Lyttle Lytton Contest
Encyclopedia
The Lyttle Lytton Contest is a diminutive derivative of the Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest
, and was first run in the year 2001. Both are tongue-in-cheek contests that take place annually and in which entrants are invited "to compose the opening sentence
to the worst of all possible novels."
The Lyttle Lytton Contest (run by Adam Cadre
) varies from the Bulwer-Lytton in favoring extremely short first sentences, of 25 words or fewer. For the 2008 competition, the maximum combined word count of an entrant's submission has been increased to 30 words, and an individual entry may consist of multiple sentences. After the 2010 contest, the maximum word count was increased again to 33 words, although Cadre has stated that it's unlikely that it will be raised again, to keep the "short sentence" feature that sets Lyttle Lytton apart from Bulwer-Lytton.
In addition to the main contest, others are offered from year to year. The winners of those are:
Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest
The Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest is a tongue-in-cheek contest that takes place annually and is 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,...
, and was first run in the year 2001. Both are tongue-in-cheek contests that take place annually and in which entrants are invited "to compose the opening sentence
Opening sentence
At the beginning of a written work stands the opening sentence. Considered "most important", the opening sentence needs to entice the reader and sets the subject, the tone and possibly the style for the whole work, although this does not have to be obvious. David Lodge describes the opening...
to the worst of all possible novels."
The Lyttle Lytton Contest (run by Adam Cadre
Adam Cadre
Adam Cadre is a U.S. writer. He gained prominence in the world of interactive fiction with works like I-0 , Photopia and Varicella , for which he has won several XYZZY Awards and been the subject of academic study . Photopia additionally won the 1998 Interactive Fiction Competition...
) varies from the Bulwer-Lytton in favoring extremely short first sentences, of 25 words or fewer. For the 2008 competition, the maximum combined word count of an entrant's submission has been increased to 30 words, and an individual entry may consist of multiple sentences. After the 2010 contest, the maximum word count was increased again to 33 words, although Cadre has stated that it's unlikely that it will be raised again, to keep the "short sentence" feature that sets Lyttle Lytton apart from Bulwer-Lytton.
Winners
First-place winners for each year of the contest are:- 20112011 in literatureThe year 2011 will involve some significant events and new books.-Events:*Tomas Tranströmer wins the 2011 Nobel Prize in Literature.*Jennifer Egan wins the 2011 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for her novel A Visit From the Goon Squad.-Literature:*T.C...
- "The red hot sun rose in the cold blue sky." (Judy Dean) - 20102010 in literatureThe year 2010 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*February - The Wheeler Centre, Australia's "literary hub", officially opened.*April 3 - First release of the Apple iPad, electronic book reading device....
- "“I shouldn’t be saying this, but I think I’ll love you always, baby, always,” Adam cried into the email. " (Shexmus Amed) - 20092009 in literatureThe year 2009 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*8 October - Romanian-born German novelist Herta Müller wins the 2009 Nobel Prize in Literature....
- "The mighty frigate Indestructible rounded the Horn of Africa and lurched east’ard." (Pete Wirtala) - 20082008 in literatureThe year 2008 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*January 1 - In the 2008 New Year Honours, Hanif Kureishi , Jenny Uglow , Peter Vansittart and Debjani Chatterjee are all rewarded for "services to literature".*June 15 - Gore Vidal, asked in a New York Times...
- "Because they had not repented, the angel stabbed the unrepentant couple thirteen times, with its sword." (Graham Swanson) - 20072007 in literatureThe year 2007 in literature involves some significant new books.-Events:*November 19 - First Kindle e-book reader released.*December 11 - Terry Pratchett informs fans on-line that he has been diagnosed with a rare form of Alzheimer's disease.-Literature:...
- "It clawed its way out of Katie, bit through the cord and started clearing." (Gunther Schmidl) - 20062006 in literatureThe year 2006 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Literature:*Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie - Half of a Yellow Sun*Chris Adrian - The Children's Hospital *Martin Amis - House of Meetings...
- "This is the cipher key for all that follows: |||||| || |!" (P. Scott Hamilton) - 20052005 in literatureThe year 2005 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*February 25 - Canada Reads selects Rockbound by Frank Parker Day as the novel to be read across the nation....
- "John, surfing, said to his mother, surfing beside him, 'How do you like surfing?' " (Eric Davis) - 20042004 in literatureThe year 2004 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:* Canada Reads selects Guy Vanderhaeghe's The Last Crossing to be read across the nation....
- "This is the story of your mom's life." (Rachel Lambert) - 20032003 in literatureThe year 2003 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-New books:*Peter Ackroyd - The Clerkenwell Tales*Atsuko Asano - No...
- "For centuries, man had watched the clouds; now, they were watching him." (Stephen Sachs) - 20022002 in literatureThe year 2002 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*March 16: Authorities in Saudi Arabia arrested and jailed poet Abdul Mohsen Musalam and fired a newspaper editor following the publication of Musalam's poem The Corrupt on Earth that criticized the state's Islamic...
- "The pain wouldn't stop, and Vern still had three cats left." (Andrew Davis) - 20012001 in literatureThe year 2001 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:* The film version of J. R. R. Tolkien's classic book, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, is released to movie theaters...
- "Turning, I mentally digested all of what you, the reader, are about to find out heartbreakingly." (Top Changwatchai)
In addition to the main contest, others are offered from year to year. The winners of those are:
- Freeform contest, 20072007 in literatureThe year 2007 in literature involves some significant new books.-Events:*November 19 - First Kindle e-book reader released.*December 11 - Terry Pratchett informs fans on-line that he has been diagnosed with a rare form of Alzheimer's disease.-Literature:...
- "Scaling Everest was, by far, the most amazing and transformative experience of my life. Unfortunately, this is a thesis on context-free grammars." (Jonathan Blum) - Paragraph contest, 20062006 in literatureThe year 2006 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Literature:*Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie - Half of a Yellow Sun*Chris Adrian - The Children's Hospital *Martin Amis - House of Meetings...
- "The evil Intergalactic Emperor surveyed the destruction he wrought. 'Booyah!' he cried with glee. 'I'm in ur base! I'm killing all ur mans!' " (James Wall) - Political speech contest, 20042004 in literatureThe year 2004 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:* Canada Reads selects Guy Vanderhaeghe's The Last Crossing to be read across the nation....
- "While my opponents fellate the Satan of special interests, I go down on Reform's compassionate angel." (anonymous) - Paul CliffordPaul CliffordPaul Clifford is a novel published in 1830 by English author Edward Bulwer-Lytton. It tells the life of Paul Clifford, a man who leads a dual life as both a criminal and an upscale gentleman...
contest, 20032003 in literatureThe year 2003 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-New books:*Peter Ackroyd - The Clerkenwell Tales*Atsuko Asano - No...
- "It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents — except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which swept up the streets (for it is in London that our scene lies), rattling along the housetops, and fiercely agitating the scanty flame of the lamps that struggled against the darkness. Steeling himself for battle, Fyandor, the oldest and bravest of the lamps, proclaimed, 'Nay, foul wind, this will not be the night of our extinguishment!' " (anonymous) - Last line contest, 20022002 in literatureThe year 2002 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*March 16: Authorities in Saudi Arabia arrested and jailed poet Abdul Mohsen Musalam and fired a newspaper editor following the publication of Musalam's poem The Corrupt on Earth that criticized the state's Islamic...
- " 'Lawd a'mighty,' howled Caleb, to the consternation of those few who still remained in the helpless, drifting lifeboat, 'some of y'all are lookin' mighty tasty!' " (Mark Silcox)