The Bad Hemingway Contest
By Eleanor Hayes, writer & literary editor · Updated 23 May 2026
For years, the Bad Hemingway Contest invited writers to submit a deliberately over-the-top parody of Ernest Hemingway — "one really good page of really bad Hemingway." It was equal parts homage and mischief, and it became a small but beloved literary institution.
What the contest was
The premise was simple and irresistible: write a single page that imitates Hemingway so eagerly that it tips over into comedy. Entrants leaned into every famous mannerism — the terse dialogue, the rain, the clean well-lighted places, the stoic narrator nursing a drink — and the funniest, most knowing pages won. Like all good parody competitions, it rewarded affection and understanding, not contempt.
Why Hemingway?
Few writers have a style as recognisable as Hemingway's. He built scenes from small physical details, trusted nouns and verbs over adjectives, and let silence do much of the emotional work — what he called leaving things out so the reader feels more than is said. That clarity is exactly what makes him so fun to imitate: you can capture the flavour in a paragraph. Our guide to Hemingway's writing style unpacks these habits in detail.
What made a good entry
The best entries were never random collections of clichés. They showed the same control that made the originals work: a real, tiny, complete scene; a few well-placed touches rather than a panicked pile of mannerisms; and a turn — a punchline or sudden tenderness — that rewarded the reader who got the reference. We explore those qualities further in what makes a finalist.
What it teaches writers
- Listen to rhythm. Read your sentences aloud; Hemingway did.
- Trust noun and verb. Adjectives are a tax on the reader's attention.
- Leave space. What you omit can carry as much weight as what you write.
That is why a parody contest is, quietly, a writing lesson disguised as a joke. Ready to try? See how to write a literary parody.
Frequently asked questions
How do you write a 'bad Hemingway' parody?
Exaggerate his signature habits — very short sentences, concrete nouns, terse dialogue, rain and bars, stoic feeling — while still telling a tiny, complete scene. The humour comes from knowing affection, not random mockery.
Is parodying a writer disrespectful?
Not when it's done with understanding. Good literary parody is a form of close reading and homage; it celebrates what is distinctive about a writer's voice.
What is Hemingway's writing style in a nutshell?
Spare and declarative: short sentences, concrete nouns, few adjectives, plain dialogue, and strong emotion held just beneath a calm surface — the 'iceberg' approach of leaving most of the feeling unsaid.