eyebrow"
1"pulsed"
2"weight"
3"silk"
4"etched"
5"scanning"
6"unspoken"
7"loomed"
8"traced"
9"flicked"
10"shattered"
11"rhythmic"
12"flickered"
13"glinting"
14"tracing"
15"pulse"
16"raced"
17"familiar"
100.00% Cliché density
Target: ≤1 cliche(s) per 800-word window
totalCliches1
maxInWindow1
found
0
label"jaw/fists clenched"
count1
highlights
0"fist clenched"
100.00% Emotion telling (show vs. tell)
Target: ≤3% sentences with emotion telling
emotionTells0
narrationSentences80
matches(empty)
100.00% Filter word density
Target: ≤3% sentences with filter/hedge words
filterCount0
hedgeCount0
narrationSentences80
filterMatches(empty)
hedgeMatches(empty)
100.00% Gibberish response detection
Target: ≤1% gibberish-like sentences (hard fail if a sentence exceeds 800 words)
analyzedSentences97
gibberishSentences0
adjustedGibberishSentences0
longSentenceCount0
runOnParagraphCount0
giantParagraphCount0
wordSaladCount0
repetitionLoopCount0
controlTokenCount0
maxSentenceWordsSeen44
ratio0
matches(empty)
100.00% Markdown formatting overuse
Target: ≤5% words in markdown formatting
markdownSpans0
markdownWords0
totalWords1427
ratio0
matches(empty)
100.00% Missing dialogue indicators (quotation marks)
Target: ≤10% speech attributions without quotation marks
totalAttributions13
unquotedAttributions1
matches
0"Gone now, she guessed."
83.33% Name drop frequency
Target: ≤1.0 per-name mentions per 100 words
totalMentions40
wordCount959
uniqueNames18
maxNameDensity1.15
worstName"Silas"
maxWindowNameDensity2.5
worstWindowName"Silas"
discoveredNames
Golden1
Empress1
Raven1
Nest1
Dublin1
Brendan2
Carter1
Evan3
Rory7
Prague3
Silas11
Christ1
Eva2
Morse1
Irish1
Vltava1
River1
Berlin1
persons
0"Empress"
1"Raven"
2"Brendan"
3"Carter"
4"Evan"
5"Rory"
6"Silas"
7"Eva"
8"Irish"
places
0"Golden"
1"Dublin"
2"Prague"
3"Vltava"
4"River"
5"Berlin"
globalScore0.926
windowScore0.833
100.00% Narrator intent-glossing
Target: ≤2% narration sentences with intent-glossing patterns
analyzedSentences66
glossingSentenceCount1
matches
0"sounded like fairy stories to a ten-year-o"
100.00% "Not X but Y" pattern overuse
Target: ≤1 "not X but Y" per 1000 words
totalMatches1
per1kWords0.701
wordCount1427
matches
0"Not new, but the bruises she'd hidden last week"
100.00% Overuse of "that" (subordinate clause padding)
Target: ≤2% sentences with "that" clauses
thatCount0
totalSentences97
matches(empty)
67.26% Paragraph length variance
Target: CV ≥0.5 for paragraph word counts
totalParagraphs27
mean52.85
std20.37
cv0.385
sampleLengths
077
154
223
349
486
545
626
782
874
941
1063
1158
1279
1356
1457
1573
1642
1764
1857
1969
2081
2132
2236
2326
2429
2533
2615
100.00% Passive voice overuse
Target: ≤2% passive sentences
passiveCount0
totalSentences80
matches(empty)
100.00% Past progressive (was/were + -ing) overuse
Target: ≤2% past progressive verbs
pastProgressiveCount0
totalVerbs191
matches(empty)
0.00% Em-dash & semicolon overuse
Target: ≤2% sentences with em-dashes/semicolons
emDashCount11
semicolonCount3
flaggedSentences12
totalSentences97
ratio0.124
matches
0"The Raven's Nest pulsed with its usual mid-evening rhythm—glasses clinking, a jazz record scratching out a mournful sax solo—but tonight, the air carried an edge, like the prelude to a storm she couldn't name."
1"Up close, the lines etched deeper into his face, mapping out the decade since she'd last seen him—back when her father dragged her to his \"old mate's\" pub crawls in Dublin, before Brendan Carter's barrister robes hung too heavy and the family splintered."
2"He chuckled, but it scraped dry, and poured her a pint without asking—dark ale, foamy head just right."
3"The bar's walls loomed behind him, plastered with faded black-and-white photos—spies in trench coats, bombed-out streets—and yellowed maps curling at the edges."
4"No one sat there; it was his perch for watching the room."
5"\"She didn't say. Just, 'Rory, get out. Now.' And poof—flat keys, job lead. Your place, funnily enough.\" A lie, half-true; Eva's emails hinted at shadows, old debts from Evan's crowd nipping at her heels."
6"Regret flickered in his eyes—unspoken, the botched Prague op that ended his field days, the one he'd never detailed to a kid's ears."
7"\"Weight? Try baggage. Evan wasn't just slaps; he owned the flat, the friends, the future. I bolted with a backpack and spite.\" The admission burned, but his steady gaze pulled it out, like old interrogations turned confessions."
8"\"Brendan's tough. Always was.\" Silas's tone softened, but his eyes roamed the room—habit, scanning exits, faces."
9"Rory followed his gaze, the photo beside it—a younger Silas, arm around a woman with sharp features, both grinning in Berlin rain."
10"Silas's limp dragged as he straightened, hand drifting under the bar—old habits, where a pistol might hide."
11"The door banged open then, three men spilling in—leather jackets, eyes darting like wolves scenting blood."
100.00% Purple prose (modifier overload)
Target: <4% adverbs, <2% -ly adverbs, no adj stacking
wordCount945
adjectiveStacks0
stackExamples(empty)
adverbCount25
adverbRatio0.026455026455026454
lyAdverbCount3
lyAdverbRatio0.0031746031746031746
100.00% Repeated phrase echo
Target: ≤20% sentences with echoes (window: 2)
totalSentences97
echoCount0
echoWords(empty)
100.00% Sentence length variance
Target: CV ≥0.4 for sentence word counts
totalSentences97
mean14.71
std8.64
cv0.587
sampleLengths
020
123
234
332
48
514
614
79
812
922
1015
1117
1243
1326
1413
155
161
1726
1811
1915
2018
2120
2229
2315
247
2522
2619
2726
289
2920
3012
3113
3215
3323
3412
3515
369
373
388
3923
406
4124
4216
4312
4421
458
4620
4712
4816
499
80.76% Sentence opener variety
Target: ≥60% unique sentence openers
consecutiveRepeats0
diversityRatio0.4845360824742268
totalSentences97
uniqueOpeners47
0.00% Adverb-first sentence starts
Target: ≥3% sentences starting with an adverb
adverbCount0
totalSentences77
matches(empty)
ratio0
64.16% Pronoun-first sentence starts
Target: ≤30% sentences starting with a pronoun
pronounCount30
totalSentences77
matches
0"He froze mid-wipe, hazel eyes"
1"His voice rumbled low, gravel"
2"She straightened, forcing a grin"
3"He tossed the rag aside"
4"He paused, scanning her from"
5"She slid onto a stool,"
6"He chuckled, but it scraped"
7"His hand brushed hers as"
8"He leaned on the bar,"
9"He glanced away, polishing a"
10"She traced the pint's rim"
11"His eyes flicked to her"
12"he said, name flat as"
13"She pictured it: summer"
14"He'd taught her to spot"
15"He nodded, slow, the beard"
16"His voice dipped, and he"
17"She swung her legs up,"
18"His signet ring tapped the"
19"He meant her father, the"
ratio0.39
18.44% Subject-first sentence starts
Target: ≤72% sentences starting with a subject
subjectCount68
totalSentences77
matches
0"Rory slammed the delivery bag"
1"Grease from the Golden Empress's"
2"The Raven's Nest pulsed with"
3"Silas emerged from the shadows"
4"He froze mid-wipe, hazel eyes"
5"His voice rumbled low, gravel"
6"She straightened, forcing a grin"
7"The small crescent scar on"
8"He tossed the rag aside"
9"Silas had been the uncle"
10"He paused, scanning her from"
11"The words hung, unspoken: different."
12"The girl who'd once perched"
13"She slid onto a stool,"
14"He chuckled, but it scraped"
15"His hand brushed hers as"
16"He leaned on the bar,"
17"Rory sipped, the bitter foam"
18"The bar's walls loomed behind"
19"Silas's gaze sharpened, the spymaster"
ratio0.883
0.00% Subordinate conjunction sentence starts
Target: ≥2% sentences starting with a subordinating conjunction
subConjCount0
totalSentences77
matches(empty)
ratio0
68.97% Technical jargon density
Target: ≤6% sentences with technical-jargon patterns
analyzedSentences29
technicalSentenceCount3
matches
0"Silas had been the uncle who wasn't, the one slipping her extra crisps and tales of shadowed ops that sounded like fairy stories to a ten-year-old."
1"The girl who'd once perched on barstools sketching maps from his wall had edges now, honed by whatever chased her from university and that bastard Evan."
2"Regret flickered in his eyes—unspoken, the botched Prague op that ended his field days, the one he'd never detailed to a kid's ears."
0.00% Useless dialogue additions
Target: ≤5% dialogue tags with trailing filler fragments
totalTags23
uselessAdditionCount6
matches
0"She slid, the leather creaking under her"
1"She nodded, the bar's haze clinging to his shirt"
2"Silas's tone softened, but his eyes roamed the room—habit, scanning exits, faces"
3"He touched, finger tracing Prague's Vltava River"
4"She set, foam sloshing"
5"His voice hardened, the mentor surfacing"
100.00% Dialogue tag variety (said vs. fancy)
Target: ≤10% fancy dialogue tags
totalTags3
fancyCount2
fancyTags
0"true; Eva's emails hinted (hint)"
1"he muttered (mutter)"
dialogueSentences40
tagDensity0.075
leniency0.15
rawRatio0.667
effectiveRatio0.1
76.7886%