By Candace Simar and Krista Soukup In 2009, Candace Simar finally reached her dream of publishing Abercrombie Trail, a historical novel about the U.S./Dakota War of 1862. To her dismay, the small press did little to nothing to promote her book. Worse yet, she was under contract to publish two more books in the series.Continue reading "Homespun Marketing: What Worked and What Didn’t"
Writing on History’s Sex Workers: A Feminist Approach
By Janelle Molony & David Grassé Arizona native and WWW member Janelle Molony is proud to introduce David Grassé to the field of female-centric writers as a positive example of someone casting aside the gratuitous and cheap trope analysis that is often used as the lens writers look through when approaching the subject of sexContinue reading "Writing on History’s Sex Workers: A Feminist Approach"
Unmentionables: Researching Topics that were Taboo
By Kimberly Burns Did your mom talk to you about “lady things” like menstruation, contraception, and sexual health? Mine didn’t tell me much. I cobbled the little bit of knowledge she offered with the information (often misinformation) provided by the older kids on the school bus and the racy novels that circulated my junior highContinue reading "Unmentionables: Researching Topics that were Taboo"
New Release: “Grace on the Wyoming Plains” by Eunice Macy Ruttinger
Eunice Macy Ruttinger, a descendant of Wyoming homesteaders, started researching her grandmother’s 1900s homestead near Old Fort Laramie Wyoming. She discovered Bertha Barnard’s interesting stories. They took place before and after Bertha came by train from Canada to Wyoming at fifteen years old, under false pretenses; during her time living on the plains in aContinue reading "New Release: “Grace on the Wyoming Plains” by Eunice Macy Ruttinger"
The WILLA Literary Award for 2026
Winners and Finalists Women Writing the West® (WWW) is proud to announce the Winners and Finalists of the 2026 WILLA Literary Award, honoring exceptional literature featuring women’s and girls’ stories set in the North American West. Eligible works are set west of the Mississippi River, including Alaska, Hawaii, Canada west of Ontario, and Mexico. TheContinue reading "The WILLA Literary Award for 2026"
When and Why to Steer Away from the Real Story in Fiction
By Cynthia Leal Massey A WWW member posted a question on our listserv concerning her novel about an organization purchasing thousands of acres to create a wildlife preserve and a group of ranchers opposed to this activity. Although it was fictionalized, she feared someone from the actual organization might not like that it was castContinue reading "When and Why to Steer Away from the Real Story in Fiction"
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