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A skill run failed

The run stopped before it proposed anything — what each message means, which one thing fixes it, and when the problem is not on your side.

1 min readUpdated

SymptomLink to this section

A skill or an inline edit stops with a message in the Skills tab instead of proposing changes, or an Agent Mode run stops with the message on its card in the Chat tab. Your script is unchanged; an agent run keeps what it had finished on its own draft line.

Causes and what to doLink to this section

"Your monthly allowance is used up." The plan's skill runs for the month are spent. The card offers the three ways forward: wait for the reset on the first of the month, add a credit pack, or use your own key. See Credits and overage.

"Your API key was rejected." The provider refused the key stored in Settings → AI & keys — it was revoked, it expired, or the provider's account has no credit. Open the card's Check key action, which tests the key and tells you the provider's reason; replace or remove the key from AI & keys. Removing it switches you back to hosted AI.

"The scene is too long for this skill." Some skills read one scene at a time and the scene exceeds what a single pass can hold. Split the scene at a natural break, or scope the skill to an act and let it work scene by scene.

"The run timed out." The provider did not answer in time. Run it again; if it fails twice in a row on the same scope, the provider is having a bad hour — the known-issues page and the status page it links to say whether it is known.

"Something went wrong." A failure the run could not name. The card's Report action sends the run's details to support.

When to contact supportLink to this section

If a run fails repeatedly with the same message and the step above did not change it, or if a run was charged and produced nothing. See Contact support — include the skill, the scope, and the time.

What next

  • Bring your own API key

    Use your own Anthropic or OpenAI key instead of Inkwell's hosted AI, pick the model, and see how a key changes what counts against your plan.

    How-to · 1 min read

  • Credits and overage

    What happens when the month's AI allowance runs out, how prepaid credit packs work, and how turning on overage lets runs draw them down instead of stopping.

    Concept · 1 min read

  • Contact support

    The three ways to reach the team, and what to include so the first reply is the answer.

    Fix · 1 min read

What writers have asked about this — open the request to follow it.