A Different Sort of Writing Competition

I like to share information about writing competitions. By entering essay contests, students can improve writing skills, establish important contacts, and potentially earn money for college.

There is one writing competition that I hesitate to share with you, but it’s so funny I’m giving in. The folks in the English Department at San Jose State University came up with a new twist on writing competitions back in 1982, when they introduced the Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest. Basically, it’s a bad writing competition.

The contest rules are simple: compose and submit a really bad opening sentence to an imaginary novel. Ironically, the contest attracts submissions from very good writers having a little bit of fun. The top prize is $250, so it may be worth a few hours of your time to come up with a really ugly passage next year. But be warned: you’re facing some stiff competition.

While you’re at it, you might want to check out some serious writing competitions designed just for students.