Waterston – Anna Welch

Waterston Desert Writing Prize

Anna Welch – 2023 Winner

The 2023 Waterston Desert Writing Prize winner is Anna Welch (annakwelch.com).

Her submission, “Momentum: A Trans-Continental Bicycle Journey,” details her 2019 adventure 3,700 miles across the continental United States.  During that substantial bicycling trip, Welch encountered her first desert, an experience she eloquently expands upon within her winning text.

Welch holds a degree in English Literature from the University of Otago and currently plants trees and surveys wildlife. Her work has been published in Wilderness Magazine and was most recently featured in the anthology True Travel Tales by Fine Line Press. She is originally from New Zealand and currently resides in Scotland.