James Ersfeld Symposium

Western Writers of America, an international professional writers’ organization, will hold the James Ersfeld Writing Symposium on Saturday, September 6, 2025, at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West in Cody, Wyoming. “Writing for the 21st Century” features a keynote address by Award-winning authors Kathleen O’Neal Gear and W. Michael Gear. He will speak on the current status of the Western novel, how we got here, and what has to be addressed in the craft. Kathleen will follow with a discussion of new forms of censorship by algorithm and what it means for Western authors.

Included is a behind-the-scenes tour of the McCracken Research Library’s Archives, a session on AI issues, organizing profitable book tours and sales, writing 3-dimensional characters, and a discussion about the transformative year of 1876. Cost is $45 which includes a light breakfast. Lunch is on your own, available at the Center’s café. To register: www.westernwriters.org.

Next to the Center of the West, the Best Western Sunset Motor Inn (1601 8th St. 307-587-4265) is offering a 10% discount for Symposium attendees. The symposium is named after Ersfeld, 62, WWA’s assistant director who died in 2011 in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

The Center of the West will continue to host the Ersfeld Symposium for the next several years. So, if you can’t make this one, we’ll see you next year.