Western Writers of America 

2023 Convention Schedule

"Entertainment, Education and Turning 70"

Holiday Inn Downtown - Conv. Ctr.

505 North Fifth Street

Rapid City, SD

June 20-24, 2023

Tuesday June 20, 2023

10 a.m. - Noon - WWA Board Meeting, at Holiday Inn, followed by lunch

3-5 p.m. – Registration  (Get reserved Deadwood tickets at this time)

Wednesday, June 21, 2023

8 a.m. – 5 p.m. – Tour Deadwood, SD (Ticket required) Tour includes all transportation, admissions to Adams Museum and Days of '76 Museum, catered lunch at Days of '76 Museum)

4-6 p.m. - Registration   

6:30 p.m. - Close - Welcome to Rapid City Opening Reception, followed by Roundup Room Music (Black Hills Ballroom)

Thursday, June 22, 2023

7:30 – 11 a.m., 3-5 p.m.: –Registration (check Registration table for addl. times)

9 a.m.-4 p.m. – Vendors - (Atrium)

9 - 10 a.m. - Panel: Editors/Agents/Publishers/Publicists, with interview appointment sign-ups following

10:30 - 11:30 a.m. - Special Presentation - History of the Crazy Horse Memorial by Andrew Dunehoo, Director of Museums

Lunch on your own

12:00 - 1:00 p.m. - Lunch and meeting for WWA Board and Editors, Agents and Publishers (Private Dining)

1:00-2:30 p.m. - Editor, Agent, Publisher Interviews (Black Hills Ballroom)

1:30 – 2:30 p.m. – Panel: What Ranchers and Cowboys Read - Straight From the Horse's Owner's Mouths

3:00 – 4:30 p.m. – Snack Roundtables - (Black Hills Ballroom) Sign up at registration for 2 different topics - space limited, so sign up early.  Topics and hosts include:

"How to Write a Song and Win a Spur" - Jim Jones, Allan Chapman, Randy Huston, Micki Fuhrman

"Demystifying AI" - Jake Bray

"Writing the Native West - Plains Indians" - C.M. Wendelboe

"What City Folks Need to Know Before Moving to the Country" - Peggy Sanders

"Writing a Compelling Biography" - Lynn Downey

"Effective Marketing and Publicity" - Krista Rolfzen Soukup

"Writing Historical Fiction" - Pamela Nowak

"The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of Writing a Series" - Melody Groves

"How to Write a Query Letter or Make a Pitch" - Gary Goldstein, Kensington

Dinner on your own

9 p.m. – Close  - Roundup Room Music, including tribute to Ian Tyson

Friday, June 23, 2023

7:30 – 11 a.m., 2-4 p.m. – Registration (check Registration table for addl. times)

9 a.m.-4 p.m. - Vendors (Atrium)

9 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. - Editor, Agent, Publisher interviews (Black Hills Ballroom)

9 – 10 a.m. – Panel: Those Were the Good Old Days...or Were They? Thinking Back on 70 Years of WWA and True West

10 - 10:30 a.m. Coffee Break 

10:30 – 11:15 a.m. – Keynote Address by Wister Award Winner Joseph M. Marshall III

11:30 – 1p.m. – Spur Finalist and Hall of Fame Luncheon. (Ticket required)

1:30 - 3:00 p.m. - Two-Part Writing Craft Panel: Description: When is it Purple Prose? and Pay No Attention to the Author Behind the Curtain: The Daily Life of a Writer

1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. – Homestead Foundation Board Meeting (Montana Room)

3 - 5 p.m. - Free time - Visit the Journey Museum nearby, or downtown Rapid City, including the City of Presidents walking tour

4 - 5 p.m. - Homestead Auction Setup (Homestead Board)

6 – 9 p.m. – Homestead Social/Dinner and Auction (Ticket included with general registration)

9:30 p.m. - Close - Roundup Room Music 

Saturday, June 24, 2023

7:30 – 11:00 a.m. -–Registration (check Registration table for addl. times)

8 – 10 a.m. – General Business Meeting. All members invited.  (Coffee, juice, muffins and scones)

9 a.m. - 4 p.m. – Vendors (Atrium)

10:30 – 11:30 a.m. – Panel: Collaborations: A Love/Hate Thing

12:00 - 1:30 p.m. - Roundup Staff Lunch (Private Dining)

Lunch on your own 

1:00 - 2:30 p.m. - Editor, Agent, Publisher Interviews (Black Hills Ballroom)

1:30 – 2:30 p.m. – Presentation: Dances With Wolves - What Went on Behind the Scenes

2:00 - 3:30 p.m.  – WWA Board Meeting (Wyoming Room)

2:30 – 3 p.m. –  Refreshment Break 

3 – 4 p.m. – Panel:  Writing (and Riding) the Dakotas

6:00 – 7 p.m. – Cocktails (Atrium)

7 – 9:30 p.m. – Spur Award Banquet (Ticket required)

9:30 p.m. – close – Roundup Room music

This is a preliminary schedule.  All announcements made prior to or during the convention take precedence.