The following are resources beyond Prison Journalism Project that may be useful to incarcerated and incarceration-impacted writers. This is a compilation that we’ve created over time to help support those who are looking for more writing resources and opportunities for publication, particularly in genres and areas outside of PJP’s scope.
Please note that these programs are not affiliated with Prison Journalism Project. Inquiries should be made directly with the organizations.
Anthologies
Exchange For Change: Miami-based writing education program that periodically publishes anthologies.
Book-length material
(Download a printable PDF)
- PEN America Prison Writing Program: Provides hundreds of incarcerated writers across the country with free writing sources, skilled mentors and audiences for their work.
Contests and Fellowships
Publications
- The Beat Within: Publishes writing and art from inside, primarily from incarcerated youth
- Humans of San Quentin: Collects real stories by real people
- The Marshall Project’s Life Inside: First-person essays from people who live or work in the criminal legal system.
Writing Resources
Regional Writing Programs
- Free Verse Project: Teaching art literature and creative writing in juvenile detention centers
- New York Writers Coalition (NYWC): New York-based creative writing program that outreaches to incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people.
- Prison Story Project: Storytelling project for incarcerated men and women in Arkansas
- Prison Writes Initiative (VOX Press): Writing and literacy classes in Mississippi prison
- SpeakOut! Writing Workshops: Publishes creative writing for participants of their writing workshops in Colorado
- Words Without Walls: Chatham University-affiliated publisher of a creative writing anthology
- Writing Inside VT: Vermont-based program for incarcerated women