databit - may 25, 2010
Defined, or at least explained
Speculative fiction can be defined as fiction based on "what if"
This type of fiction can go across most genres of fiction. Also it is kind of redudent to say speculative fiction because if you are writing something speculatively, then it is not something that has actually happened, and thus is fiction.
Examples of speculative fiction are often historical. For example, if you were to write a story about "What if" Hilter was able to take over Europe, then it would be speculative.
It does not have to be historical though. It could be speculative of the future. If you wrote a story on trips to Mars based on the "What if" of Obama pouring funding into Nasa, that would be speculative.
Speculative writing does not need to be based in reality. You can write speculatively about other fictional works. "What if" Darth was sucessful in turning Luke to the Dark Side? Would his sister have to carry the torch and save the galaxy from the empire?
Speculative writing can also be based on technology or magic. "What if" we could fly? "What if" someone sucessfully graphed lasers on sharks?
Does this help?
What if I explained it differently?
What if there was a You Tube video that explained it?
What if you were just imagining that you are typing at a computer but in actuallity you are some person in the future taking a "historical vaction" in a full imersion reality simulator?
What if you are playing the game wrong?
Write about it.
Databit