Spec Fic, Sci-Fi, and Other Ambiguous Terms

"Speculative fiction" is hard to define, mostly because nobody agrees on the meaning. Broadly, there are two useful definitions, but to understand them, we have to take a brief (BRIEF!) look at the history of science fiction.



1. About 100 years ago, people called science fiction a thing.

2. About 80 years ago, sci-fi hit what's considered it's "Golden Age."

3. About 60 years ago, a LOT of people were writing sci-fi. Not all of it was good.



(Told you it was brief.)



It was around this time t...