Western Writers of America Schedules Ersfeld Symposium in Cody, Wyoming

Bestselling authors W. Michael and Kathleen O'Neal Gear to headline 'Writing for the 21st Century,' set for September 6 at Buffalo Bill Center of the West

CODY, WY, UNITED STATES, August 5, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Award-winning, bestselling authors Kathleen O’Neal Gear and W. Michael Gear are scheduled to deliver keynote addresses at “Writing for the 21st Century,” a James Ersfeld Memorial Symposium on Saturday, September 6, at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West.

Ersfeld symposiums were started in 2015 by the nonprofit Western Writers of America (WesternWriters.org) to encourage people in the writing field, with a focus on the Western genre.

Michael Gear’s talk covers the current status of Western novels and what should be addressed in the craft. Kathleen’s discussion centers on new forms of censorship by algorithm and what it means for Western authors.
Registration includes a behind-the-scenes tour of the McCracken Research Library’s archives at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, 720 Sheridan Avenue. Other planned sessions are:
√ “Artificial Intelligence Issues” by WWA executive director Kellen Cutsforth.
√ “Writing Three-Dimensional Characters” by WWA president Melody Groves.
√ “Book-Signing Practices” by WWA member E. Joe Brown.
√ “The Transformative Year of 1876” by WWA vice president Stuart Rosebrook.

Registration fee is $45, which includes a light breakfast.

The Best Western Sunset Motor Inn at 1601 Eighth Street (307-587-4265), about a third of a mile from the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, is offering a 10 percent discount for symposium attendees.

To register, visit WesternWriters.org.

Western Writers of America was founded in the 1950s to promote and honor literature about the West. Previous Ersfeld symposiums, featuring various subjects and authors, have been held in Denver; Santa Fe, New Mexico; Cheyenne, Wyoming; and Dodge City, Kansas.

The symposium is named after Ersfeld, a longtime WWA member and the organization’s first assistant director. Ersfeld died of cancer in 2011 at age 62.

WWA has grown from writers of traditional Western fiction to writers across the world, including bestselling novelists C.J. Box, Sandra Dallas, Anne Hillerman, Craig Johnson and David Morrell; award-winning nonfiction authors Tom Clavin, Jeff Guinn, Paul Andrew Hutton and W.K. Stratton; award-winning screenwriters Kirk Ellis and Walter Hill; agents, editors, playwrights, poets, publishers and songwriters.

Established in 1927 as the Buffalo Bill Museum, the Buffalo Bill Center of the West (CenterOfTheWest.org) has grown into a Smithsonian Affiliate that houses museums dedicated to Buffalo Bill, firearms, Native Americans of the Plains, natural history and Western art, attracting more than 175,000 visitors each year.

Kellen Cutsforth
Western Writers of America
+1 303-829-4872
director@westernwriters.org
Visit us on social media:
LinkedIn
Instagram
Facebook
X

Legal Disclaimer:

EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.