speculative fiction
What-if storytelling genre
Speculative fiction is an umbrella term for genres that imagine worlds or scenarios departing from reality as we know it, including science fiction, fantasy, horror, and dystopian fiction.
The term emphasizes the shared imaginative impulse across these genres rather than their differences.
She writes speculative fiction exploring what society might look like after climate collapse.
Some authors prefer the label because it sidesteps debates about whether their work counts as "real" science fiction or fantasy.
Dystopian tech-noir fiction
- steampunkRetrofuturistic Victorian science fiction
- space operaDramatic sci-fi in cosmos
- alternate historyGenre reimagining past outcomes
- urban fantasySupernatural tales, modern settings
magical realism · biopunk · solarpunk · dieselpunk · slipstream · cli-fi · wuxia · grimdark
Genre reimagining past outcomes
- counterfactualContrary-to-fact supposition
- parallel universeHypothetical coexisting separate reality
- conlangArtificially created language system
- magic systemRules for supernatural abilities
what if · thought experiment · extrapolation · future history
Imagined perfect society
- dystopiaImaginary terrible society
- apocalypseTotal civilizational collapse
- time travelMovement across temporal points
- immortalityExemption from death
consciousness · identity · humanity · technology · revolution · transcendence · posthumanism · singularity
Dictatorial, all-controlling regime
- surveillanceSystematic observation of subjects
- oppressionUnjust exercise of power
- post-apocalypticAfter global catastrophe
- authoritarianFavoring absolute control
police state · propaganda · censorship · rebellion · resistance · tyranny · collapse · survival
Being from outer space
- spacecraftVehicle for outer space
- androidMachine resembling a person
- singularityPoint where values explode
- wormholeHypothetical spacetime tunnel
multiverse · alien · cybernetics · nanotechnology · artificial intelligence · terraforming · cyborg · cloning
Supernatural or illusory power
- dragonsMythical fire-breathing reptiles
- sorceryPractice of dark magic
- wizardPractitioner of sorcery
- questSeeking journey for something
enchantment · kingdom · elves · mythical creatures · witchcraft · grimoire · prophecy · chosen one
cyberpunk
Dystopian tech-noir fiction
- steampunkRetrofuturistic Victorian science fiction
- space operaDramatic sci-fi in cosmos
- alternate historyGenre reimagining past outcomes
urban fantasy · magical realism · biopunk · solarpunk · dieselpunk · slipstream · cli-fi · wuxia · grimdark · clockpunk
alternate history
Genre reimagining past outcomes
- counterfactualContrary-to-fact supposition
- parallel universeHypothetical coexisting separate reality
- conlangArtificially created language system
magic system · what if · thought experiment · extrapolation · future history
utopia
Imagined perfect society
- dystopiaImaginary terrible society
- apocalypseTotal civilizational collapse
- time travelMovement across temporal points
immortality · consciousness · identity · humanity · technology · revolution · transcendence · posthumanism · singularity · surveillance
totalitarian
Dictatorial, all-controlling regime
- surveillanceSystematic observation of subjects
- oppressionUnjust exercise of power
- post-apocalypticAfter global catastrophe
authoritarian · police state · propaganda · censorship · rebellion · resistance · tyranny · collapse · survival · stratification
extraterrestrial
Being from outer space
- spacecraftVehicle for outer space
- androidMachine resembling a person
- singularityPoint where values explode
wormhole · multiverse · alien · cybernetics · nanotechnology · artificial intelligence · terraforming · cyborg · cloning · first contact
magic
Supernatural or illusory power
quest · enchantment · kingdom · elves · mythical creatures · witchcraft · grimoire · prophecy · chosen one · dark lord
- booksnovel, textbooks, study guides, book, paperback
- genresaction, comedy, fantasy, horror, documentary
- sci-fiStar Wars, Blade Runner 2049, aliens, Star Trek, The Terminator
- speculative fictiondystopia, fantasy, futurism, utopia, steampunk
- Cli-Ficli-fi, climate disaster, ecofiction, eco-thriller, near future
- hybrid genresjazz fusion, rock opera, blues rock, folk rock, country rock
speculative fictionrealistic fiction
Invented yet plausible storytelling
literary realism · social realism · kitchen sink realism · slice of life · naturalism
speculative fictionnonfiction
Literature about real events
creative nonfiction · journalism · biography · memoir · reportage
fiction, speculation, speculative, hypothetical, speculator, speculating, science fiction, speculators, sci-fi