NSFW Writing
Wednesday Writing Weekly #69
Note: this is a public article—while the idea of NSFW work is discussed, there will be no explicit or 18+ content.
I’ve been writing commissions here on DeviantArt since 2019 and one misconception that comes up the most is: What is NSFW? Whether a potential client is asking what this means or if they are asking me what I write under this umbrella term, I think it can benefit with some explanation!
The acronym, “NSFW” means “Not Safe for Work” i.e. inappropriate or mature content, usually 18+ in nature. This is how I use the term. I mark my 18+ content strictly as NSFW. I compare it to movie ratings. PG-13 and PG can have serious topics but are shown and approached differently than a rated R film might present the same information. It’s the same as a young adult or teen book—there are series topics, but these are for younger or more general audiences! (I know that is a big argument on the internet right now, but I am not even going to get into it…)
What is NSFW?
Not safe for work content can be stories or art that is mature. It can be loosely termed for anything that is deemed inappropriate as well so that is where the term can be tossed around quite a bit. Because I work with this kind of content, I often have to spell out the difference to let clients know what rating their work will receive. This is to make sure nothing I am writing is a surprise and the content always matches the clients’ expectations.
Across the internet, NSFW can mean a wide range of things. For my work personally, I use it to label any 18+ content.
NSFW Ratings
My favorite way to explain how different moments in content can be rated is to compare them to movie ratings. If someone wants me to write them a spicy NSFW story, I always ask, “What rating?” “What keywords would you like?” and “What topics are to be avoided?”
Here is how some content that can go either way is expressed indifferent ratings:
A kiss scene in PG: A quick kiss—the reader is more told that a kiss happens. The focus is on the characters’ thoughts, rather than the physicality of it.
A kiss scene in PG-13: Slightly more advanced and not as quick. More depth of detail with feelings, thoughts, and a clearer picture of the moment. Nothing explicit.
A kiss scene in R: All the above can be included here but the idea of the passion and physicality/ arousal comes into play if that matches the content. More erotic or sensual details and images—physical reactions, etc.—can be included here.
Is a kiss rated R content? Of course not! But as you can see above, what matters is how you write it. How you frame and present this content effects the rating and what suits your target audience. For example, if you are watching a G rated movie, there usually isn’t a hot and heavy scene… usually.
In the same way, mature content can be framed differently to be included in any kind of rating. Again, how you present it and frame it changes that rating! Let’s say we have two adults in a movie who are about to do the deed. How can you frame this?
In PG: the sexual act is framed and only shown by the opening and end of the act. i.e. closed door or fade to black romance style. For example: the characters kiss and the camera pans to a window… the next scene shows them in each other’s arms asleep or chatting. Nothing explicit is shown and most of the actions are alluded to.
In PG-13: Similar to above, these moments are more framed. You have the start and the end, but this setting can take things a little farther, showing the characters undressing, getting into bed, and committing the act in a way that we, the audience, don’t actually see anything besides some kissing or hands grasping. This is the most common style. When writing, you can fill this intimate moment with dialogue, the character’s thoughts, and more. Nothing explicit is shown.
In R: This is when explicit content and details come into play. This is when I start marking my stories as NSFW as a content warning and mark them as 18+ only as this level graduates into open door romance.
As you can see, any moment can be painted into a different context, rating, or level of spiciness. This is how I explain these kinds of scenes to my clients. There is a lot of detail you can add at any level but matching it to the right rating and expectations is key.
Side note: As we know, the internet is a wild place. I try to spell out my conditions as clear as possible, but I still get messages like, “is kissing 18+?” or “I want my characters to sleep together—why are you being so stingy??” when someone thinks that it can only be written in an explicit way.
It’s all About Balance
NSFW can be a touchy topic. (In more ways than one??) When I first started my commissions in 2019, my first few commissions were all NSFW pieces. It wasn’t alarming, but I had to sit down for a moment and wonder if that was the kind of work I wanted to go into. As you know, my first year working commissions was a rocky one—super low prices attracted unfriendly attention and asks. But, as I got into the swing of things and met the many incredible clients I have today, NSFW work has always been a part of my commission services. The different levels a story can take has a way of unleashing possibilities. I once had a 10,000-word commission that was based on two scenes and because of the level of detail the client wanted, I was able to really dig in and create a detailed scene.
When writing stuff like this, my best piece of advice is to remember balance. Don’t dive in and focus on only the physical aspects of erotica. That’s boring. Balance it out with the uniqueness of your chosen setting, the character’s thoughts, dialogue, and more! You need every part of the story active in the immersion as you bring it to life. If you have too much of one thing or too little of another, it can hurt the reading experience.
With this in mind, think of each escalating rating (Pg to Pg-13, to R) as another layer folded back to reveal more details and possibilities. Don’t dive too far to one side or topic—balance it!
Conclusion
Happy article #69! I had to make something interesting out of it! If you want to learn more about how to write spicy scenes (and what not to do!) head over to my Patreon where I will be releasing a companion article to this one. That one will not be released publicly outside of Patreon as it will be discussing 18+ content. That article will have an 18+ filter to access it as well.
As with all ratings or the discussion of NSFW vs SFW, there are many sides and explanations for both. Some people put certain topics in PG-13 that others might not. I draw a hard age-based line to determine these differences. But for some, cussing or language is enough to make a work NSFW. It is up to the eye of the beholder, but as we all know, there are quite a few key representations of what each rating means that are consistent.
If you want to read more about this topic and explore How to Write NSFW writing tips, check out my three articles posted exclusively over on DeviantART: