How Spicy Are you?

Have you ever wondered what spice level you’ve written? Do you keep hearing that spice levels are subjective? This guide is meant to take the guesswork out of labeling your work.

Why does it matter, you ask? As authors, our responsibility is to our readers. Safeguarding through trigger warnings and properly labeling the spice level of our work is part of that. If it’s still as clear as mud, this guide should help.

Green Pepper

Absolutely no description of sex or the desire to have sex. Holding hands, closed-mouth kisses, hugs, and snuggles are fine as long as sex never enters the characters’ thoughts.

One Pepper

Kissing, snuggling, and other foreplay activities are mentioned with sex as the intent. Slow burns are allowed! Closing the door on the act itself before or mention of it later without graphic detail is one pepper spice.

Two Peppers

The door is open, on up to two sex scenes. The description is softer, without the use of graphically depictive words. i.e., cock, pussy, squirt, etc. If those words make you blush, you’re probably writing two pepper spice.

Three Peppers

The door is wide open, you’re using ALL the words, and the sex scenes have increased to three or more. This includes graphic descriptions of foreplay. This is mainstream, or vanilla, sex.

Four Peppers

All the three-pepper words, three or more open-door scenes, and light kink will often be in this four-pepper spice. Partners tying each other up, a little spanking, or some blindfold play can be used. The overall plot remains clear.

Five Peppers

Sex is heavily featured! Dark kink, blood play, or heavy bondage, for example, will fall into this spice level, no matter how little is used. The plot takes a backseat to the sexy stuff, but there’s still an external conflict to resolve.

Carolina Reaper        

My friend, if you’ve achieved Carolina Reaper-level spice, congratulations! You have created a fine erotica romance. Fantastic sex is the plot and I love that! Keep the heat coming, please!