When you grow up a bookworm — characters, stories, and quotations embossed onto rustling pages are more than just words. They sometimes, in a Jane Austen classic — elaborate on the complexities of human relationships and make you dream about a love life like Elizabeth and Darcy. Others, in a haunting poetry collection, the same words leave you sleep-deprived reminiscing over the proses. But it’s a young adult novel with a sexy protagonist that becomes your sexual awakening in your early teens (hello, Twilight) — the one that makes you travel without movements, the one which keeps you giggling all night.
Romance, first kiss, and sneaky make-outs in adolescence hold a special place in everyone’s life. No wonder we cannot get enough of it — in all forms (movies, shows, books, you name it). Exploring the little gray narratives of rom-coms, where is where SMUT lies.
What is SMUT?
On TikTok, #SMUT glitters with over 5 billion views. Loosely translating to sexual material, in the viral world of social media — it is a term used to recommend and share quotations of books that explore erotica and sex scenes in not-so-subtle ways. SMUT books are a subgenre of erotic literature that typically includes explicit sexual content and graphic language.
On Instagram too, the trend is immensely popular and if you follow #bookstagram pages, you would certainly have come across reels with quotes that have the potential to make your toes twirl.
<script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><svg height="50px" version="1.1" viewbox="0 0 60 60" width="50px" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd" stroke="none" stroke-width="1"><g fill="#000000" transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631"></path></g></g></g></svg>View this post on Instagram
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As the internet became more popular, people who found sexual gratification in these books began writing their own spin-offs and sharing them on fan fiction forums like Wattpad and FanFiction.net. One such person is E. L. James. Her Twilight fanfiction has become a global juggernaut.
Fifty Shades of Grey is one of her recent books to break through and explode, leaving millions to read this erotic novel (and the movie series) without shame. Eleven years after the publication of this book, the internet is discovering the joys of dirt with a new generation. Only these days, they aren’t shy in filming TikToks and reels about it.
What’s Up with Its Growing Dominance?
Reading SMUT used to be a clandestine endeavor. Case in point — Rachel Green from the hit TV series Friends was not thrilled when Joey discovered the erotic novel she read before going to bed. However, as GenZ and millennial youngsters are not at all terrified of owning their sexuality — horniness on embossed texts is taking a route that isn’t discreet.
Owing to the steady rise of the internet, there has been a rise in the popularity of SMUT books on TikTok and Instagram in recent years.
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With this skyrocketing demand, men and women aren’t afraid to manifest a bad boy who’d bring heaven to them. Social media accounts dedicated to books, the sub-section also popularly known as Booktube, Bookstagram and Booktok, go bananas over this genre. “Remember when 50 Shades was so spicy…. Little did I know there was a whole different league,” says Rudi, a book bookstagrammer who cannot get enough of reading and recommending SMUTs or smuts.
“His tongue teased hers, showing her how to return the kiss — how the exchange could be a duel of lips and tongue, of breaths and pleasure,” reads prose from Cassandra Clare’s Chain of Iron. Even though the novel is categorized in Fantasy/YA genre — book bloggers have been using spicy quotations from the book to showcase their admiration and it’s obviously working.
“When you look at SMUT, a majority of the audience is usually young females and men belonging to the LGBTQ community. Not that it does not have another audience, but at least that’s the majority. I think that the lack in their experience is fulfilled by reading smut which makes it immensely popular,” says Chaitanya Srivastava, a marketing professional at Penguin India.
The Rise of Indie SMUT Books
Owing to the virality of such trends, indie booksellers are benefitting and broadening their readership. This genre also has dedicated fan pages across social platforms and readers end up buying books merely because of that “sexy” quote they saw online. I, persoanlly have lost count of the times I’ve ordered a book merely because I came across an excerpt on the gram.
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Owing to this exponential rise, there has been a massive sale increase in indie erotica books as well, which conventionally do not get the visibility they should. This exponential rise of erotica recommendations has been a reason for immense success for tremendous self-published writers.
“Oftentimes Indie-smut books are either self-published or are taken by small publishers,” adds Chaitanya, “which I believe are important ways to empower voices that otherwise aren’t given platforms. It is quite unlikely that these many authors have not pitched it to big publishers. Maybe, they aren’t getting accepted by major publishing houses. The Spanish Love Deception by Elena Armas, Twisted Series by Anna Houng, and tremendous other books which are now viral were initially self-published. Only after they were buzzwords on social media, are they picked up by giant names.”
The virality of ache-growing, desire-inducing paragraphs are proof that there is certainly a market for it, and therefore, more and more names are popping in.
Unconventional Protagonists
Dracula, Monsters, and Fyre aren’t just antagonists anymore. They’ve turned protagonists in widely popular books and aren’t shy about turning sexual. This has birthed a monster kink across the bookish community. Sarah J Mass, the author of the popular ACOTAR series is commonly referred to as the fantasy dominatrix — who increased Bloomsbury’s sales by almost 12%.
Her books focus on fairies, and fairies might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of sensuality and sexiness. A Court of Silver Flames, which is the latest installment in the A Court of Thorns and Roses series, has a cult following and is by far the hottest.
Based on the story of the fiery fairy Nesta and her companion Cassian, this is a tale of fear and sex. A sassy warrior with hundreds of years of bedroom experience, Cassian has the potential to twirl toes. With the influx of characters, who aren’t just morally gray, but at times, are villainous monsters and fairies, BookTok’s horizon for SMUT is being consistently broadened.
The Female Gaze
Porn and erotica have traditionally been in flux with the male gaze. Of course, there is ethical, enthusiastic, consensual porn out there that is created for women, but it’s not always easy to find. Spicy BookTok and Bookstagram, the TikTok and community focused on erotic novels and stories where a woman in flattering glasses will talk in a calming voice about genres called fae porn and praise kink.
<script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><svg height="50px" version="1.1" viewbox="0 0 60 60" width="50px" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd" stroke="none" stroke-width="1"><g fill="#000000" transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631"></path></g></g></g></svg>View this post on Instagram
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“It’s also because of women taking their sexual wellness unapologetically these days”, says Kriti, a book blogger based in India. As per Dr. Somi Javaid, a sexual health specialist, obstetrician, and gynecologist, erotica has proved to have a “profound and positive impact on women’s sexuality.”
Kaniska Sharma, an ardent consumer of erotica novels says, “SMUT books are written and consumed primarily by women. We kinda dominate the industry. Like many other things women enjoy, it has been neglected and reprimanded, of course. After all, how dare we women enjoy sex in ways we deem fit?”
In fact, in a survey study of Rosy, a mobile app designed to enhance women’s sexual health, researchers found that over 600 women who regularly used the app to review erotic short stories reported an improvement in sexual desire, arousal, lubrication, and orgasm.
It looks like SMUT books are here to pave the way for sexual liberation in a way that’s never been done before.
#BookTokTrend #SmutBooks #SexualLiberation #EroticaRevival #SexyBooks #BookLoversUnite #RaunchyReading
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