http://www.happynews.com/news/8142008/top-dishonors-writing-go-washington-man.htm
This post is about my favorite contest. I've never entered and having seen the winners, I'm not sure I'd come close. This contest is the Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest. Every year they pick the worse beginning of a novel.
This year's winner, Garrison Spik.
We talk so much as writers about great beginnings. But can we really write a bad beginning. Does it take more talent to intentionally write a bad beginning? For instance when you see an actor playing a dumb character is it easier when they are already dumb or does the actor have to be smart to get the nuances of why the character is dumb.
Thankfully I've never read any horrid beginnings to novels. I've read some that didn't grab me.
So, could you enter this contest? What would your entry be?
Feel free to comment below.
cmr
3 comments:
Chris,
According to a few rejections I've received from inquiries to agents, I could definitely enter this contest. I think I may have improved greatly in the past few years by trying to start my stories with a hook to draw the reader in. Funny how you can read for years and never learn the nuances until someone points out your own shortcomings. *lol*
According to what I just read in Writer's Digest, you should never start a chapter with..."My name is..."
Check out my blog entry on the Agent hate list. It's quite depressing to think so many of the things I do are on that list. :)
Ginger
I'm sure I could write a horrible opening. I would have to think about it for a while, though. I think I even entered that contest one time. Good news is, my opening was bad enough.
I'm trying to get better, not worse at writing. I think I'll concentrate on improving and not sliding back. My writing time is limited as it is.
Morgan Mandel
www.morganmandel.com
http://morganmandel.blogspot.com
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