I fundamentally believe that writing about sex is important. Dirty stories deserve the same craft and attention as literary ones. Smut is a valid art form. Erotica doesn’t have to be trashy or stupid. The badly-researched Cosmopolitan article is not the best we, as a culture, can do.
To that end, I’m always open to submissions. My standards are very high, and I accept only a small portion of the work that is sent to me. I pay professional rates for every accepted submission, and share any published works with an audience of around half a million readers each month.
What I publish
I publish fiction up to 4,000 words, and essays up to 2,000 words. I’m happy to consider reprints, multiple submissions, and simultaneous submissions.
Everything I publish features kink in some way. This isn’t a market for vanilla erotica, nor do I seek generic sex and relationship articles.
I welcome darker erotica and essays which tackle complex subjects.
A polite request
Before sending anything for publication, please read some of the pieces I’ve already published. This is the best possible thing you can do to increase your chances of acceptance, and will give you the clearest possible idea of what I publish. Submitting without at least looking at my current portfolio is almost guaranteed to be a waste of time.
Responses
If I want to publish your work I’ll get in touch within two weeks. If you don’t hear from me by then, please assume it’s not a fit. This is no comment on the quality of your work. I’m extremely discriminating about what I publish, and I’m seeking something very specific – most things aren’t it. That’s all.
I regret not being able to respond to rejected submissions, but I receive hundreds of submissions each week, and simply don’t have the admin capacity to respond to all of them.
Terms
I pay for every piece I publish at a rate of 5p/word (GBP). Payment is by PayPal, and I pay on acceptance. This is a non-exclusive deal, so you’re free to publish your work elsewhere if you like. If you do, I’d appreciate it if you’d acknowledge Lascivity as the original publisher, but you don’t have to.
Things I DON’T want to see
The stories I publish are, above all, sex positive. This means they take the view that pleasure is good, sex is natural, and that it is a good and positive thing to explore one’s sexuality.
Thus, do not send me:
- Stories where a protagonist mutilates their lover’s genitals to get “revenge”
- Stories where a protagonist’s kink brings them only misery and isolation
- Stories where sexual activity is “punished” by an untimely death
- Stories that are about sexual abuse rather than consensual sex
If the only stories about sex that you can imagine revolve around abuse, find somewhere else to send your work.
Things I DO want to see
Stories about protagonists exploring their sexuality. Stories about people discovering something new, pushing their boundaries, resolving difficulties in a relationship. Stories about intense (and possibly even difficult) sexual experiences. Stories about sexual encounters that are weird, kinky, freaky, inspiring.
Sex is interesting, and complex, and worthy of good literature. Send me that literature.
Submission Form
To submit work for publication just fill in this form. Double check your email address, and only provide a Twitter handle if you’re happy for me to use it when promoting your work.
I look forward to reading your work!