There is a new term circulating on social media currently representing a certain type of romantic book: ‘smut’. But is this a new genre, or something that has been around for centuries?
The word smut comes from the English word ‘smutten’, meaning to defile or debase, related to the German ‘schmutz’ meaning filth or dirt. It is now a commonly used term for books or fan fiction that include sexually explicit scenes.
Smut books can belong to any genre but must include sexually explicit scenes. Recently, there has been a rise in fictional romances such as Sarah J.Mass, ‘A Court of Thorns and Roses’, Scarlett St. Clair ‘A Touch of Darkness’, or Rebecca Yarros ‘Fourth Wing’, topping the book charts.
Although the term smut is new, the books themselves are not. The smut we see today can be traced back to 18th-century England, when these books gained popularity alongside the growing number of female authors and protagonists. However, the content has become more explicit in recent years.
There has been great debate about the rise of these novels. Some argue that they are ruining other genres, while others believe that these books are attracting people who might not have read much previously.
Historical books that contributed to the rise of smut include the famous ‘Fanny Hill: Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure’, D.H. Lawrence’s ‘The Escaped Cock’ and ‘Lady Chatterley’s Lover’, and the anonymously authored ‘The Way of a Man with a Maid’. These classic novels started the trend of romantic, sexual stories.
The term has been gaining popularity since around 2019 and continues to do so as more authors write in this popular style. The rise of fan fiction likely sparked this sensation, as people became more open and aware of their bodies and sexuality. In an era where gender and sex are prevalent topics among young people, it’s not surprising that this genre has become so popular.
These novels are fostering more open conversations around sexuality and relationships in contemporary culture. They also feature more LGBTQ+ and diverse characters, attracting a wider and more varied audience.
Instagram and TikTok have been instrumental in spreading the popularity of these books. Platforms like BookTok, a sub-community on TikTok where users post videos about books and literature, have played a key role in popularising the term ‘smut’ and helping influencers push these books up the charts.
The influencers reading these types of books range in age from 12 to 30, primarily young women from the young fiction genre. It seems likely that the popularity of smut-style novels will continue to grow as more authors join the trend. Whether this is a positive development is still debated by many, but it will be interesting to see how this evolves. Will it continue, or will a new style of book and a new term arise? Time will tell.
Bibliography
Flood, A. (2021, June 25). The rise of BookTok. Retrieved June 2024, from The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2021/jun/25/the-rise-of-booktok-meet-the-teen-influencers-pushing-books-up-the-charts
Jerine, K. (2024, February 20). BookTok is ruining books. Retrieved from The Vermont Cynic: https://vtcynic.com/opinion/booktok-is-ruining-books/#:~:text=Smut%20novels%20are%20not%20anything,of%20female%20authors%20and%20protagonists.
Michelle. (2019, June 19). What’s in a name? That which we call “Smut”. Retrieved from Chelle’s Book Rambling: https://chellesbookramblings.wordpress.com/2019/06/19/whats-in-a-name-that-which-we-call-smut/#:~:text=%E2%80%9CA%20story%2C%20usually%20a%20book,it%20feel%20like%20it%20is%20%E2%80%A6
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