A TOOL FOR AUTHORS
Know which copy left your hands.
InkTrace™ helps authors create a unique, recipient-specific fingerprint for every manuscript they share—then scan a suspected copy for surviving clues.
A discreet trail, built in layers.
The prototype combines several watermarking signals rather than trusting a single fragile marker.
1. Create
Add the recipient and manuscript. InkTrace generates a random identifier that contains no personal details.
2. Export
Download a marked DOCX, EPUB, PDF, or text file with redundant text and format signals.
3. Scan
Upload a suspected copy or paste copied text to look for a match in the recipient registry.
Important limits
Invisible does not mean indestructible. Copying often preserves the text signal, while retyping, sanitization, screenshots, OCR, or some format conversions may remove it. A match identifies the embedded copy—not necessarily the person who leaked it—and should be treated as supporting evidence rather than proof.
Privacy: Manuscripts are processed in the browser in this prototype. Each user’s registry remains on that browser and is not shared with other users.
InkTrace™ · © 2026 Randy M Schilling. All rights reserved.
Randy Schilling - Author 