Two kinds of word turn up in this niche. Some come from readers and describe the writing: smut, spicy, slow burn, dark romance. Others come from the companies and describe the business: credits, chapter unlocks, cliffhanger paywalls. Both are used loosely, and the second kind is used loosely on purpose.
Glossary
The words readers, apps and publishers use as though everyone agrees on them. Here is what each one actually means, and where the meanings disagree.
Updated
The terms
17 pagesSmutGlossarySmut is explicit fiction named by the people who read it. What the word covers, how it differs from erotica, and…SpicyGlossarySpicy is the marketing word for explicit romance, measured in peppers nobody agrees on. What it covers and how to…Dark romanceGlossaryDark romance is romance built on menace, obsession or coercion. What the label covers, why no store files it as a…Slow burnGlossaryA slow burn delays the moment the characters give in, and the delay is the point. What it means, how long it runs…Free tierGlossaryA free tier is what a service gives without paying and without a clock running. How it differs from a trial, free…Serial fictionGlossarySerial fiction publishes a story chapter by chapter, usually with a price per chapter. How it works, why chapters…Cliffhanger paywallGlossaryThe cliffhanger paywall ends a free chapter mid-scene and asks for coins. How it works, why it is effective, and…One-shotGlossaryA one-shot is a complete story in a single part. Where the term comes from, why it suits erotica, and how it…Content warningsGlossaryContent warnings list what a story contains before you start it. Who writes them, why they differ between…Interactive fictionGlossaryInteractive fiction is a story the reader acts on. Where the term comes from, what it covers today, and how it…Branching storyGlossaryA branching story splits into paths the reader's choices decide. How branching really works, why true branches are…Choice-based storyGlossaryA choice-based story gives you options to tap. How the format works in story apps, what premium choices are, and…Credit-based readingGlossaryCredit-based reading sells coins you spend on chapters. How the pricing works, why packs never divide evenly, and…AI story generatorGlossaryAn AI story generator writes fiction to your prompt. How these services price context and credits, and why their…Audio eroticaGlossaryAudio erotica is explicit fiction performed aloud. How it differs from an audiobook, what the apps actually sell…NarratorGlossaryWho reads audio erotica, how performers are credited and paid, and why synthetic narration is changing what you…Dubious consentGlossaryDubious consent, or dubcon, tags fiction where consent is unclear or pressured. What it means, how it differs from…