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