The Art & Power of Letter Writing For Prisoners Deluxe Edition

The Art & Power of Letter Writing

For Prisoners: Deluxe Edition

Published by: The Cell Block™

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LETTER WRITING LIKE A PRO

Skill in writing – especially letter writing – is extremely beneficial when doing time in prison. After all, writing will probably be your main method of communication with the outside world. At times, you may have access to a phone, or you may even get a visit, but both of those can easily be taken from you for various reasons. Writing letters, however, is something you’ll almost always be able to do, even during lockdowns or from the hole.

Being able to write well is an extremely powerful tool; the better you write, the more powerful you will become. Most of my communication, including the stuff pertaining to my business, is accomplished through writing letters and instructions. My ability to write well is a major part of my ability to pull off the things I do, which is how I make money, and which is a big part of how I live as comfortably as possible while being in prison.

However, I was not born a great writer; I had to take the time, and make the effort, to learn how to write. When strategizing how I was going to become successful from a prison cell, I quickly figured out that being a great writer was going to be a huge ingredient in my recipe for success. Whether it’s articulating my ideas or convincing people to see things my way; whether it’s writing out a long, detailed business plan or the instructions on how to pull off each part of my plan; it all starts with being able to not only write, but write well.

A Bit of Perspective

Now, before we go on, let’s think about what writing actually is and how it’s used.

Writing is a form of communication; it’s used to communicate a message – information, thoughts, ideas, etc. If you wish to communicate your message clearly, you must be able to write it clearly and correctly.

If you do not learn how to write properly and convey your message clearly, the person or persons you are communicating it to may misunderstand the message rather than understand the message. That’s common sense, but common sense doesn’t always explain all the rules about how to write (communicate) properly. And yes, the rules are important, because something as minor as a misplaced comma, the failure to put a comma, or the misspelling of a word can actually change the meaning of the sentence (statement, command, question, or exclamation).

If the meaning of your sentence is not what you intend it to be then your point might be missed. And when your point is missed, you’ve failed to communicate.  And communication, my friend, is key.

So, since I am stressing the importance of writing for communication purposes, feel free to make the following word associations when reading this chapter.

Write = Communicate

Writing = Communicating

Written = Communicated

Writer = Communicator

Study and Learn

Being able to write (communicate) well has increased my power immensely. However, as I mentioned earlier, it is something I had to teach myself to do.

A lot of prisoners have their own way of writing (typically a prison style), but I strongly recommend that you learn the proper way of constructing and punctuating sentences. The majority of people, even on the outside, don’t actually write all that well. Learning how to construct and punctuate sentences properly – just these two things! – will put you on another level, so make it a point to learn and master these two aspects of writing.

There are many ways you can improve your writing. If you have someone who will purchase books for you, I suggest that you get, read, and study English Grammar for Dummies by Geraldine Woods. I’ve read and studied English Grammar for Dummies, and it really helped my dumb ass out a lot. In fact, it is one of the must-haves in my book collection.

If you don’t have someone who’ll purchase books for you, you can get a free book from Pen American Center titled Handbook for Writers in Prison. It’s a resource and writer’s handbook that will benefit you greatly. In fact, since it’s free to prisoners anyway, I suggest you get this book even if you do have the ability to get other books. The more information, the better; all it can do is help you.

To request a free copy of Handbook for Writers in Prison, write to:

Pen American Center

588 Broadway, Suite 303

New York, NY 10012

Note: There are many programs that send books to prisoners for free. They might not be able to get you a specific title, but if you tell them you’d like a book on English grammar, they will likely send you one. For the complete list of programs that donate books to prisoners and other great resources, grab a copy of our book The Best Resource Directory For Prisoners.

Another way prisoners can learn to write well is by reading books (or magazines) while paying close attention to how they are written: how the writer constructs sentences, uses punctuation, etc. It’s not a bad idea to pick up books by your favorite author and study their style, their flow. Just make sure it’s a writer whose books or articles are professionally edited.

There is no way I can teach you all the rules of grammar and punctuation in this booklet. However, as a start towards becoming a great writer, study and learn the Basic Punctuation Guide later in the book.  Once you do, you will already be a better writer than most of those around you. Then see what you can do about getting the other books that I mentioned (or similar ones), so that you can take your writing ability to an even higher level and learn how to write to the absolute best of your ability. Some prisons now provide tutoring, even college classes. You might use these as ways to learn more about writing.

Get and Use a Dictionary

A good dictionary is a must-have tool for anyone wishing to write well, as proper spelling or use of words is critical when communicating.

There are many great dictionaries. However, I’d have to say that my favorite is the MacMillan English Dictionary for Advanced Learners. Not only does it have a large selection of words (probably any-and-everything you’d ever want/need to use), but it also gives examples of how many of the words are used in sentences, as well as in common phrases, etc.

Get the best dictionary you have the ability to get – even if you have to pay a prisoner to steal one from education, as they often have a bunch of collegiate dictionaries which are also very good. Then use it! Do not be lazy! If you are unsure of how a word is to be spelled or exactly what it means, look it up so that what you write is absolutely correct. Using a dictionary and following its advice will really improve the quality of your work and your communication.

Letter-Writing Tips

OK, so we now know that writing is basically communicating, and that to write well (communicate well) we must learn how to write properly – learn proper grammar, use a dictionary, and so on. Now let’s get into a few other kinds of tips.

The Art of Writing (a bit of perspective)

Think of writing as an art – because it is. When you write, imagine that you are writing a picture; you want your words to form a visual image in your reader’s mind.

Sketch

Just as an artist wishing to draw a picture will first grab a pencil and a piece of paper and sketch, erase, adjust, shade, etc., until the picture finally relays the message he or she wishes to express, and to his or her satisfaction, a writer (who is also an artist) must use his or her tools the same way: you grab your pen and paper, and you write, edit, erase, adjust, etc., until you have expressed your message to your satisfaction.

Note: When writing an informal letter, if you have a lot to write about, I suggest you first write a list of everything you want to touch on, put it in an order that makes the most sense, and then write your letter. When writing a formal letter (a business letter; long, detailed instructions; etc.), I suggest you always start with an outline and then write a rough draft. That way you can go back, reread it, make the necessary adjustments, and then rewrite it correctly, nice and neat. Sure, its extra work, but it will allow you to produce a better-quality letter.

Stay on topic/theme

A lot of people’s minds – especially in this day and age – are going 100 miles a minute. Therefore, they often jump back and forth from topic to topic, and by doing so, it can confuse the reader.

When you write your letters, stay on topic. Write about one subject at a time until everything you want to communicate has been communicated. It will make the experience of reading one of your letters easy and enjoyable, and – importantly – easy to understand, too.

Paint a clear picture

Never assume people know what you mean (intend to communicate). You need to be very careful and thorough, you must paint a clear picture.

Develop your own style

Just as any great artist works towards developing his or her own style of drawing or painting, and perfecting it, you should do the same with your writing. Sure, it’s OK to mimic someone else’s style and flow while learning – just as an artist often learns how to draw or paint by copying or imitating others’ works – but over time, as you get more comfortable, try to come into your own.

Now that we’ve gone over a few basic tips that pertain to anything you write, let’s get into a few specific categories of writing.

Informal Letter Writing

You’ll use informal letters to communicate with your mom, dad, grandma, wife, sister, brother, pen pal, etc. Now, while it’s best to use proper grammar no matter what you’re writing or who you’re writing to (it will help you express your message clearly), it’s OK to use a little bit of slang that the person you’re writing to will understand. For example, if your sister or brother is from the internet or social networking or texting generation, it’s OK to use abbreviations like LMAO, LOL, OMG, etc. Why? Because those are familiar terms to them, so your message will still be clearly conveyed. However, if your dad or grandma often complain that they are computer and technology illiterate, then you probably don’t want to use those kinds of terms with them – they may not understand what you’re trying to communicate.

The best thing for you to do in order to convey your message clearly is to write your message in a language that the person you’re writing to uses – that they understand. This means that you should customize each letter you write to the needs of each person you write to. And, of course, when in doubt, always use proper grammar.

Informal Response

There is a proper way to respond to an informal letter that you have received; doing so will make your letter (communication) more thorough, detailed, and organized, which will make it easier to read and understand.

When responding to an informal letter, do so in these 3 steps:

1) The first thing you should do is give a brief, upbeat greeting: Hello, how are you? Absolutely fantastic, I hope. I received your most-welcome letter yesterday, so I’ve decided to spend today with you. Or, I received your letter and I am extremely excited to hear from you. Thank you so much for taking the time out to write me. Stick to something like that: simple and basic.

Whatever you do, don’t do the ol’ cliché, half-page prisoner-style greeting: Esteemed salutations. I send my upmost respects to you. Please excuse me for this brief interruption as I sprinkle these words upon you... etc., etc., etc.  That’s 1970s shit − when the world/people was/ were much slower. It’s now Y2K+ and there ain’t nobody trying to read all that nonsense. Furthermore, it’s corny.

2) The second thing you should do is respond to everything that’s written about in the letter in the order it was written, one paragraph at a time. The only exception to this is if the person who wrote you is a bit scatter-brained and jumps back and forth between subjects in the letter. In that case, you will have to take control of the communication; you should put a mark by each related paragraph and respond to one subject at a time.

Note: Communicating via snail mail takes a while because you have to wait for it to go back and forth. With these delays, sometimes your pen pal will forget exactly what it was she wrote about (mentioned, asked, etc.) by the time she gets your response. When this is the case, it is a good idea to write what your pen pal stated or asked first, then respond to it. For example: In your letter you asked me what I think about the pictures you recently sent me – the ones where you’re in a white thong. Well, in my opinion, your body is absolutely beautiful; your booty is the definition of perfection...., etc.

3) The third and final thing you should do is write all of the things you want to write about, to discuss, to mention, etc.

Formal Letter Writing

Sometimes while in prison you may need to write a more formal type of letter – a letter in regards to business or something else you want to be taken seriously about. In such a case, the rules are a bit different than when writing an informal letter.

When writing a formal letter or document – you never want to use slang, and you want to be as clear and to the point as possible. A lot of times, if you are writing a formal letter, the person you are writing to will be one who is busy and pressed for time. You don’t want to annoy them with a whole bunch of unnecessary script. Respect their time by choosing words that will convey your message clearly, without any possibility of confusion or misunderstanding, while still keeping it as short and as simple as possible. A short, clear, and direct letter is more likely to get