Speculative Fiction

science fiction

if technology advanced

The Establishing Scene

make the reader ask questions (narrative hook), locate the reader so the reader feels situated in the story, introduce protagonist and or supporting characters, introduce conflict,

3 types of speculative fiction

monomyth, disruption narrative, other worlds

other worlds

not set on earth, different social/econ structure

monomyth

relatable protagonist, unsatisfied, call to adventure, discovery of a new world, task: a goal in the new world, conflicts, task completed, return home

disruption narrative

relatable reality, speculative arrives, disruption or reality, conflict (usually lives lost), survivors are forever altered, often a parody or criticism of popular culture

"speculative fiction" divides into

science fiction and fantasy

fantasy

using beings that don't actually exist eg. unicorns

first job when choosing what to write

WHAT DO I CARE ABOUT?

what is speculative fiction?

a world that writers create, where anything can happen. It is a place beyond reality, a place that could have been, or might have been, if only the rules of the universe were altered just a bit

4 types of conflict

character vs. self, character vs. other characters, character vs. environments, character vs. society/system

writer's tip:

establish what everyday reality is before you introduce the speculative or magical