Every year the English department of San Jose State University in California, USA, hosts a contest for delightfully bad opening sentences to possible novels.
To fully appreciate their “special qualities,” you have to read the entries slowly and think about what kind of novels would follow. Then be glad those novels will never be written (because it would be a hassle to round up enough pitchforks and torches for the ensuing unruly mobs).
Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest site
If you prefer shorter, snappier bad openings, there’s a contest for those as well: The Lyttle Lytton Contest.
Entries for both annual contests are due by April 15th (Pacific Daylight Time), but the “long” Lytton apparently can be later.
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