For your first writing assignment, you will draft and then send a letter to a woman writer in prison. There are dozens of prisoner pen-pal projects that facilitate correspondence between those on the inside and on the outside, and they are proven to be positive for those in prison and out. In our case, we’re writing primarily to authors who also happen to be in prison, and we will be writing about the texts they wrote.
To choose who to write to, you will browse two issues of the zine Tenacious, in Camino Files, and pick an author or artist to write to whose work you admire and want to learn more about. You’ll see that in the zine, beneath each submission, there is a caption that says how to write to that author or artist at their facility.
The process will be as follows: select a person to write to based on her writing or art, follow a set of rules and guidelines for crafting your correspondence, all letters will be peer-reviewed, and then we will mail our letters together after I give final approval. The goal of this assignment is to put into practice Freire’s theory of dialogue for humanizing the oppressed on the inside. Writing to women in prison helps us see the people that structures of oppression want to hide, use our voices to speak with them, and consider them as people and writers who have stories to tell. I hope this exercise also generates self-reflection on our own privileges, circumstances, and authorship.
Technicalities
- In Camino Files, find Tenacious Summer 2018 and Winter 2018 issues. Browse for a piece of writing or art that you would like to respond to. Write down the author’s contact information.
- Type your letter in a word processor. Do not handwrite it.
- Length: 2-4 pages, double-spaced.
- Full draft due: Monday 10/7
- Peer review: due to partner before class on Wednesday 10/9
- Final draft printed and ready to send due in class, Friday 10/11. **Bring your own postage and an envelope.
- You will turn your letter and addressed envelope in to me, and I will give final approval before we mail the letter.
- You will need to research the rules for mail delivery at your author’s prison to ensure the delivery of your letter. For example, California Prison Mail Rules: https://www.ogmm.org/california-prison-mail-rules/
- Include the recipient’s prisoner number on both the envelope and letter.
Guidelines for Writing Your Letter
Have you ever struck up a conversation with a new pen-pal before over something you have in common? It’s exciting! Your first letter is a friendly and general introduction and a meeting of worlds. You have the text we’ve studied in common.
- Start your letter with a greeting that addresses your recipient by name.
- Introduce yourself in a way that is comfortable for you. Describe yourself in general terms that gives the recipient a sense of who you are without divulging specifics.
- Explain how you found the recipient’s information and why you chose their contribution to Tenacious for your letter. You can also explain, if you like, that it is part of a class letter-writing project. That is optional and up to you.
- Tell the author specifically what about their piece inspires you to write to them. Is there a specific line or phrase you think it strong? What about their word-choice or style? What did you learn from the piece? In what ways do you admire them as a writer? Don’t be a harsh critic; be positive and kind.
- Tell your recipient if you want to swap letters just one time or if you want to continue writing. If you want to continue writing, specify how frequently you intend to write (e.g., 1x/month). This is important since it makes your intentions clear.
- Keep it positive!
- Avoid asking sensitive questions or bringing up topics related to the person’s crime and associated circumstances and events. Also avoid discussions of guns or violence, drugs, or alcohol.
- The Orange Grove Friends website has this great tip: “Whenever I write, I’m focusing on the prisoner and what he/she would be interested in. I express a lot of interest in them and appreciation for any progress and achievements. But I also write about myself, and often include anecdotes about my family and personal life without revealing information that would identify me.” (read more here https://www.ogmm.org/suggestions-writing-prisoners/)
- Avoid asking the recipient to do any favors or specific tasks. This could create anxiety.
- Avoid any hint of romantic or sexual rhetoric, topics, and even metaphors at all costs, for obvious reasons and then some.
- I like this list of suggestions, and imagine them revised for your single letter: https://www.ogmm.org/tips-pen-pal-relationship-lasts/
- Use polite and clear diction and phrasing. Revise any phrasing that could be misinterpreted.
- This may be obvious, but it bears reminding: you’re not writing an academic paper. This is a letter to a stranger, an author who is currently in prison, whose writing you are responding to. Your phrasing and word-choice should match this specific rhetorical situation.
- Sign your letter
Your author may write back to you and may request a reply. While this first letter is a required assignment for the class, further correspondence with your pen-pal is fully optional and your own choice and responsibility. Do not feel obligated to continue writing; or, if you want to, continue! I’m happy to consult about this on an ongoing basis during this term and beyond.
Rules
- **You CAN use your first name – it not required to use a pseudonym. That is up to you.
- You must use the return address that I provide you with–every letter will have the same return address that I provide. It cannot be your own personal return address.
- You are not permitted to send pictures of any kind for this letter assignment. It must be text-only correspondence.
- You are not permitted to send a phone number or email address in this letter assignment.
- You many not enclose anything but your printed letter in the envelope.
- I will vet every letter before it goes in the mail.
You’ve Got Mail
You may receive a reply sent to the PO Box I supply for our return address — after all, you’re writing to people who probably love to write as much as we do. I will bring these to class and give them to you. If you want to continue corresponding, you will need to select an address other than the PO Box for future deliveries. Speak with me if you have questions or want to consult on this.
Grading
Your letter will count for 1/4 (5%) of your participation grade, which is 20% of your final course grade. I will grade each letter as either Pass (100%) or Not Yet (0, revise until Pass, revisions allowed until 11/1).