Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest


The Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest is a tongue-in-cheek contest, held annually and sponsored by the English Department of San Jose State University in San Jose, California. Entrants are invited "to compose the opening sentence to the worst of all possible novels" – that is, one which is deliberately bad.
According to the official rules, the prize for winning the contest is "a pittance". The 2008 winner received $250, while the 2014 winners' page said the grand prize winner received "about $150".
The contest was started in 1982 by Professor Scott E. Rice of the English Department at San Jose State University and is named for English novelist and playwright Edward George Bulwer-Lytton, author of the much-quoted first line "It was a dark and stormy night". This opening, from the 1830 novel Paul Clifford, continues:
The first year of the competition attracted just three entries, but it went public the next year, received media attention, and attracted 10,000 entries. There are now several subcategories, such as detective fiction, romance novels, Western novels, and purple prose. Sentences that are notable but not quite bad enough to merit the Grand Prize or a category prize are awarded Dishonorable Mentions.

Winning entrants

The winning entries are available at the contest website.
YearAuthor
1983Gail Cain San Francisco, California
1984Steven Garman Pensacola, Florida
1985Martha Simpson Glastonbury, Connecticut
1986Patricia E. Presutti Lewiston, New York
1987Sheila B. Richter Minneapolis, Minnesota
1988Rachel E. Sheeley Williamsburg, Indiana
1989Ray C. Gainey Indianapolis, Indiana
1990Linda Vernon Newark, California
1991Judy Frazier Lathrop, Missouri
1992Laurel Fortuner Montendre, France
1993Wm. W. "Buddy" Ocheltree Port Townsend, Washington
1994Larry Brill Austin, Texas
1995John L. Ashman Houston, Texas
1996Janice Estey Aspen, Colorado
1997Artie Kalemeris Fairfax, Virginia
1998Bob Perry Milton, Massachusetts
1999Dr. David Chuter Kingston, U.K.
2000Gary Dahl Los Gatos, California
2001Sera Kirk Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
2002Rephah Berg Oakland, California
2003Mariann Simms Wetumpka, Alabama
2004Dave Zobel Manhattan Beach, California
2005Dan McKay Fargo, North Dakota
2006Jim Guigli Carmichael, California
2007Jim Gleeson Madison, Wisconsin
2008Garrison Spik Washington, D.C.
2009David McKenzie Federal Way, Washington
2010Molly Ringle Seattle, Washington
2011Sue Fondrie Appleton, Wisconsin
2012Cathy Bryant Manchester, U.K.
2013Chris Wieloch Brookfield, Wisconsin
2014Elizabeth Dorfman Bainbridge Island, Washington
2015Dr. Joel Phillips West Trenton, New Jersey
2016William Barry Brockett Tallahassee, Florida
2017Kat Russo Loveland, Colorado
2018Tanya Menezes San Jose, California
2019Maxwell Archer Mount Pleasant, Ontario

Collections

Six books collecting the best BLFC entries have been published:
An audio cassette of the winning entries in the BLFC was also released: