The Beat Within is piloting a new program- The Beat Without Letter Project. Writing mentors will be matched with an adult incarcerated writer whose overall goal will be to foster better writing for publication through literary advice, fleshed out ideas, providing writing prompts, basic editing/ grammar education, etc.

Project Guidelines:

• All letters must be received and mailed from The Beat Within office
• A mature approach to the contents of the correspondence must be maintained
• Letters will be screened prior to reply
• Writing Mentors are responsible for typing (or writing) and mailing outgoing letters
• A writer can choose correspondent or be assigned by Beat Within staff
• All incoming mail and responses will be photocopied
• The Beat Within is not to be held responsible for any writing or actions derived from the writing if continued beyond The Beat Within walls
• Continue community outreach for Writing Mentors
• A letter must be answered within two weeks, and a Writing Mentor must never leave a writer hanging (notify writer and let BWO know)
• NOT a pen-pal service
• Writing Mentors must be 21 years or older
• Inmates will not receive anything but a complimentary issue ONLY if co-written work with Writing Mentor is submitted; letters will not be published in magazine
• Writing Mentors' information will and must be kept confidential

Here is what is expected of a Letter Project Mentor:

Writing Mentor Guidelines:

• Writing mentor assigned a correspondent
• Type or scan letter
• Maintain maturity
• Promote further writing, thinking, and education
• Keep tone optimistic and letter short
• Send only writing, publishing, or art related materials printed on paper
• Make photocopies of original letter, print or photocopy extra copy of response letter, and staple together; place in LP file
• Mail letter response in a Beat Within envelope with inmate's return address on envelope. Letters will be initially screened for The Beat Within's protection

We will be initiating the project with five writing mentors. If you are interested in participating, please email Autumn Darbrow at general@thebeatwithin.org. Please include your name, address, and why you would like to participate. We will notify those selected and provide more details after the selection process.