
Readers and writers have long debated which types of stories or novels should fall under the “speculative fiction” umbrella. Seven Popular Types of ‘Spec Fic’ NovelsĪnd now for another can of worms. Now, let’s drill down and talk about the different types or subgenres of speculative fiction available to readers. So we have a broad definition of speculative fiction, as a kind of umbrella genre. Rowling speculated about what life might be like for students at a school for witchcraft and wizardry. The Martian: Andy Weir speculated about how a man could survive on Mars after being stranded on the planet.James speculated about what might happen if the entire human race became infertile. When you speculate on something, you ponder it and develop some kind of hypothesis or opinion about it. The verb “speculate” has several meanings that can help us understand the nature of speculative fiction. These stories often involve supernatural, futuristic, or other imagined elements. Today, it’s an umbrella category that includes a wide range of sub-genres like horror, dystopia, sci-fi and more.ĭefinition: Speculative fiction is a category or genre of fiction that includes settings or elements that do not exist within our current reality. Years ago, the term “speculative fiction” was more of less synonymous with “science fiction.” But that’s no longer the case. People have argued about the definition for decades, for as long as the label has been used. Trying to define speculative fiction can be like opening a can of worms. Are you a writer preparing to delve into speculative fiction? Or a reader looking to expand your horizons within the genre? You’ve come to the right blog! We’re about to take a deep dive into the different types of speculative fiction, with example novels for each genre.
