It's time you got smutty

Why erotic fiction may be the answer to a great sex life.

- By Maahi Shah

You're mine,” Grey whispered aggressively. “All mine”. I gasped a little, my body doing things I didn’t completely recognise as I read on. Christian Grey had me in a chokehold when I first read the book that I'd secretly borrowed from the local library and devoured under the covers one late evening. The Fifty Shades trilogy by EL James is as close as I've got to reading erotic fiction so far (of course it looks like it will change post this piece). And though I have had no desire to be treated the way Anastasia Steele was, I have often found myself going back to the dog-eared pages of the book. No matter the count of re-read, they leave me with butterflies, a craving for intimacy, and, let’s be real, more, more feelings down under than I ever set myself up for.

Turns out, all these feelings I was feeling are kind of really important markers for a thriving sex life. Studies in psychology and literature even reveal how reading erotic fiction might actually be good for your relationship. “With the right erotica you can put yourself in the driver's seat and use it to create your personal sex manual. When you are clear and ready, you can share it with your partner,” says Pallavi Barnwal, sexuality coach and founder of sexual wellness platform Get Intimacy. “It can bring a sense of playfulness into the relationship,” adds Karishma Swarup, a public health professional and sexuality educator. “It can definitely rekindle a spark in the relationship, just because it’s a new way of exploring sexuality,” Of course, we decided to go down this smutty rabbit hole to know everything about how to turn up the heat with erotic fiction.

SEXUAL LIBERATION, ONE PAGE AT A TIME

“Once I was reading