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Though there are a number of porn sites out there, visual porn isn't for everyone. Between the jackhammering, fake orgasms, clunky storylines, and lube deserts, the exaggerated visuals of porn aren't always enjoyable (and might even be distracting) for viewers. That's where erotic lit comes in: that steamy masturbation material that leaves a little more up to the imagination.
In the world of adult entertainment, erotica constitutes pretty much any literature or art made with the intention of arousing sexual desire. Some of the more popular erotic fiction books include "Fifty Shades of Grey" and "After," both famous for their many graphic sex scenes. But the erotica category is expansive, and can include works that are a little more subtle or structurally unique.
Erotic stories also come in a variety of lengths. Depending on your mood, you can reach for erotic short stories, entire erotic books, or sexy little snippets. And, like any porn, there are genres to choose from. Whether you're looking for sapphic literature, straight up romance, or stories about threesomes, fetishes, or BDSM, erotic lit has got it all.
If you're someone who likes erotic reading as much as an adult film, take a look at this list of the best erotic lit available online, below.
The Best Erotic Reading Sites
- The Sugarbutch Chronicles
Founded in 2006 by Mx. Sinclair Sexsmith, The Sugarbutch Chronicles is a widely celebrated space for genderqueer, lesbian, and kinky erotica of all stripes. With a deep archive of dirty stories from the last two decades written by Sexsmith and a host of guest contributors, there's basically a never-ending supply of hot lit available on this BDSM-friendly site. Many of the stories are free to read, but for $5 a month you can become a patron on Patreon and receive access to password-protected posts, plus other perks. - Literotica
The website best-known for its erotic stories, Literotica has been around since 1998 when founders Laurel and Manu realized there was a shortage of quality erotic stories online. According to the website, they created this platform in hopes that it would "bring together those who enjoy reading original erotic fiction and those who like to write it." The erotic stories on their site are 100 percent sourced from author submissions — to submit your own, you must be at least 18 and sign up for a free Literotica account. But if you're just looking to read some smut, you're still in luck: under their "stories and pics" site index, they offer more than 30 genres you can select depending on how you're feeling, including fetish, first time, sci-fi and fantasy, group sex, toys and masturbation, and more. The best part? Literotica is completely free. - Bellesa
Quality over quantity applies to this site, but the best part is that the erotic stories focus on the female perspective. For $10 a month (originally $50 a month), you can sign up for a year-long membership to gain access to Bellesa's premium video content in addition to its already-free erotic stories. - BDSM Cafe
Whether you're a "Fifty Shades of Grey" fan, a kink pro, or someone who's curious about this world, BDSM Cafe has everything from adult novels and poetry to BDSM safety tips, all for free. - Lush Stories
This site offers free erotica and chat rooms, so you can read, talk, and watch, depending on what you like. There are countless stories from a wide range of authors complete with plot lines from college sex to historical affairs and everything in between. - Kinkly
Looking for an expansive website with vast amounts of information on pretty much any sex topic you could think of, at no cost at all? Kinkly checks those boxes, with steamy short stories that'll keep you on edge. - Nifty
With a wide array of user-contributed stories that span the kink spectrum, Nifty boasts a hefty archive of erotica, all from an LGBTQ+ lens, as well as new stories contributed regularly. Oh yes, and it's completely free, too. - Erotic Review
This elegant UK-based literary magazine is maybe more cultural criticism than it is straight-up erotica, but it's bursting with kink- and sex-positive essays, poetry, short stories, and gorgeous graphics. It's free to read online, but you can also purchase a print edition for around £20, or $25. - The Lesbrary
While the Lesbrary itself is actually a book review site (the first and maybe only book review site dedicated specifically to sapphic literature), it's a great place to scope out erotica and erotic novels — under the "erotica" subgenre on the site — that you might find scintillating based on the reviews. And who knows, maybe while you're scrolling around you might stumble upon your next favorite sapphic YA novel or comic, too!
— Additional reporting by Taylor Andrews
Nicole Yi was the former associate editor at Popsugar.
Taylor Andrews is the senior balance editor at Popsugar, specializing in topics relating to sex, relationships, dating, sexual health, mental health, travel, and more. With eight years of editorial experience, Taylor has a strong background in content creation and storytelling. Prior to joining PS in 2021, she worked at Cosmopolitan.
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