The Bulwer Lytton Fiction Contest

Contest Rules & Info

The rules for the Bulwer Lytton Fiction Contest are childishly simple:

• Each entry must consist of a single sentence, but you may submit as many entries as you wish.

• Sentences may be of any length but we strongly recommend that entries not go beyond 50 or 60 words. Entries must be “original” (as it were) and previously unpublished.

• Due to the volume of submissions, if your entry is missing a name or location it won’t be considered.

• The contest accepts submissions every day of the livelong year, but the deadline for each year’s contest is June 30th.

• Winners are announced in late July or early August each year. The 2021 winners were announced on August 13th.

• In keeping with the gravitas, high seriousness, and general bignitude of the contest, the grand prize winner will receive … a pittance (and bragging rights).

• Please inflict your entries for the 2022 contest using our form below.