Teaching creative writing in prisons
Adult Provision English & Maths

English is a fundamental skill that everyone needs in order to function as a member of society. Many prisoners don’t have the skills that they need in English, literacy and reading, therefore it can become a challenge for them to navigate through daily life. Not developing these skills whilst in prison, therefore, poses a risk to their successful rehabilitation.
To ensure all learners are equipped with the skills needed to thrive upon release, it’s vital that we engage them in our English provision. At Novus, we understand that many learners have barriers to accessing education, whether that’s from having neurodiverse needs, mental health issues or lack of confidence in themselves and their abilities. This is why we are always on the look out for new and innovative ways to engage learners in education, and one of these ways is through creative writing.
Teaching creative writing in prisons gives learners a lifelong skill
With an estimated 57% of adult prisoners having literacy levels below those expected of an 11-year-old, it is crucial that we engage learners in our English provision so that they can gain the skills needed to navigate through daily life.
With many learners having a negative view of education, we are aware that to engage learners in education we have to provide new and engaging ways for them to access our provision, in a way that meets their individual needs.
By providing creative writing projects and initiatives it allows learners to engage in English in a fun and creative way, showing them that they are capable of engaging in education and further inspiring them to continue on their education journey.
Taking part in education equips learners with the qualifications and skills needed to thrive upon release and find long-term employment. However, creative writing also provides learners with a lifelong skill that they can utilise in everyday life.
What is creative writing?
According to the self-publishing school creative writing is a “form of writing where creativity is at the forefront of its purpose, using imagination, creativity, and innovation in order to tell a story through strong written visuals with an emotional impact”.
Examples of creative writing include:
- Fiction (of every genre i.e. Science-Fiction, Thriller, Romance)
- Film and television scripts
- Songs
- Poetry
- Plays
However, creative writing doesn’t have to be fiction. It can also include:
- Personal essays
- Journals and diaries
- Letters
Creative writing is a positive outlet for learners
Creative writing provides learners with a positive outlet to express their feelings and emotions through the art of writing. Prison is an environment where learners can be alone with their emotions and have time to reflect on their past and from this, they might need an outlet.
Creative writing can also positively impact a learner’s mental health and wellbeing. According to an article written by Write over the wall “art and writing provide outlets for inmates to express and process complex emotions that may be difficult to articulate verbally. This emotional release can lead to reduced stress, anxiety, and depression”. Creative writing can be a valuable coping strategy, that learners can utilise both inside and outside of prison helping to regulate their emotions.
Through creative writing, learners can explore their own creativity and build confidence through writing. Creative enrichment helps learners re-discover themselves and helps them develop new hobbies and interests that they may not have thought of before. Through writing, learners can develop their writing skills giving them more confidence and belief in themselves and their abilities as well as developing an enjoyment for writing.
Creative writing helps learners feel heard
Once entering prison, many prisoners can feel unheard after the emotional turmoil of being sent to prison. Creative writing can give them a sense of feeling like their story is being heard, recognised and appreciated.
At Novus, we understand that creative writing can be an important and positive outlet for learners which can have a direct, positive impact on their rehabilitation. Through our creative enrichment provision we work with external creative partners to provide learners opportunities to express themselves through creative mediums such as writing, but also with other creative enrichment opportunities. These projects can culminate in public exhibitions at museums and art galleries for the public to view, which can have a huge impact on learners, as their voices and experiences are being shared with the community and help learners feel heard and valued.
Working with the Bowes Museum to provide more opportunities for learners
Recently, the Bowes Museum worked with Novus learners and colleagues at HMP Deerbolt on their new project ‘Unheard Voices’. The collaborative project brought together writing practitioners and learners to creatively engage with the artwork in the museum’s current exhibition, 'Kith and Kinship: Cornish and Lowry'.
Through a combination of discussions, activities, creative writing, and visual literacy exercises, the project aimed to deepen learner's understanding and connection to the exhibition whilst enhancing their creative writing skills.
The project empowered learners to produce unique interpretations of the exhibition, offering fresh perspectives for peers, families, tutors and general visitors. The project was flexible and adaptive allowing learners to share their experiences and inputs as well as actively engaging in the project. The result of this collaborative process was a creative Zine, which serves as an alternative interpretative voice for the exhibition. Printed copies of the Zine were available to the public at the Bowes Museum during the exhibition.
Prison education unlocks potential talents
Through prison education, learners have the opportunity to gain skills and qualifications that will help them find employment and/or further education opportunities upon release. Creative writing not only offers learners mental health and wellbeing support, but also offers them a potential career pathway. In many of our establishments across the UK and Wales, education departments facilitate author visits, so that learners can learn more about being an author, receive guidance and support and learn more about the writing process.
Author visit at HMP Risley
At the start of January, HMP Risley received a visit from Warrington author, Rob Parker, who shared his experiences as a published author. Rob has penned many popular crime thrillers, published a number one audiobook, and has ghost-written a number of memoirs for politicians, journalists, sports personalities and members of the armed forces.
Rob spoke to a group of learners about his writing process, where he is able to create 80,000 words of gripping fiction in eight weeks. There were many interesting discussions including the influence of AI of fiction writing, the discretion needed when ghost-writing for others and the resilience required to navigate the process of finding an agent as well as publishing and promoting work.
Writing as a career path for ex-offenders was also discussed, as it’s something that can be done on a self-employed basis which may well be a realistic consideration for some of our learners. Rob’s helpful explanations of his experiences certainly gave the participants something to think about and different career options for them to consider.
The workshops also included practical tips for participants to create characters by using a simple list of questions, and how to structure a novel using a three-act framework. This gave learners an inspirational starting point to start their own stories and begin their writing journey.
The Book Dragon comes to HMP Wealstun
In 2024, HMP Wealstun received a visit from author and founder of the ‘Book dragon’ Kirsty McKay. The visit was organised by Nicky Ireland, Library Manager Yorkshire, and Phillipa Young, HMP Wealstun Learning and Skills Manager who collaborated with the author.
The Book Dragon, founded by Kirsty is a book shop dedicated to independent authors. After self-publishing her own book “The veils of Valoria”, Kirsty noticed the lack of support and promotion for self-published authors so created the Book Dragon community to support them and promote their books.
During her talk, Kirsty provided an insightful overview of the complexities of, and dedication required to becoming an author to 16 learners and staff. Kirsty also provided insight from her own life’s journey and experiences, her passion since the age of 5 and penning together her dreams, ideas, visions, concepts, and scribbles which saw her first debut novel published in November 2019, “The veils of Valoria”.
The visit was received well, and the level of participation was fantastic, with learners responding to activities and posing well-considered questions to the author.
Creative writing has the power to improve learners’ mental health and wellbeing, improve their literacy skills and provide a career pathway that many learners may not have thought of before. Giving learners the opportunity to hone their skills in creative writing not only benefits learners but also the community as whole, as they will be equipped with the skills and experience necessary to thrive upon release.
To learn more about our creative enrichment provision, take a look at the Novus 2024/25 creative enrichment strategy.