How to Put Sex in a Novel

"Although raunchy romances are as popular as they've ever been, many realist novels are "evading sex" between men and women. Contemporary queer novelists have no difficulty exploring both the goofy and transcendent aspects of sex. Reading their work helps clarify what is missing from novels that "hide in the cloud of metaphor.""

"The story has a simple, naughty premise: Arvy Keening, a college senior, has inherited 200 doses of an experimental drug, Mona, that induces unprompted, uncontrollable orgasms, and she needs to sell all of the pills-fast. Arvy pairs up with the campus's hunkiest drug dealer, Wolf, to get the job done. Wolf and Arvy are attracted to each other, which becomes excruciatingly clear when they both test the Mona cache."

"Arvy is also in a haze of grief-her mother recently died, leaving behind the pills. Her bereavement blunts her emotions, and for most of the book, the only feelings that break through the fog are panic and horniness. Her sexual fantasies become a crucial vehicle for character development."

Literary fiction has become notably restrained in depicting straight sexual intimacy, relying on metaphorical language rather than explicit description. Meanwhile, queer novelists demonstrate comfort exploring both humorous and profound aspects of sexuality. Jan Saenz's forthcoming novel "200 Monas" exemplifies direct engagement with heterosexual content through an unconventional narrative. The story follows Arvy Keening, a grieving college senior who inherits 200 doses of an experimental drug causing uncontrollable orgasms and must sell them quickly. Paired with Wolf, an attractive drug dealer, Arvy experiences mutual attraction while managing grief, financial pressure, and sexual desire. Her sexual fantasies serve as vehicles for character development, demonstrating how explicit content can deepen narrative complexity rather than merely titillate.

Read at The Atlantic