Writers in Prison

Many of the men and women in Scottish prisons have poor communication skills and literacy levels. This often means they don't access learning opportunities within prison and may lose touch with family and friends due to a lack of confidence around letter writing and self expression. They also have limited access to books and writing opportunities which can help address the inevitable isolation of a prison sentence.

Scottish Book Trust is working with the Scottish Prison Service and Carnegie College to try and change this through a programme of writers and readers in residence in prisons across Scotland. We currently manage a residency at HMP Glenochil and support a writer in residence at HMP Edinburgh and a reader in residence at HMPYOI Cornton Vale and are working towards a writer residency in every Scottish prison that wants one.

 

• New Writer in Residence at HMP Glenochil!
  Click here for more info

• Read examples of the men's work here.

• Read The Herald Magazine's article by Michael Tierney  (photograph by Simon Murphy)

Download Page 1, page 2, page 3, page 4, page5
www.theherald.co.uk

 

HMP Glenochil

HMP Glenochil is in Clackmannanshire and holds male prisoners serving long term sentences.

New Writer in Residence appointed at HMP Glenochil - July 2008

The first, and very successful, Writer in Residence at Glenochil, Ruby McCann, has moved on to work full time at HMP Perth. Her former post at Glenochil was advertised in May, and in June writer, actor and theatre director Gowan Calder (pictured) was appointed to the post. Gowan has a wealth of experience in community theatre and plans to work with prisoners on developing their writing and storytelling skills across a number of genres, from telling their own life stories to devising drama and stand-up comedy routines.
      

Ruby McCann was writer in residence at the prison from November 2006-May 2008 and worked closely with the library and Learning Centre to encourage prisoners to develop their reading, writing and communication skills.

Her activities included running creative writing and reading groups, programming regular events by visiting writers, helping men in editing the prison magazine and collections of their own work and supporting Storybook Dads - a project which enables prisoners to record stories (either from books or those they have written themselves) on to CD, with sound and voice effects and a personal message, to be sent home to their children and families.

Ruby's residency had a big impact on prisoners:

"You read stuff you wouldn't read outside. Something in you cries out for something more."

 "(The creative writing class) creates a better atmosphere. You can communicate about other topics than are generally addressed in prison... it helps you cope with the long journey in a place like this."

"She asked me to give it a try. I said ‘If it's boring I'll not be back.' I've not missed any, just one ‘cos of work. It's definitely not boring."

"I'm realising I maybe have got a talent for something else."

"She helped with letter-writing. I'm now putting pen to paper and writing to family. They're surprised. They write back. Now I write every week. It was only every few months. They see a difference."

 

The men at HMP Glenochil are now working on The Man Inside, a 200 page anthology of their own creative writing. Here's a taste of their work:

Be Yirsel'

Who ur yay?

Who day yay waant tay be?

Sombiddy yir parents waant yay tay be?

Day yay try ‘n meet other's expectations?

 

Yay canny be somebiddy yir no

Thurz only wan persin yay can be

Whan yay realize that

Yay'll find inner peace

Be yirsel'

In naebuddy else.

 

Thoughts in a Prison Cell

the window stretches out

hills, sheep, sky

deep down there is someone

who this travels to on the

highway of memories

hills, sheep, sky

 

deep down there's only silence

I see her face, her lips

speaking my name

but there is only silence

her face is smiling

my father looks up

but still there's only silence

before there were others

but now there's only silence

 

the highway heads on

through my brother

there's a silence

where once there was noise

hills, sheep, sky

 

Sun Rise

sizzling tentacles floating across a calm sky

mapping the globe with it's soothing balm

luscious laughter and love

Apollo most majestic

illustrious lamination a heavenly creation

flowers appear in petal pollinated praise

industrious insects liaise, life itself salutes

drying, dying, crying

manipulating with a mortal manifesto

finally plunging westward

sinking in crimson crescendo

to start Gods cycle soon anew.