Tips and Tidbits for Writers

Why is the Will Rogers Medallion Award Important?

By Chris Enss, WRMA Executive Director

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The Will Rogers Medallion Award is important because it preserves and celebrates the enduring values of Western literature, culture, and storytelling - values that have shaped the American identity. Named in honor of Will Rogers, one of the most beloved writers and humorists in U.S. history, the award recognizes authors, filmmakers, and artists whose work reflects the wit, integrity, and humanity that Rogers embodied. In doing so, it bridges the gap between the Old West and the modern era, ensuring that the stories of courage, resilience, and moral clarity that define Western heritage continue to be told.

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More than a literary accolade, the Will Rogers Medallion Award plays a vital role in promoting excellence in a genre often overlooked by mainstream publishing. Western writing - both fiction and nonfiction - has long captured the nation’s imagination, chronicling the struggles and triumphs of pioneers, lawmen, outlaws, and ordinary men and women who helped shape the frontier. By honoring contemporary authors who carry on that tradition, the award helps keep the Western spirit alive for new generations of readers.

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The award’s connection to Will Rogers also reinforces a standard of authenticity and humor rooted in respect for others. Rogers’s unique ability to mix laughter with insight remains a guiding example for writers who wish to reflect the truth of human experience without cynicism or cruelty. The Will Rogers Medallion Award encourages that same balance - celebrating storytelling that uplifts rather than divides.

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Ultimately, the Will Rogers Medallion Award is important because it honors not just creative achievement, but cultural stewardship. It acknowledges the storytellers who ensure that the American West remains more than a chapter in history - it remains a living, breathing part of our collective imagination and moral compass.

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