Speculative fiction is a genre that lets writers use their imagination to the fullest. It’s all about telling stories that ask big questions and exploring worlds that are different from our own—whether through magic, future technology, or alternate histories. If you're looking for writing tips for beginners and want to learn about fiction genres, you're in the right place.

In this guide, we'll teach you how to write speculative fiction, covering everything from wild imagination to world-building and character creation.

Step 1: Let Your Imagination Go Wild

The cool thing about speculative fiction is that it starts with a question:

• What if humans had to make a deal with aliens to survive?
• What if magic was banned, and everyone had to live without it?
• What if the moon suddenly disappeared?

Let your mind explore these ideas without holding back. Speculative fiction is all about bold ideas, so trust your imagination, even if it feels a little wild.

Now, I know what you're thinking:

“But my idea is kind of ridiculous!”

Great! That’s the point. The best speculative fiction ideas often sound a little ridiculous at first. The more out-there the concept, the more exciting it is to explore. Remember, if you think it's too crazy, it's probably just crazy enough. That's the beauty of learning how to write speculative fiction.

Step 2: Build Your World, One Piece at a Time

World-building is a key part of learning how to write speculative fiction. The world you create is more than just a setting—it’s like a character in your story.

Make rules for how this world works:

• What kind of technology exists?
• Who has power, and who doesn’t?
• What are the daily lives of people like?

The more rules you make, the more interesting conflicts you can create. The details are what make speculative fiction special. If you’re writing about a future society, think about how people use advanced technology every day—what's the cost of using that technology? World-building is essential to how to write speculative fiction effectively.

Here’s a secret: you don’t need to have everything figured out before you start writing. World-building can be like an onion—layer after layer, you add more as you go.

Start with the big stuff, like who’s in charge and what they want. Then slowly zoom in:

• What do people eat?
• What do they fear?
• What strange rules have they just accepted as normal?

Don't be afraid to dive into the weird little details—those are often what make your world unforgettable.

Step 3: Create Real Characters in Unreal Situations

When learning how to write speculative fiction, your characters help readers connect to your story, even if the setting is strange or magical. They need to feel real, even if they’re riding dragons or talking to an AI. Give them:

• Fears
• Dreams
• Flaws—the more imperfect, the better!

Even in a wild setting, the story is really about people’s struggles, choices, and emotions. Creating good characters is an important writing tip for beginners who want to master fiction genres.

And here's the trick: your characters don’t need to be heroes. In fact, they’re more interesting if they’re not. Maybe they’re:

• A coward who has to save the world
• A rebel who doesn’t quite know why they’re rebelling

Make them messy. Make them flawed. Readers don’t connect to perfection—they connect to people who mess up, who struggle, who try and fail and try again. Even if your protagonist is literally the Chosen One, let them be the reluctant, messed-up Chosen One.

Step 4: Start with Short Stories

If you’re just starting out with speculative fiction, begin with short stories. It’s a low-risk way to try out your ideas and find your voice. Speculative fiction works really well in shorter forms—think about classic sci-fi or spooky fantasy stories. Writing short stories lets you explore your imagination without having to write a whole trilogy. Short stories are perfect for beginners practicing how to write speculative fiction.

Why short stories, you ask? Because they’re like a playground:

• You can test out different ideas without committing years of your life.
• If it works, great! If it doesn’t, you learned something and only spent a few days, not a few months.
• It’s also a great way to build a portfolio.

You might even end up with a collection of strange, wonderful tales that make people think, “Wow, I wish I’d thought of that!”

Step 5: Know the Genre (But Break the Rules)

Get to know the genre. There’s a reason certain ideas, or tropes, work—they speak to people.

Common speculative fiction ideas include:

• Futuristic cities falling apart
• Magic systems with a cost
• Alternate histories that change everything

But don’t let these ideas hold you back. Twist them, break them, and make something new. Understanding the genre is an important writing tip for beginners who want to write speculative fiction.

Think of it this way: genre conventions are like a playground (yes, another playground analogy). They give you the slide, the swings, and the monkey bars. But no one said you have to go down the slide forwards.

• Go backwards.
• Hang upside down from the monkey bars.
• Invent your own game with new rules.

Just because everyone writes about wizards with staffs doesn’t mean your wizard can’t have a magic skateboard instead.

Step 6: Write for the Fun of Discovery

Speculative fiction is all about exploring. Not just the world you create, but also your own curiosity. As a writer, your job is to discover, push limits, and take your readers on an adventure into the unknown. Don’t worry about being totally original—just focus on making something that feels true to you.

Here's a little secret: the fun is in the “what if.” Don’t write to impress people with how clever you are—write because you genuinely want to find out what happens next.

The story should surprise you too! If you’re laughing, crying, or gasping as you write, chances are your readers will feel the same way. Let yourself get caught up in the weirdness. Let the story take you somewhere unexpected.

This kind of fiction isn’t about showing off how “cool” your ideas are. It’s about playing with those ideas until something excites you. If you get caught up in the thrill of asking “what if,” your readers will be excited to follow you there.