2026 Waterston Desert Writing Prize
Recognizing the vital role deserts play worldwide in the ecosystem and the human narrative
Welcome to the Waterston Desert Writing Prize, an annual celebration of nonfiction writers whose work reflects a connection to the desert.
Established in 2014 and inspired by author and poet Ellen Waterston’s love of the High Desert, a region that has been her muse for more than 40 years, the Waterston Desert Writing Prize provides financial and other support to writers. The winner is awarded a $3,000 cash prize and is recognized at a reading and awards celebration at the High Desert Museum in September.
Proposals are reviewed by the Waterston Advisory Committee and a guest judge. Past judges and keynote speakers, who are invited to attend the awards ceremony, have included acclaimed actor Sam Waterston, best-selling author Tucker Malarkey, and conservation biologist and author Thor Hanson.
2026 Prize Submissions
Submissions for the 2026 Waterston Desert Writing Prize open Monday, January 5. Click the link below to learn more. Prize submissions are open through May 1.
Waterston Desert Writing Prize History
As a literary arts advocate, Ellen Waterston has been involved in creative writing workshops and writing festivals for decades. Before the Waterston Desert Writing Prize existed, Waterston was the founder and executive director of The Nature of Words, a literary arts nonprofit that featured an annual literary arts festival in Bend, Oregon. It was a natural transition to begin the Waterston Desert Writing Prize in 2014, which celebrates not only Ellen’s love of the High Desert but all desert landscapes.
For years, the High Desert Museum hosted the awards ceremony, and in 2020, the Museum officially adopted the program. A natural fit, the Museum and the Prize both emphasize the uniqueness of desert regions and their role in the human narrative. The Prize is a popular program every year, impacting literary fans of all ages.
“Every year we have the honor of experiencing new perspectives on desert landscapes. Writers participate from all over the country and our vision of what a desert is continues to grow,” said Waterston in 2020.
Waterston was named Oregon Poet Laureate in August 2024 for a two-year term. A winner of multiple writing awards and founder of The Writing Ranch, which offers workshops and retreats for established and emerging writers, Waterston remains a member of the Advisory Committee and an advocate for literary arts in Oregon and beyond.
