A VPN in conjunction with incognito mode or similar is a much more secure approach from a privacy standpoint. However, it may slow down your internet somewhat.

I use Nord and it is fast enough.  I'm lucky. I've got 1Gb up and down with 400-600Mb when the VPN is on.

When you write fantasy, killing someone off isn't necessarily the end. Depending on circumstances, you have options like undeath, lingering as a ghost, resurrection, growing a new body to put the soul in, and, with a long enough time frame, reincarnation. Not that you want to keep all your characters alive. But death isn't quite as final an end as it would be in more real-world-oriented genres.

Rewatching Teen Wolf--being a sucker for teenage-oriented shows is an occupational hazard of being a high school teacher--I noticed the degree to which both heroes and villains seem to come back from apparent death. Here's illustrative dialog:

Peter: Doesn't anyone ever die in this town?
Malia: I think people were hoping you would.

In any case, some stories necessarily involve death. But both authors and audiences aren't going to want to lose a beloved character. Then again, if a development like that weren't moving, we'd know something was wrong with the story.

Many years ago, I wrote a short story and killed off the main character at the end.  My neighbor was my test reader and she was disappointed that he died at the end.  So, I saved him in the next revision.

Which I suppose may be a good thing since I wrote three or four stories after that with the same character and have two 10 "episode" book "seasons" planned for him.  Of course, who knows when I'll ever get around to finishing them.

I want to say one word to you — just one word.

Yes, sir.

Are you listening?

Yes, I am.

Incogneto.

Precisely, what do you mean?

There's a future with incognito mode.

Such a great thread! I've fallen in love with characters and hated others, but only my husband gets to keep my heart.
And Jan, given that reading puts us in the shoes of another person, our bodies respond as the story people do. My stories have made people hungry for Indian food