penny-a-line
Adjective: - Of little value or worth: "penny-a-line" describes something that is cheap, inferior, or of low quality, especially in reference to literary or journalistic works that were paid at a very low rate per line of text.
- (A cheap, low-quality novel.)
- (Articles of little literary merit, produced quickly for minimal payment.)
"penny-a-line writer": a journalist or author who writes for very low pay, often producing sensational or trivial content.
- She worked as a penny-a-line writer for a tabloid, churning out gossip columns. (A writer paid minimally per line, implying low status in the profession.)
"penny-a-line style": a writing style that is simplistic, formulaic, or lacking in depth, typical of cheap publications.
- The critic dismissed the book as having a penny-a-line style, full of clichés. (A style characterized by cheapness and lack of originality.)
Penny-a-liner (noun): a writer who produces cheap, low-quality work for a small fee.
- The penny-a-liner churned out stories for a few shillings each. (A writer of inferior, mass-produced articles.)
Penny dreadful (noun): a cheap, sensational novel or magazine, often of low literary quality (related in concept but a distinct term).
- Victorian boys often read penny dreadfuls about pirates and adventures. (A type of cheap, thrilling publication.)
- Cheap: low in price or quality.
- Inferior: of lower quality or value.
- Trashy: of poor quality; worthless.
- Hackneyed: lacking originality; overused.
A dime a dozen: very common and of little value (similar in meaning to "penny-a-line").
- Such penny-a-line novels are a dime a dozen. (They are abundant and cheap.)
Not worth a penny: having no value.
- His penny-a-line writing is not worth a penny. (It is worthless.)