The association sponsors several awards each year. All of them are awarded at the annual conference. For descriptions of each award, click on the links below. If you have further questions regarding any of these awards, please contact Sabine Barcatta or the contact person listed for the individual award.


Distinguished Achievement Award: for an influential scholar in the field of western American literature (creative writer or critic)


Delbert and Edith Wylder Award: for exceptional service to the Western Literature Association by a longtime member


Thomas J. Lyon Book Award: named after a former editor of Western American Literature, this award goes to an outstanding book in the field


Don D. Walker Prize: given to the best essay published in western American literature during the previous year


J. Golden Taylor Award: named after the first editor of Western American Literature, this award goes to the graduate student who submitted the best paper to the annual conference


Dorys Grover Awards: given to two outstanding papers that meet the criteria of each year’s conference and submitted by graduate students


Frederick Manfred Award: named after a famous writer and long-time WLA member, this award goes to the best creative writing submission at the annual conference


Susan J. Rosowski Award: named after a longtime WLA member, this award goes to a generous and caring mentor and teacher in the field of western American literary studies


Louis Owens Awards: financial support for graduate students to attend the annual WLA Conference


WLA/Charles Redd Center K–12 Teaching Award: provides teachers with the opportunity to attend and present at the WLA Conference; sponsored by the Charles Redd Center for Western Studies and the WLA