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PEN America Handbook For Writers in Prison: Crafting A Writers Life in Prison

(Hardback)

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Publishing Details

Full Title:

PEN America Handbook For Writers in Prison: Crafting A Writers Life in Prison

Contributors:

By (Author) Caits Meissner
By (author) America PEN

ISBN:

9781642596540

Publisher:

Haymarket Books

Imprint:

Haymarket Books

Publication Date:

19th April 2022

Country:

United States

Classifications

Readership:

General

Fiction/Non-fiction:

Non Fiction

Other Subjects:

Rehabilitation of offenders

Dewey:

808.0086927

Physical Properties

Physical Format:

Hardback

Number of Pages:

150

Dimensions:

Width 228mm, Height 139mm

Description

The Sentences That Create Usdraws from the unique insights of over fifty justice-involved contributors and their allies to offer inspiration and resources for creating a literary life in prison. Centering in the philosophy that writers in prison can be as vibrant and capable as writers on the outside, and have much to offer readers everywhere,The Sentences That Create Us aims to propel writers in prison to launch their work into the world beyond the walls, while also embracing and supporting the creative community within the walls.

), among many others, address working within and around the severe institutional, emotional, psychological and physical limitations of writing prison through compelling first-person narratives. The books authors offer pragmatic advice on editing techniques, pathways to publication, writing routines, launching incarcerated-run prison publications and writing groups, lesson plans from prison educators and next-step resources.

Threaded throughout the book is the running theme of addressing lived trauma in writing, and writings capacity to support an authentic healing journey centered in accountability and restoration. While written towards people in the justice system, this book can serve anyone seeking hard won lessons and inspiration for their own creativeand humanjourney.

Reviews

"This is one of the best books on writing that I've ever read. I couldn't put it down. There are millions of stories locked behind bars, along with the millions of people our nation has caged. This astonishing book has the power to set those stories free. And I believe the truths contained in those stories just might free us all."
Michelle Alexander, author, The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness

When I was inside, I had no access to this manual. It didnt exist. And so, I scraped along the best way I could. I talked to friends who plotted out novels by riffing on rap albums. I talked to friends whod written hundreds of pages, by hand, fantasy novels that only they and I and those walking the yard would read. And we were all writers. But had we had this bookwe would have been better writers.
Reginald Dwayne Betts, from the foreword

Having taught college-level English courses in prison for more than a decade, I am thrilled for a volume like this one: chock full of prose that is not only beautiful, inspirational and wise, but hugely helpful in a pedagogical sensea perfect addition to all syllabi that involve writing in the carceral space.
Baz Dreisinger, Executive Director, Incarceration Nations Network

Author Bio

Founded in 1922,PEN Americastands at the intersection of literature and human rights to protect free expression in the United States and worldwide. PEN America is the largest of the more than 100 centers worldwide that comprise the PEN International network. Our membership forms a nationwide community of writers and literary professionals, as well as devoted readers and supporters who join with them to carry out PEN Americas mission. PEN America advocates for writers under threat worldwide and public policies that bolster freedom of speech; celebrates the literature of eminent and emerging writers through awards, publications, festivals, and public programming; produces original research on pressing threats to free expression; and offers platforms to lift up the work and views of those whose voices have too often gone unheard or been ignored. PEN Americas Prison and Justice Writing Program, founded in 1971 in the wake of the Attica riots, advances the transformative possibilities of writing, and has offered many thousands of incarcerated writers free access to literary resources, skilled writing mentors, and audiences for their work. Our program extends PEN Americas mission of supporting free expression, and encourages the use of the written word as a legitimate form of power.


Caits Meissneris the Director of Prison and Justice Writing at PEN America. She is also the author and illustrator of hybrid poetry bookLet It Die Hungry(The Operating System, 2016). A multidisciplinary creator, Meissner's written and visual work has been published in venues includingThe Guardian, Harper's Bazaar, Medium's Human Parts, The Literary Review, Narrative, Adroit, Drunken Boat, Literary Hub, The Rumpus, [Pank], The Journal and The Offing,among others.

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