The Worst Writer Ever?

[PeterL]

But he was who Mussolini got his style off.

Was Mussolini's fiction style also poor? I haven't read Mussolini's novel yet, but I plan to.

[Desolation]

Mussolini wrote a novel?

[PeterL]

Mussolini wrote a novel?

Yes, he did. It was initially serialized in a newspaper that he worked for. In 1929 it was published in book form. From what I have read about it, it had all of the flaws of a serialized novel, but it wasn't very good either.

[King Mob]

Paulo Coelho

[JJackman]

Friends, I take you back to the start of this thread. Lots of you are merely complaining about genres you don't like or average/mediocre writing, or styles that don't suit your taste. And I think bad poetry has to be in a separate class (though there I'd vote for Samuel Wesley - John Wesley's father).

But Amanda McKittrick Ros really does take the flag for just amazingly, outrageously bad awful writing -- a different class altogether than some mentioned here. If you haven't read any of her writing before responding, you should -- it will reset your standard for dreadful.

[kelby_lake]

Was Mussolini's fiction style also poor? I haven't read Mussolini's novel yet, but I plan to.

I meant his basis for Fascism. But Mussolini's writing is dreadful. I'm sure D'Annunzio's was at least...amusing.

Quite possibly the worst poem ever:
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/ar...737876,00.html

[JJackman]

Ah, but try "On A Maggot:"

http://www.nickpage.co.uk/worstweb/W...ts/maggot.html

[Mathor]

Terry Goodkind. Easily. Worst.

[prendrelemick]

Some books are so bad they become more and more entertaining as you read on. Andy McDermott's The Hunt for Atlantis (borrowed in error) is so bad its good.

[DarkStormyNight]

The current (June) issue of Smithsonian has an interesting article on the "uniquely dreadful" Amanda McKittrick Ros "the greatest bad writer who ever lived" according to author Nick Page. The (abridged) article is posted online at http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-c.../44732892.html
Personally I doubt if most of her detractors (including Mark Twain) are really qualified to dub her the worst writer ever in any language other than english, but I suppose even holding that distinction is quite a...dishonor?
I've never heard of Ms Ros previously, but I'm curious to see who else the Lit Network members might care to nominate as the worst writer ever, in english or any other language.

Wow, that link has some terrible examples.

Personally, I love bad writing. Maybe it just makes me feel better about myself.
Anyway, my favorite piece is "The Eye of Argon", a legendary awful piece of fanzine fantasy writing. http://www.rdrop.com/~hutch/argon

Just for a sample of its supreme wretchedness

Grignr's emerald green orbs glared lustfully at the
wallowing soldier struggling before his chestnut swirled mount.
His scowling voice reverberated over the dying form in a tone of
mocking mirth. "You city bred dogs should learn not to
antagonize your better." Reining his weary mount ahead, grignr
resumed his journey to the Noregolian city of Gorzam, hoping to
discover wine, women, and adventure to boil the wild blood
coarsing through his savage veins.

[Chilly]

Atlanta nights by Travis Tea.

hears the links: http://critters.critique.org/sting/
http://web.cs.du.edu/~aburt/StingManuscript.pdf

[The Comedian]

Wow, lota choices out there. But I'll go with me, The Comedian, as the worst writer ever.

[Griffith]

Kafka, the most hyped writer ever.

[Chilly]

possibly, but that doesn't make him the worst.

[Griffith]

possibly, but that doesn't make him the worst.

Did you already read all the writers of the world?