ðə kˈɑːntɛst bɪɡˈæn ɪn ɐ væŋkˈuːvɚ bˈɑːɹ ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti sˈɛvən, wˌɛɹ ɐ hˈændfəl ʌv ɹˈaɪɾɚz sˈæt ɚɹˈaʊnd bɹˈæɡɪŋ ɐbˌaʊt ðɛɹ lˈɪɾɚɹˌɛɹi pɹˈaʊɛs.
The contest began in a Vancouver bar in 1977, where a handful of writers sat around bragging about their literary prowess.