Liverpool writer Alisha Riley wins The Nature Writing Prize for Working Class Writers

Liverpool–based writer Alisha Riley has won The Nature Writing Prize for Working Class Writers for "In the Dirt". The poem looks at living organisms found in the soil at night, and was described as a "beautiful observational piece that marvels at decay".

Now in its fifth year, the prize was set up by the writer Natasha Carthew to create opportunities for working class nature writers of fiction, non-fiction and poetry. It is supported by the Arvon Foundation, the charity Campaign for National Parks, and Gaia Books — an imprint of the Octopus Publishing Group.

Riley has won one year’s free membership to Campaign for National Parks, and a £300 paid commission to write a National Parks inspired piece for the printed Viewpoint Magazine. The prize also includes an Arvon Course of choice, three one-hour mentoring sessions with a Gaia commissioner and a single one-hour mentoring session with a literary agent. The winner and all the shortlisted writer will also receive a book bundle from Octopus.

The winner was announced at an awards ceremony earlier this week at the Hachette UK offices in London. She was selected from the shortlisted entries by a panel of judges comprising authors Dr Anjana Khatwa, Niellah Arboine, and Tony Putman, last year’s winner Kirsty Whatley, Carthew and Philip Jones, the editor of The Bookseller. Also on this year’s panel were Juliet Pickering, vice-head of books at Blake Friedmann Literary Agency, literary agent Harriet Poland, publishing professional Polly Smith, and Stephanie Jackson, publisher at Octopus Publishing Group.