2024 PEN Prison Writing Award Winners Announced

PEN America has announced the winners of the 2024 PEN Prison Writing Awards, recognizing 31 incarcerated writers across 18 states in five categories: poetry, fiction, essay, memoir and drama.

Two special categories include the Fielding A. Dawson Award, given to promising works, and the Bell Chevigney Award for Women’s Nonfiction, both named named in honor of founding members of PEN America’s Prison Writing Committee.

This year's winners are as follows: 

Poetry

“Caldo Verde” by Ken Meyers (Albion, PA)

Fiction 

“Wait” by Lawson Strickland (Angola, LA)

Essay

“Accusation Unfounded: The Promise of PREA, the Reality of Rape” by Ken Meyers (Albion, PA) 

Memoir 

“I Am Prepared to Die” by Edward Ji (Midway, TX)

Drama 

“Burn Book” by Sara G. Kielly (Bedford Hills, NY)

Bell Chevigney Award in Women’s Nonfiction

“Defiant Hope: Breathing Life into Carceral Death” by Pamela A. Smart (Bedford Hills, NY)

Fielding Dawson Prize

Poetry: “Pork Ribs” by R. “Ya’iyr” Carter

Fiction: “Daddy’s Little Girl” by Jason Ray Bouchard

Nonfiction: “State of Dormancy” by Michelle McCutchan

Drama: “An Infernal Dialogue: Act 2” by Joshua Daniel Peterson

For the complete list of winners and honorees, click here.