What Is Speculative Writing?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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Speculative writing is defined as looking at a photo or reading a short scenario and then writing a fictional story about what could happen next . An example of speculative writing is reading the first half of a story and then coming up with your own second half based on the first. noun.

What defines speculative fiction?

Today, speculative fiction is a blanket term for the stories that take place beyond our known world. Margaret Atwood defines speculative fiction as literature that deals with possibilities in a society which have not yet been enacted but are latent .

What is the example of speculative fiction?

Name Examples Science fiction The Time Machine, I, Robot, Dune, Star Trek, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Swamp Thing, Black Mirror, Star Wars, Blade Runner, Jurassic Park Horror The Exorcist, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Us, Books of Blood, The Hellbound Heart, Resident Evil Utopian Island, Ecotopia, 17776

How do you write a speculative story?

  1. #1. Build Your World. World-building is the most important component of speculative fiction. ...
  2. #2. You Must Have a Message. There must be a point to the story that you’re creating. ...
  3. #3. Embrace the Characters. ...
  4. #4. Keep It Real.

What is the purpose of speculative fiction?

The goal of speculative fiction is to get the reader to engage with the main characters of your story . Speculative fiction is any kind of fiction which creates a world of fantastic fiction which may or may not resemble the world we live in.

What are speculative elements?

There has to be a “speculative” element — the story has to imagine that something that doesn’t actually/presently exist could in fact exist ; merely inventing a fictional country to set your story in, for example, isn’t speculative, because countries exist.

What makes the story speculative?

Speculative fiction is fiction in which the author speculates upon the results of changing what’s real or possible, not how a character would react to a certain event , etc. Therefore, the thing being speculated upon must be more elemental than character or plot.

Is Speculative Fiction important?

Speculative fiction, such as fantasy, helps readers leave their inherent biases at the door when it comes to social issues . Because these stories often take place in otherworldly settings or societies that don’t resemble our own, authors can subtly encourage readers to consider different perspectives on actual issues.

Why is speculative fiction so popular?

Why is sci-fi so popular? Science fiction primarily owes its popularity to the fact that it includes elements from various other genres with which people are familiar , and then mixes in speculation about the future which excites the imagination.

How do you use speculative design?

  1. Step 1 — Identify ‘signals’ of emerging technologies and trends. ...
  2. Step 2 — Ideate a future product. ...
  3. Step 4 — Storify the product. ...
  4. Step 5 — Share to generate discussion.

How do you start a speculative fiction story?

  1. Hook the reader right from the start. ...
  2. Don’t start at the very beginning in a short story. ...
  3. Description should be limited in a short story. ...
  4. Establish the setting and the characters, and then move on to the problem. ...
  5. Keep the number of characters to a minimum.

How do you begin a story?

  1. Spark a reader’s interest. ...
  2. Put a character in a setting. ...
  3. Introduce a main character. ...
  4. Start with action. ...
  5. Hook them in. ...
  6. Make it clear. ...
  7. Have a distinctive voice. ...
  8. Make it dynamic.

What should speculative fiction try and achieve?

Logical, engaging storylines . In addition to these foundations, speculative fiction readers are often looking for an elusive something–an element of the story that evokes a “sense of wonder”. We like new ideas, new ways of looking at the world, or humanity, or technology.

What makes a work speculative?

Speculative work, also known as spec work, is any kind of creative work that has been completed or submitted by volunteer designers to prospective clients , under the circumstances that a fair or reasonable fee has not been agreed upon in writing.

How does speculative fiction shape our world?

Speculative writers flesh out our passing thoughts into complete, functioning societies and explore how they might unfold. For example Kim Stanley Robinson looked in “New York 2140” at what if global warming flooded Manhattan. ... Linked to this, speculative fiction is free to unleash the full power of metaphor.

What is speculative science?

Speculation is not completely forbidden in science . ... By “speculation”, I mean making a statement about the physical world with near zero evidence to back up the claim. Let us look at instances where speculation is non-productive in science, and then the instance where it is productive.

Emily Lee
Author
Emily Lee
Emily Lee is a freelance writer and artist based in New York City. She’s an accomplished writer with a deep passion for the arts, and brings a unique perspective to the world of entertainment. Emily has written about art, entertainment, and pop culture.