Bad writing is its own peculiar genre. Authors never miss a chance to doggerel it up with stuff like that and also: strikingly attractive, piping hot coffee, barren wastelands, etc.
I'm not lying when I say I'd love to read a story written by AI via the prompt "Write me a laughably bad 10,000 word sci-fi story with romance that includes as many bad tropes as possible." And if I howled and chuckled at the text - I'd give the AI nearly the same prompt but make it a 100,000 word novel.
I realize now my prompt needs some tweaking. I definitely want it old school. And the final comment is paramount.
“Write me a laughably bad 10,000 word sci-fi story. Add in some romance. Include as many bad tropes as possible. Don't use any sources newer than 1990. The key idea is to make it so-bad-it's-good."
It was indeed unironic. Became a staple of fantasy conventions over the years. Back in the day I played a drinking game where we tried to read it aloud without laughing. The fun is lessened a bit when we learn that it was a 17-year-old's first attempt at a novel that somehow made it out into the world . . . but it did make it out into the world, and it does contain the line "You make love well wench" so I think it's fair game.
I first discovered it when I was around that age, and thought it was the funniest thing ever, but that was more than half a lifetime ago so now I cringe somewhat on Theis's behalf rather than in mockery of him. But he died in 2002 so now it's the property of humankind, right? It's a conundrum.
But he died in 2002 so now it’s the property of humankind, right? It’s a conundrum.
I'll read it in a different way. I'll laugh at the text but not the author. I hate to think that in some alternate universe I wrote an equally awful sci-fi novel as a 17 year-old and everybody laughs at it.
deleted by creator
Bad writing is its own peculiar genre. Authors never miss a chance to doggerel it up with stuff like that and also: strikingly attractive, piping hot coffee, barren wastelands, etc.
I'm not lying when I say I'd love to read a story written by AI via the prompt "Write me a laughably bad 10,000 word sci-fi story with romance that includes as many bad tropes as possible." And if I howled and chuckled at the text - I'd give the AI nearly the same prompt but make it a 100,000 word novel.
deleted by creator
Oh, man. That too!
"She had to break eye contact with his piercing blue eyes. Meanwhile he took another sip of his piping hot coffee. He then smirked and chuckled."
deleted by creator
My god, man. That's what AI is for. You'll go insane!
deleted by creator
I realize now my prompt needs some tweaking. I definitely want it old school. And the final comment is paramount.
“Write me a laughably bad 10,000 word sci-fi story. Add in some romance. Include as many bad tropes as possible. Don't use any sources newer than 1990. The key idea is to make it so-bad-it's-good."
deleted by creator
Have you read The Eye of Argon ?
deleted by creator
No. Holy crap. Is it a parody? Or is it unironic? In any case - it looks truly great...
Note to self: How is it that I entirely forgot about the word "quaff"? Shame on me! It's funny even by itself: quaff.
It was indeed unironic. Became a staple of fantasy conventions over the years. Back in the day I played a drinking game where we tried to read it aloud without laughing. The fun is lessened a bit when we learn that it was a 17-year-old's first attempt at a novel that somehow made it out into the world . . . but it did make it out into the world, and it does contain the line "You make love well wench" so I think it's fair game.
Oh, that does take away most of the humor. I'm happy that nothing I did as a teenager exists in the digital world. I'd die of cringe.
I first discovered it when I was around that age, and thought it was the funniest thing ever, but that was more than half a lifetime ago so now I cringe somewhat on Theis's behalf rather than in mockery of him. But he died in 2002 so now it's the property of humankind, right? It's a conundrum.
I'll read it in a different way. I'll laugh at the text but not the author. I hate to think that in some alternate universe I wrote an equally awful sci-fi novel as a 17 year-old and everybody laughs at it.