An Introduction to. . . Speculative Fiction

Is this technically multiple genres? Yes, it is. Am I doing it anyway? Yes, I am. That's partially because speculative fiction itself isn't exactly like any of the other genres, even though it encompasses them. So let's dive into this one.

Genre: Speculative Fiction

Speculative fiction is any book fictional elements. This can be fantasy, alternate history, science fiction, superheroes, dystopian, and more. If it's not something that's in the real world, then it falls under this category. As you can see, it's a large genre that can range in style from serious to funny and everything in between.

There are a lot of decisions to be made when writing speculative fiction, starting with what specific type you're writing, but most of the time you'll probably already have an idea on most of it. The nice thing about speculative fiction is you can even combine features like fantasy and science fiction in new an different ways. There are less limitations on your creative reins.

Sub-genres

• Alternate history. This is where you go back in history and play around with the events that happened. Like what if the Confederates won the Civil War? Or it could be something smaller, like history with time travelers or magic.

• Alternate reality. As the name suggests, like our world, but with alternate elements. Like something big changed in the past, or everyone has wings, or we have magic. Something like that.

• Dystopian. A future society where the world is horrible, normally filled with tyrannical governments, rebellions, and uprisings. You probably know dystopian from the trend in the past few years in YA books.

• Paranormal. Normal world with elements of the supernatural or mysterious. Think ghost, demons, angels, and more.

• Fantasy. Fantasy books can be big and epic, or smaller and more personal. They take place in made-up worlds and are filled with magic, special creatures, and lots of castles.

• Sci-fi. Science fiction includes elements of science, space ships, other planets, cyborgs, and more. It can vary from not super scieney to extreme nerd level. 

• Steampunk. A mix between alternate history and steam powered technology, steampunk is a relatively new and unique genre. It's one of the few genres where fashion is a huge part.

• Magical realism. Combine the real world with a hint of magic and you've got magical realism. It's similar to urban fantasy, but more real. It can be quite fun to write and come up with.

• Superhero fiction. As you might be able to guess, this sub-genre, or as I argue should be called genre, is all about individuals with abnormal abilities. This can also vary, whether it's a world where superheroes are prominent, or  more underground.

Tropes

• Outside the box. Speculative fiction is known for combining elements that you might not consider. It's okay to be a bit out there in this genre. Just try not to be too far outside the box.

• Hidden history. It seems like there's a secret or hidden version of history that no one knows about, except probably a secret organization that the hero learns about. This is veering towards a cliche, but it still can be kind of cool if done right.

• Alternate universes. Whether your story takes place in an alternate universe, or the heroes discover one, they also populate speculative fiction. They're fun because you can do a lot with them, however you want.

• Corrupted governments. These can be found in dystopian, sci-fi, or fantasy. You can never go wrong with one, or so it seems. They will often seem good on the surface, but be rotten in the middle.

• Scientists. You always need scientists. Good ones that manage to make the antidote to save the world. Evil ones that don't care about human lives, only scientific advancement. Random ones that spout scientific knowledge that no one understands.

• Magicians. Magic and magic users are another frequent part of this genre. Depending on the type of story, you may have wizards or you might have normal humans with unusual skills.

To Avoid

• Young heroes with unusual power. Why do we keep handing the reins of the rebellion to a hormone filled teenager? Personally I'd give it to the wise old sensei, since they seem to know everything anyway. Just because they're the super special one, does't mean they should be running the show.

• Basic aliens/fantasy creatures. Aliens that are super smart or want to take us over. Dwarves, elves, and unicorns. I've covered this in my other posts on sci-fi and fantasy, but there are so many other types of these creatures you can do better.

• Chosen one. You know the cliche. The special snowflake that will save everyone due to some prophesy. Just don't do it.

• Overuse of specialized terms. Science terms, magic terms, other random terms spelled with capital letters and little explanation for what they mean. Some people can make it work, but most of the time it's just way too much.

• Evil kings/queens/overlords/other authority figures. It's always the person in charge that seems nice that turns out to be the evil one. Lots of people could be the bad guys, so try some of them.

Example Books

Ender's Game

The Hunger Games

The Time Machine

Ready Player One

Leepike Ridge

What do you like about speculative fiction? Which sub-genre is your favorite? tell me in the comments.

Suggested Posts:

An Introduction to. . . Steampunk

An Introduction to. . . Historical Fiction