Groundbreaking Essay Anthology on Writing Behind Bars Published
Today marks the publication of The Sentences that Create Us: Crafting a Writer’s Life in Prison (Haymarket Books), gathering stories and writing guidance from some of today’s most exciting… More
The Sentences That Create Us
A road map for incarcerated people and their allies to have a thriving writing life behind bars—and shared beyond the walls—that draws on the unique insights of more than… More
Visiting the Blues: 2021 Prison Writing Awards Anthology
Visiting the Blues is an incredible collection of poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and drama written during one of the toughest moments in our over-incarcerated nation’s history. More
Introducing ‘Greater Constellations’: A 2021 Prison Writing NaPoWriMo Zine
Our Greater Constellations zine springs from the inspired poetic work created by members of our PEN America Prison Writing community during National Poetry Writing Month. More
Breathe into the Ground: 2020 Prison Writing Awards Anthology
The 2020 Anthology, titled Breathe into the Ground, is an impressive collection of poetry, nonfiction, and drama from incarcerated writers in the United States. More
Break Out: An Interview with Kaveh Akbar
A conversation with Kaveh Akbar, who will be performing Terry Hedin’s “El Reno” in our “Break Out” awards celebration, about the privilege and responsibility of performing another person’s work. More
Introducing the Inaugural PEN America/L’Engle-Rahman Prize for Mentorship
We are honored to launch the PEN America/L’Engle-Rahman Prize for Mentorship, which uplifts mentorships in our Prison Writing Program. More
PEN America/L’Engle Rahman Prize for Mentorship
The PEN America/L’Engle Rahman Prize for Mentorship honors four mentor/mentee pairs in PEN America’s longstanding prison writing mentorship program. More
Longing to be Heard
These dual essays were written by Benjamin Frandsen and Noelia Cerna, 2020 honorees for the PEN America/L’Engle-Rahman Prize for Mentorship. More