Content Guidelines

The "Spiciness Level" of a pice of content tells readers and viewers how sexually explicit the content is going to be. While "spice" might be considered a Trauma Trigger by some consumers, others may seek out content specifically because they want a little more "spice" in their content. Having multiple levels of "spice" allows creators to let their fans know exactly how much sexually explicit the content they are about to consume is. Spiciness Levels also allow parents and guardians to determine if piece of content may or may not be appropriate for their child who wants to consume content that was created with adults in mind.

Below are the 7 Spiciness Levels

1. None - This is the first level. If a piece of content is labeled as "None" there is no romantic or sexually explicit or romantic descriptions or protrayals. What does this mean? For Example: Stating that a couple are holding hands while they walk, would not be spicy. There is no description nor context other than that they are holding hands. They may be characters in the background. There is no sexual description in this. This is a zero on the Spiciness Level scale.

2. Tension Only - This is level 2. Tension involves explaining that two people are interested in each other but have not specifically made a move towards one another. Describing in detail how much a person wants to touch, kiss, or see in a greater state of undress, someone they are romantically or sexually attracted to. For Example: The same couple walking down the street (whether or not they are holding hands) but the reader or viewer is privy to one or both of their thoughts as they contemplete aspects of their sexual/romantic attraction to the person they are with or describe wanting to be physically/sexually closer to them whether in their 'mind' or 'outloud'. Some small physical contact like a couple holding hands for the first time if it is part of an escalation of romantic or sexual attraction counts as tension for the purposes of the WISP Spiciness Scale. Small kisses or pecks on the face or hands would be consided Tension.

3. Explicit Language - Level three on the spiciness scale includes any language in the content which explicitly describes sexual contact or desires without the characters in the content actually perform the acts. Any content with this Spiciness Level should be raged for Adult 18+ audiences. For Example: A chatacter 'thinking' in their head about wanting to engage in sexual activities. A character speaking outloud in a graphically sexual nature about another character whether or not the discussion is wanted or even know about by the character being spoken of. Graphically describing a sexual fantasy in detail would not be considered explicit language, it would be Level 6 on the spiciness scale. Any content with this Spiciness Level should be rated for Adult 18+ audiences.

4. Fade to Black - Level 4 of the spiciness scale stops at the difinitive initiation of sexual contact. Usually there are explicit descriptions leading up to the sexual act but the creator stops the scene or "fades to black" so that they are not providing visual's or descriptions of the actual sex act. Even if there are not explicit descriptions leading up to the sexual act, IF a scene explicitly implies that a sexual act is about to occur before it ends, this would be considered a "Fade to Black" even if the creator doesn't use sexually explicit language leading up to the sexual act. Euphamisms are still explicitly stating what is about to happen. Any content with this Spiciness Level should be rated for Adult 18+ audiences.

5. Brief Descriptions Of Brief Descriptions of Sexual Content - Many types of content have brief but graphic descriptions and depictions of sexual acts and romantic relationships but those sexual acts are not the primary plot of the story just a part of the character's experiences. Content which have explicit descriptions of sexual acts need to be labeled for customers who are looking for, or looking to avoid such content. Any content with this Spiciness Level should be rated for Adult 18+ audiences.

6. Graphic Detail-Still Has a Plot - Level 6 on the spiciness scale includes very detailed descriptions of sexual activities and desires. Whether it is just one scene or dozens throughout the content, the key is that these are detailed erotically described sexual scenes. However, the story in content with this rating is still more important than the sexual aspects and the content has not been created specifically for erotic purposes. Any content with this Spiciness Level should be rated for Adult 18+ audiences.

7.  Erotica - Mostly Sex - Very Little Plot - Level 7 would be considered smut or content that is written purely for the purposes for describing sexual acts. Whether or not there is a plot does not particularly matter to the reader as it isn't central to the fact that characters keep having sex with detailed and erotically graphic descriptions. WISP highly discourages the submission of written erotica for publication and we will not at all consider video or photographic pornography submissions.