On Writing Fantasy, Science Fiction, and Horror: Speculative Subgenres We Want to See (And Some We Don't)
- Jessi Alford
- Apr 4
- 4 min read
As a flock, we try to be forthright about the content Jerome wants us to publish, but we understand that pulling the meaning from his messages can be difficult. After all, we still aren’t fluent in Squawk. So, we put together this post to help you, our dear dreamers, understand the types of stories that will wow Jerome.
What is Speculative Fiction?
We are first and foremost a speculative fiction magazine, but what exactly does that mean? Some argue that speculative fiction must involve a world other than our own, but, in truth, this classification of literature is broader than that. Speculative fiction describes any story that diverges from reality. It’s that simple. If the setting, character, or other major elements of your story can’t be found in the real world, then you’re most likely writing speculative fiction.
But speculative fiction is a classification, not a genre itself. The umbrella of speculative fiction actually contains a myriad of genres and subgenres, many of which you are likely already familiar with. The big three that we consider for Snoozine are fantasy, science fiction, and horror, but we also consider modes of writing, such as weird fiction.
Fantasy vs. Science Fiction: What’s the Difference?
You might argue that you know each of these genres when you see them, but when you set out to create within these genres, it’s better to understand the rules. Strictly speaking, fantasy involves settings, characters, or other major elements that do not and cannot exist in our world. Think about fae and magic. These are things we know (or maybe just assume) are not real and never will be. Because these scenarios could never come to fruition, they are considered fantasy.
Science fiction, on the other hand, involves settings, characters, or other major elements that do not exist in our world but could someday. This is why science fiction focuses so heavily on technology and societal advancement. However, be warned. Any technology you create for science fiction novels ideally should be based in reality. If the science doesn’t work out (we’re all looking at Star Trek), some fans may have trouble receiving your story. This is most important when writing hard SF, but within reason it, should apply to softer SF, as well.
All Horror Is Good Horror. . .Right?
This is a difficult subject for us at Snoozine because the truth is that not all horror is speculative in nature. Sometimes, there’s nothing scarier than the truth, after all. For example, a story based on the crimes committed by Jeffrey Dahmer would be horrifying, but it wouldn’t be speculative. Unfortunately, everything he did happened in real life and can happen again. Writing a story based on a ghoulish murderer like Freddy Kreuger, however, would be speculative because of the nature of the killer himself.
See what we mean? While we enjoy horror of all kinds, we will only publish the speculative side.
Fantasy Subgenres
Now that you understand what fantasy is, let’s explore how fantasy can manifest on the page. Below is an incomplete list of fantasy subgenres we would love to see you submit.
Science Fiction Subgenres
Now that fantasy is out of the way, let’s splice and dice science fiction into its many subgenres. Below is an incomplete list of science fiction subgenres we would love to see you submit.
Horror Subgenres
As we’ve said, we love all horror but only want certain kinds. Here, we’ve listed the horror subgenres that appeal to us the most.
Please note: While we enjoy subgenres like body horror, psychological horror, and splatterpunk, we cannot accept them if they do not contain an inherently speculative element. Although we also enjoy a good creepypasta, they will be a hard sell.
What Isn’t Speculative?
Remember to make sure your work falls into one or more of the subgenres listed here and that it contains a significant speculative element.
We want your work to be clearly speculative. A story about someone who ponders their existence isn’t fantasy, but a story about someone who goes to the bathroom one night to find that they’ve been transported to an outhouse on the outskirts of a fae battleground is fantasy—and maybe slightly horrifying depending on how one feels about outhouses, war, and the fae. Our point is this: if we have to question whether your piece is speculative, it’s not speculative enough. It doesn’t have to smack us over the head, but it needs to register beyond the use of metaphor and musings.
Go Forth and Write!
Go! Write all the stories! Give us a tea party with your sleep paralysis demon. Give us a biomechanical arm with a mind of its own. Give us dragons the size of chickens and chickens the size of dragons. Give us whatever you come up with—just make sure it’s speculative.
Happy writing, folks! We’re so excited to read what you submit.
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