Speculative fiction

Speculative fiction is a broad umbrella genre used to describe many types of storytelling. It encompasses all subgenres that depart from realism, which is the imitation of everyday reality. Instead of following the ordinary world, these stories present fantastical, supernatural, or futuristic realms. This genre includes diverse styles like fantasy, science fiction, and alternate history. It also covers horror, magical realism, and apocalyptic fiction. Because it focuses on the extraordinary, it can apply to many media. This includes literature, film, television, video games, and radio.

To understand speculative fiction, one must look at how it differs from realistic fiction. Realistic fiction adheres closely to plausible depictions of people and places. In contrast, speculative fiction allows for a lesser degree of adherence to what is possible. For example, a fantasy story might depict a universe where the laws of nature do not apply. An alternate history story might take an actual historical moment and change its outcome. Science fiction often features technology that defies our current scientific understanding. Some stories even use a concept called suppositional fiction. In these works, characters are constrained by a world that is internally consistent, even if it is not our own.

Many distinct subgenres exist within this massive category. Fantasy is one major type, featuring beings like dragons, elves, or fairies. It often uses elements like magic, witchcraft, and potions. Science fiction is another primary subgenre. It explores imagined technologies, such as advanced robots, interstellar travel, or time travel. Other types include utopia and dystopia, which explore ideal or very bad societies. There is also slipstream and weird fiction. Some writers, like Margaret Atwood, use a specific version of science fiction. She calls it "no Martians" fiction, meaning it focuses on things that could actually happen.

While the term is modern, the concept of speculative storytelling is very old. Ancient Greek dramatists used these techniques long ago. The playwright Euripides wrote the play Medea, which speculated that a sorceress killed her own children.

William Shakespeare also used speculative elements in his work. In A Midsummer Night's Dream, he placed characters from different times and places into a fictional Fairyland. He included figures like the English fairy Puck and the Roman god Cupid. In the field of mythography, this is called mythopoeia. This is the creative design of new lore and mythology. J.R.R. Tolkien used this process to build the world of The Lord of the Rings.

History shows that many works were speculative before the label existed. In the 5th century BCE, Herodotus wrote histories that included hypothetical elements. Later, the writer Sima Qian also engaged in similar storytelling. The specific term "speculative fiction" has a documented history in the 20th century. Robert A. Heinlein is often credited with its use in a 1947 editorial. At first, he used it as a synonym for science fiction. However, he later stated his definition excluded fantasy. Other early mentions appeared in 1889 and 1900 regarding different novels. In the 1960s, writers like Judith Merril popularized the term to expand the boundaries of science fiction.

Speculative fiction is a significant field with many participants. In English-language professional publishing, men outnumber women by about two to one. However, these numbers change depending on the specific subgenre. Women actually outnumber men in areas like urban fantasy, paranormal romance, and young adult fiction. Scholars also study this field through academic journals. Some notable journals include Extrapolation and Foundation. The Internet Speculative Fiction Database also helps document the many different subtypes of the genre.

Finally, speculative fiction connects to many important human systems. It captures both conscious and unconscious aspects of human psychology. By imagining different worlds, it helps people make sense of their own. These stories can contribute to practical societal progress. They can influence social movements and cultural shifts. They also relate to scientific research and the philosophy of science. By exploring our nightmares and our dreams, speculative fiction helps us respond to the world through art.