47th WLA Conference
Lubbock, Texas
November 7-10, 2012

THEME: Western Crossroads: Literature, Social Justice, Environment

Submission Information:
We invite proposals engaging themes of Literature, Social Justice, and Environment in western texts; panels or papers on any of our featured authors; or presentations on any aspect of western literatures and cultures. The 2012 conference also welcomes proposals for inclusion in interdisciplinary panels that approach such topics across disciplines. Other topics may include:

• Animals and animal studies in the West
• Native literatures of the High Plains
• Art and artists/music and musicians of Texas and the West
• Texas tall tales and western humor
• Spanish exploration and colonization in Texas and the West
• Mexico-Texans: Mexican American literatures in Texas
• Western films and television
• Western sci-fi
• The West in graphic novels

SUBMISSIONS must include a 250-word abstract, your full name, affiliation, contact information including email, and A/V requests (we will not provide computers). Proposals for panels (four presenters) and roundtables must include an abstract and all above information for all presenters. No more than one presentation per conference please. If you are proposing an interdisciplinary panel, or are willing to present on one, please note this in your abstract. See https://www.conftool.pro/wla-conference-2012 to submit your abstract; follow the instructions to create an account for yourself. It’s easy—we promise! [Frequently Asked Questions are answered below.] Please include a copy of your proposal where indicated.

DEADLINE: June 22, 2012.

What is ConfTool?

ConfTool is a web-based conference management system. Potential conference participants must register to use the system and then they can submit conference proposals for individual presentations/papers, preformed panels, and roundtables. If a proposal is accepted to the conference the participants can complete conference registration in ConfTool.

Why did I receive an email that states: “You are now registered as a user of the ConfTool Conference Management System.”?

To try to make the transition to a new system as simple as possible we began the registration process for everyone currently listed in the 2012 WLA directory. We imported the contact information listed there and established a registration for you. You should all have received two emails. One contains your user name and the other contains your password.

Do I have to register for ConfTool and submit my proposal there?

Yes. Because we are using ConfTool to help us in forming panels and scheduling all of the sessions during the conference you MUST submit your proposal though ConfTool.

Is registering to use ConfTool the same as registering for the conference?

No. Your initial registration for ConfTool allows you to submit a conference proposal. If your proposal is accepted then you will receive an official acceptance notification and you can proceed with conference registration in ConfTool.

Can I amend any of the information in the registration that you established for me?

Yes. You can change any of the information established for you in ConfTool. You can revise your user name and password. You can also amend any of the contact information. In fact, we ask that everyone look over the information in ConfTool to ensure that we are using the information you would like us to use and that all of you information imported correctly.

I am on a preformed panel / roundtable. Should I submit my proposal through ConfTool?

Yes. Each member of a preformed panel or roundtable must submit a proposal individually through ConfTool. If you have been accepted to a preformed panel or roundtable you must now register as a user of ConfTool (if we have not already done that for you) and submit your proposal there.

How will ConfTool know that I am a member of a preformed panel / roundtable?

Please follow the naming instructions for the submission type. We will know which submissions belong to preformed panels / roundtables based on the entry in the “Title of Contribution” field.

Panel members and roundtable discussants should enter the name of the panel / roundtable in the “Title of Contribution” field. If the submission of the panel member/discussant has an individual title then the submission in the “Title of Contribution” field will look like this: “Panel title / Individual title.”

What do I do if I am submitting a paper for the J. Golden Taylor Award or the Fredrick Manfred Award?

Register for ConfTool (if you are not a registered user already) and submit your proposal as usual. Then, follow the instructions for award submission currently listed on the WLA website for each award.

http://www.usu.edu/westlit/the-j-golden-taylor-award/

http://www.usu.edu/westlit/the-frederick-manfred-award-for-creative-writing/

What if I need AV for my presentation?

ConfTool includes an area in the submission form for you to indicate that you need AV. After you have made your submission it will no longer be possible to request AV, so please be sure to indicate your needs at the time of submission.

When will conference registration be open?

You can register for the conference after receiving your letter of acceptance. Registration will not be open until we begin the process of notification.

Why does ConfTool have lines for multiple authors under “Step 1” on the “Submission of a Contribution” page?

ConfTool is designed for any organization, including organizations where multiple authors are the norm, as in the sciences. Most proposals for The Western Literature Association are for presentations that have only one author, so just enter your own information for your submission.