Speculative fiction

Speculative fiction is an all-encompassing term which includes science fiction, alternative history (fiction), horror and fantasy.

Related Topics:
Science fiction - Alternative history (fiction) - Horror - Fantasy

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The term is often used among writers and publishers who wish to break out of what is commonly called the "sci-fi ghetto". There is an unfortunate tendency, among both many publishers and a large segment of the reading public, to expect only science fiction stories from a person who has once written science fiction. Writers such as Harlan Ellison (an outspoken advocate of the term) have deliberately rejected identification as a science fiction writer for precisely such reasons; they don't reject the science fiction genre (in which Ellison, for example, still participates) but they do reject pigeonholing their work.

Related Topics:
Sci-fi ghetto - Harlan Ellison

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The abbreviation "sf" (usually spelled in lowercase, but occasionally uppercase) is often used to indicate either speculative fiction or what is traditionally known as "science fiction".

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This term is coming into more frequent usage among younger fans who wish to break down the literary barriers between the horror, fantasy, and science fiction genres.

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The term is also sometimes used without any implication of breaking down barriers or breaking out of the ghetto, simply as a convenient shorthand way to refer to multiple genres at once.

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A variation of this term is "Speculative Literature".

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See also: Internet Speculative Fiction DataBase, New Weird

Related Topics:
Internet Speculative Fiction DataBase - New Weird

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