Emerald Coast Writers

Ron Cannon and a small group of literary-minded residents work with twelve community groups to come together under the name of "The West Florida Literary Federation", or WFLF.

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WFLF names its first poet laureate, the same year the U.S. Library of Congress starts the tradition of naming a national poet laureate. Until 2026, each WFLF poet laureate is commemorated with a published book of their works. These books, along with other works by local authors and several writing reference texts, is stored in the Dr. Francis Patrick Cassidy Literary Resource Center in the Pensacola Little Theatre.

The WFLF is incorporated by the State of Florida as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

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The WFLF launches the Student Writers Network under the direction of Ora Wills. This program focused on providing free writing workshops for high school students including visits from real-world writers, newspaper columnists, professors, and poets of national stature. Students were encouraged to partake in on-the-spot writing contests with some of their works being published in Penwise Poets. This program continued until the late 1990s with the implementation of the FCAT.

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WFLF partners with Friends of the Library to sponsor an annual poetry contest open to public, private, and homeschooled students in Escambia county. Winning poets performed their works at a local bookstore and had their works published. For two years, this program was funded with the help of the Gulf Coast Arts Festival grant.

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WFLF begins annually sponsoring the BJ Miller Scholarship at Pensacola State College (PSC).

Ron Cannon and Leonard Temme host a 24-hour poetry reading marathon in Seville Square. Poets and poetry lovers from across the Emerald Coast come together to read poetry throughout the night into late afternoon the following day. The event was covered by CNN.

WFLF sponsors a day-long writing seminar. 

WFLF begins publishing the Emerald Coast Review, a biannual collection of works submitted by local writers, artists, and poets. These books provide a record of the Emerald Coast's literary thought over the years.

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The WFLF begins publishing The Legend, a monthly newsletter compiling information about local writing events, WFLF resources, and writing advice. This newsletter was started by Ora Wills and Ellen Pepler as an outlet for promoting and expressing literature.

WFLF participates in Milton's Riverwalk Fine Arts festival with live poetry readings by members.

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The WFLF partners with the Pensacola Chamber of Commerce to publish winners of the Chamber's Military Appreciation Month student essay contest in the Emerald Coast Review XIV edition. 

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The WFLF receives the NEA grant to implement The Big Read in conjunction with Friends of the Library and Pensacola Little Theatre.

The Deep Water Horizon oil spill destroys lots of Florida's coastal ecology, especially along the Emerald Coast. In response, the WFLF publishes The Spill, a collection of prose, poetry, and photographs submitted by artists seeking an outlet to express their concern about the ecological disaster.

WFLF celebrates its 25th anniversary by hosting the "Wild Woman" poet Judyth Hill for a four-day series of events including open mic readings, two workshops, and a keynote address at the closing banquet.

WFLF hosts poet Kwame Dawes for his "Art in Motion" exhibit in Pensacola in conjunction with a Florida Humanities Council grant and the African American Heritage Society.

In response to the COVID-19 Pandemic, WFLF publishes "Life in the Time of Corona."

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WFLF begins sponsoring weekly two-hour workshops. These workshops are led by WFLF members and cover topics including memoir, fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. 

The West Florida Literary Federation (WFLF) rebrands as the Emerald Coast Writer (ECW).

Emerald Coast Writers hosts our first annual Books by the Bay festival.