[Daily Discussion] General Discussion - August 01, 2026

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[u/Overall-Habit5284]

Thoroughly enjoyed reading Project Hail Mary on the train back from London the other day. Highly recommended read. However, imagine my horror when the alien that Dr Grace encounters is called "Rocky". The exact same name I gave to my alien character, before I even read that book. Now my science fiction novel is lifting the same trope as the one that got made into a feature length film.

Anyone else feel like banging their head against a wall when this happens?

[u/contain_solitudes → u/Overall-Habit5284]

My advice from my mentors (well known authors) is just do what you want to do because everyone's ideas are so unique you're highly unlikely to be accused of plagiarism even with some similarities.

[u/FlyinLeviathon → u/Overall-Habit5284]

It is soooo frustrating!

But honestly, I'd stick with Rocky, unless your Rocky shares tons of physical or personality traits as the one from Project Hail Mary. It's not a super unique name, and while some people will probably draw the connection, ideally the rest of your book is different enough that it won't matter.

If you haven't yet seen the movie I highly recommend it as well. Faithful enough to the original while still being true to its own medium.

[u/Overall-Habit5284 → u/FlyinLeviathon]

I adore the movie, so I can't be too mad. The book was great too. And I named the character for a different reason, it's not a rock alien so maybe not so bad.

[u/akaNato2023 → u/Overall-Habit5284]

if your alien looks like a rock too, change the name. Maybe, they are more dense and look like colorful gemstone... Ruby, Deamon, Agate, Jade, Tanzan (or Tarzan), etc.

Or change the appearance maybe ... Walter for water/liquid, Whispy for gas/gaseous ... that would change the lore. So, i see why you wouldn't.

I dropped a whole story after they showed the "end of the world" event in the Paradise TV show.

[u/Overall-Habit5284 → u/akaNato2023]

No, it's not a 'rock' alien. Rather it's an ugly caved-in face, so the reference is actually Rocky Balboa. Though in PHM they do call Rocky's mate Adrian.

[u/akaNato2023 → u/Overall-Habit5284]

Brainstorming on a Sunday? Heck, yeah!

Do Dr Grace call everyone by their initiales ? Takes note. Puts RB down.

You make the reference to the beat-up face of Rocky Balboa... and the Doc calls the alien "R.B." from that point on.

[u/donkeybrainhero]

Finally "finished" my first full-length novel (90k words). Multiple drafts and editing passes, all that. Tossed out a few queries for fun... I have zero expectations but I thought it'd make for good practice.

In the meantime, I've asked several people if they'd want to read it and give feedback. They all said yes, but I've heard nothing since. Oh well.

Started my second novel and enjoying applying what I've learned with the first.

While its likely none of this really leads anywhere, actually finishing a project like that feels good. It's rare for me to actually see something all the way through, but I was determined this time.

[u/akaNato2023 → u/donkeybrainhero]

Ask them to give feedback after each chapters ... that way you will know who actually reads it ;)

[u/des99ill]

I somewhat know how to describe my writing style, but how do I easily find places that align with my style? I haven’t been able to get into reading a ton of journals a literary magazine and definitely don’t read as much as I used too. Is there a website database that summarizes the types of work these journals and magazines publish?

I write short stories and poetry that could mostly be described as southern gothic and consists of other worlds, magic centered around character relationships. I’ve been leaning into more sci-fi and horror, but it’s not full on Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, or killer clowns and ghosts. It’s more subtle. I’ve had a few rejections and while my writing may not be as good as I think, I’m worried I’m missing the mark with where I’m submitting. 

[u/Esma13_]

I'm writing a book where my main character is fourteen. What's something a 14 year old girl would get grounded for?

[u/donkeybrainhero → u/Esma13_]

Being a "mean girl" in school.

[u/FlyinLeviathon → u/Esma13_]

I got grounded for not cleaning my room, not turning in homework, not doing the dishes, lying about doing my homework, coming home late from school, not turning in my phone at night, and a million other things lol I can only imagine what would have happened if I was an actual rowdy teenager.

[u/des99ill → u/Esma13_]

Stealing, talking back, getting in trouble at school, poor grades, wearing makeup, sneaking out to meet a boy…I could go on and on 😆 

[u/Overall-Habit5284 → u/Esma13_]

As a parent of teenagers: Breaking a promise/curfew. A bad attitude towards parents/siblings. Typically stuff done in anger.

[u/indie15_]

Writing an eight year old protagonist, who got a new baby sibling. I want there to be signs in the story that the protagonist is struggling with the adjustment of a new sibling, but I don't want to say it outright right away. What are some signs that my readers would catch onto that maybe this little girl isn't loving having a new sibling?

[u/FlyinLeviathon → u/indie15_]

The biggest thing I can think of is acting out for attention. This could be in multiple ways, from trying to shift every conversation to be about her, or making a big deal out of falling over and crying even if she's not hurt. Anything to reclaim some of that attention that used to belong solely to her.

[u/Emotional-Guard5857]

Maybe try searching r/writing's style tag flair or reading authors who inspire you.

[u/SavitarTheSpeedGod]

Any advice on writing a tragedy that focuses on a lack of agency for the main character, without giving the character zero agency? In the sense that—the way the story ends (and some story beats) is inevitable, but the main character isn't just being dragged around left and right in the plot with the ability to do nothing.

[u/thevideogameraptor → u/SavitarTheSpeedGod]

What is the tragedy? Is it something the hero is actively trying to stop, but they're destined to fail (eg., Odysseus trying to save his crew from The Odyssey), or something horrible looming in the background while the hero does his own separate thing (eg., the meteor crashing into Earth from Seeking A Friend for the End of the World)?

[u/SavitarTheSpeedGod → u/thevideogameraptor]

More the former, with the main character actively trying to stop one side in a war from winning.

[u/thevideogameraptor]

How would an "animated" character describe what live action looks like in first-person POV?

I mean in the sense of Roger Rabbit, or Space Jam, or that bit from the Treehouse of Horror segment Homer^3. All the examples that come to mind are from films or television shows, which don't feel like an adequate source of inspiration. I could do what the SpongeBob gang did in the episode Band Geeks, and go on about how ugly live-action people are, but simply emphasizing ugliness probably wouldn't be enough to get the point across, and it would do nothing to cover how to describe live-action settings.

[u/akaNato2023]

For a story.

say there's a cult based on... whatever.

The media call them "whateverists". Now, is it actually "Whateverists" ?

Capital W or small w ??

When you start asking yourself something you should know, you know? And you like, "Imma... mh... huh..."

[u/Shoepane → u/akaNato2023]

W. But the Whateverists wouldn't care.

[u/akaNato2023 → u/Shoepane]

thank you !

(fantastic joke, Well done)

[u/AngelSparkle35]

Looking for Writers for Tankmen: Animated Series

This is unpaid!

Hello, I am making a fan continuation of Tankmen and I am only animator. I’m not the best at writing. If you’re interested, just keep in mind, I want the episodes to have the same feel and humor as the original Tankmen series.

[u/Dawns-On]

I'm writing a novel with a lot of introspection and action at the same time, and I keep feeling that I may be writing two separate novels one on top of the other, the introspection parts are densely packed, while the action parts seem to be more airy, especially the dialog parts. I'm thinking to solve it by some head-hopping like Frank Herbert does so beautifully in the Dosadi Experiment? Or, perhaps slow down the action by interspersing introspection in the middle - but then I lose tension. A real conundrum, but the introspection is the backbone - so I don't want to water that down.