What is punk writing? Punk genres use the technology of a certain time and take that usage to fantasy extremes. You could say there is a punk genre for every decade of the 20th century. Cyberpunk came first, then Steampunk, and the other genres blossomed from those two branches. Traditionally, punk genres were also about rebellion and social isolation, but that isn’t always the case nowadays. Here is a list of punk genres.
Aetherpunk (or magicpunk, etc) :- This tends to be used alongside another genre – such as steampunk – and its technology is based on magic.
Apunkalypse :- The name for many connected punk genres, all set in a post-apocalyptic world.
Anthropunk (or Furpunk) :- This is a relatively new one, where biotechnology has fused humans and animals to make real-life furries. It’s popular in Ao3 furry writing communities.
Atompunk :- Examples of this are Futurama and The Incredibles. This genre focuses on things like the nuclear revolution and the space race, taking place in the context of the Civil Rights movement and the Vietnam War. This was a time when technology was progressing fast and society was struggling to adapt to the changes.
Biopunk :- similar to Cyberpunk. This involves biological hacking, gene modification and body enhancement. Think genetic tracking, cloning, and designer babies. Unlike cyberpunk, this looks at the idea of humans vs. post-humans.
Bronzepunk (or Sandalpunk) :- This deals with retrofuturistic civilisations based on technology from the times of Aristotle and Plato, and is sometimes combined with aetherpunk. Think columns, Spartans, and sandals. Inspired by the architecture of the Athenians and the Antikythera mechanism, and the fact that the Romans invented the idea of steam engines (but hadn’t a clue what to do with them, in reality). Examples: Disney’s Atlantis movie, Gods of Egypt.
Capepunk :- set in worlds where superheroes are real.
Castlepunk (or Middlepunk) :- set in the Middle Ages and uses the technology from that time.
Cattlepunk :- like Steampunk, but in the American Wild West. Think Cowboys & Aliens, or the Doctor Who episode ‘A Town Called Mercy.’
Clockpunk :- like pre-steampunk. Everything runs on clockwork, often with an 18th century thing about it inspired by the Georgians and the court of Versailles. Some mechanisms in clockpunk are possible in theory, but wouldn’t be efficient in real life. An example of clockpunk might be ‘The Girl in the Fireplace’ episode of Doctor Who, or the movie Hugo.
Cyberpunk :- one of the oldest punk genres, looking at the close future and rapid technological changes. It often includes dystopias and governments using technology to invade and control people’s lives. The main characters are often alienated from this grim society. The vibe is dark, cynical, and industrial. Think Blade Runner and The Matrix. Cyberpunk originated in the New Wave sci-fi of the 1960s, with authors like Samuel R. Delaney, Harlan Ellison, Philip K. Dick, and J. G. Ballard. John Brunner’s 1975 novel The Shockwave Rider may have been the first Cyberpunk book, though the word cyberpunk wasn’t invented until Bruce Bethke used it in a short story in Amazing Stories in 1983. Gardner Dozois, the editor of Isaac Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine, jumped on the word and described the genre as “bizarre, hard-edged, high-tech stuff.” William Gibson’s Neuromancer was released that year.
Deiselpunk :- This takes both World Wars and the span of time between them and takes the technology and aesthetic of that era to another level.
Decopunk :- a subgenre of Deiselpunk, only this one concentrates more on Art Deco style and has more of an optimistic outlook.
Desertpunk :- This concerns the use of technology in very harsh desert settings, usually in a post-apocalyptic time. There may be social struggles, warlords, gangs, and a grungy aesthetic. A good example of desertpunk is the Mad Max film.
Dreadpunk :- set in pre-20th century with technology from that time, only with more supernatural elements from literature, e.g. vampires.
Dungeonpunk :- A close cousin to aetherpunk but grittier, mixing in sword & sorcery tropes. An example of this is Adventure Time.
Ecopunk (or Greenpunk) :- an optimistic genre that focuses on the environment and green solutions to humanity’s problems. Think anti-corporate sentiments, cottage industry, reusing and recycling, homegrown, DIY stuff.
Formicapunk (or Modem Punk, or Cassette Futurism) :- This is to do with 1970s and 1980s culture. Loud colours, blocky computer screens, postmodern architecture. An example of this would be Stranger Things.
Gothic Punk :- Early 2000s architecture, big cities, and dark, ominous supernatural stuff. An example of this would be Hellboy.
Hopepunk :- Alexandra Rowland invented this term in 2017. This genre looks at resistance and activism through hope, positivity, and kindness. Gentleness, coziness and cute stuff, like the recent trend of cozy fantasy books currently in the market.
Lunarpunk :- a subgenre of Solarpunk, without the art nouveau stuff. Instead it is gothic and dark, involving pagan, Wiccan or Satanic-style aesthetics.
Mythpunk :- This uses folklore tropes to contradict storytelling “norms”. This word was invented by Catherynne M. Valentine to describe her own writing in 2006.
Nanopunk :- similar to Cyberpunk and Biopunk, except with its main focus on nanotechnology, or tiny robots doing things for humans, enhancing humans, or being used in weaponry. Includes lots of chrome, shiny surfaces, and stark colours.
Oceanpunk :- like Desertpunk, only everywhere is flooded. Some Oceanpunk stories use Pacific Islander imagery. Can include floating cities, travelling ship settlements, and underwater cities.
Piratepunk :- like Oceanpunk, but more to do with pirates.
Plaguepunk :- set in a narrow bit of time between the Black Death and the Renaissance.
Raypunk :- similar to Atompunk, but doesn’t usually include nuclear power.
Silkpunk :- like Steampunk but set in Japan, China, and Korea. Instead of steamships, expect to find such things as battle kites, fireworks being utilised as weapons, terracotta robots, Asian herbal law, argumentative Chinese gods, immortal Emperors, and East Asian architecture. The genre was invented by Ken Liu for his novel The Grace of Kings.
Solarpunk :- similar to Ecopunk, but involving art nouveau and African-style architecture, still with an insistence on radical social change. In contrast to the dystopias of Cyberpunk, this genre is often about utopias and harmony between technology and nature.
Splatterpunk :- This doesn’t have to have a lot of technology in it, because it’s main focus is lots of gore. The word was invented in 1986 by David J Schow to describe horror that uses graphic violence.
Steampunk :- one of the most well-known genres. It evolved from Cyberpunk and was named in the mid-1980s by author K. W. Jeter to describe his own work and writing by Tim Powers and James Blaylock. Victorian era, technology based on steam power, gears and cogs. More specifically, it tends to focus on the 19th century British Empire. This time in history had a lot of technological change and social upheaval, e.g. the Luddite riots. A good example in this genre is The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen by Alan Moore.
Steelpunk :- concentrates on the late 20th century, featuring rivets and mechanical contraptions.
Stonepunk :- uses Stone Age technology in an advanced way. It’s usually seen as a joke amongst the punk genres. Example: The Flintstones.
Teslapunk :- similar to Atompunk and Raypunk, but doesn’t usually involve nuclear power. Uses electricity instead of steam.
Tidalpunk :- Solarpunk but at sea, rebuilding after climate change or catastrophe using tidal power.
Transistorpunk :- focuses on the Cold War and the 1960s era.
Sources
https://write.as/nerd-for-hire/punk-subgenres-101
Different punk: A to Z of punk genres
https://www.writing.com/main/books/entry_id/1081142-20241214-Punk-Genres
