Student Testimonials
Susan White
The first group meeting of the Writers Guild Beginners had me very anxious. I had no idea what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised. Shayla Hale, the volunteer and creator of Crime & Compassion Inc., was not anything that I could have anticipated.
Shayla was gregarious and outgoing. She welcomed all of the new students with open arms and an open, caring heart. Even though it seemed she already knew some of the students, she was impartial and treated us all as if we were going to be her new best friends.
I cannot say enough about Shayla. She believed in me, and through her, I came to believe in myself. She unselfishly gave me all the tools necessary to begin, finish, and revise a short story. Now because of her example and guidance, I long to write a full-length novel.
Shayla brought into our sphere volunteers through Unbound Pages, and these kind people read and critiqued our unfinished and very raw short stories. The feedback I received from Unbound Pages and Shayla allowed me to be not quite criticized but told what a reader, other than myself, would need to have for the story to be clearer for them.
The confidence I have today as a writer is directly attributed to Shayla Hale and the members of Unbound Pages.
Kristie Evans
I’ve always had an ache to write, whether it was a simple letter, a poem, or something more. Writers Guild Beginners not only provided me with the necessary lessons and tools that brought my imagination onto paper, but it gave gentle correction and feedback along with encouraging words, hope, and inspiration. Writers Guild Beginners motivated me to give my best and asked that I never settle for something that was less than, but it never forced me to write an idea that wasn’t mine. I will be forever grateful for the opportunity, resources, and new relationships that were created during this time of transformation.
Lissa Dee
I almost didn’t even finish the application to join the Writers Guild Beginners class. I just didn’t believe I had it in me. I’ve always dreamed of being a writer, but honestly, I thought that dream was out of my reach—something only confident, successful, interesting people accomplish. Like many people, especially women, I allowed what others say about me, and how others treat me, to determine what I believed about myself. Then came Shayla Hale and Writers Guild Beginners, offering me the chance to write my very own fictional short story. I learned and grew so much in this class! Every time we met, I came away inspired and empowered. I felt seen. That in itself is priceless. I will forever be grateful for this experience and the sense of accomplishment I feel.
Ashe Marks
Writers Guild Beginners has opened so many doors for me, literally and figuratively. I had dreams of becoming a published author; however, life always got in the way. Once I became incarcerated, I let go of so many of my dreams.
What I knew to be unachievable is now a reality of my life today: I am an author. This program has reignited a fire within my soul, and now I am working on my first full-length novel. WGB provides persons in prison an escape, of sorts, and the tools necessary to become more than we ever thought we could be.
I am so grateful for the volunteers and board members of Crime & Compassion Inc. They are so much more than just DOC volunteers; they become your biggest fans, friends, and family. They do more than teach us how to become better writers; they guide you to find yourself, build your self-confidence, and believe in you when you can’t. I love C&C and everything they stand for. They helped me become someone I didn’t think I could ever be.
Z. Rowe
Writers Guild Advanced has helped me to write by giving me the techniques and tools to carve out a better version of my craft every single time I begin to type. The lessons and templates are so helpful, and I reference them often—even those that we initially covered over a year ago. Through the Guild, I have also been able to access resources, inspiration, and a community I never would have otherwise.
Beyond the basis of the act of writing, Crime & Compassion Inc. as a whole has gifted me with the most valuable thing I could possibly have acquired, both in the journey of writing my novel and in the journey of navigating my imprisonment: hope. Shayla’s kindness, determination, generosity, and vision for C&C has impacted me so deeply and profoundly that I no longer look toward my future with solely fear or dread. Thank you so much, Shayla and all of Crime & Compassion, Inc.!
Vivienne Chase
Professionalism: It means a lot to me knowing that I have access to professional guidance as I complete my first novel through Writers Guild Advanced and Crime & Compassion Inc.
Dependability: I can depend on my writing instructor/mentor, Shayla Hale, and adviser, Kat Browning, to give me sound and positive advice and feedback as I work through the writing process.
Supportive Network: Through Shayla Hale, I have access to a supportive network of other authors, writers, and scholars to provide realistic advice. Members of Unbound Pages offer positive and constructive feedback for Writers Guild Advanced.
Resources: I appreciate the generosity of resources from the authors of The Emotion Thesaurus series and Save the Cat Writes a Novel. These resources help provide a foundation on which to build a story line into a novel. I will utilize these resources for years to come.
Jax
Writers Guild Advanced is a godsend for the writing community at Mabel Bassett. It feeds the intellectual and emotional needs of the women it serves. Incarcerated persons, especially women, are essentially voiceless in their own lives and existences. They generally feel powerless; it is easy to allow the day-to-day craziness of prison life to reign. Writers Guild, through its curriculum, accountability, and editing processes, achieves success in giving voice to incarcerated voiceless women, helping them find empowerment through creative expression.
In the past year, I have personally found the strength to create robust female characters of honour and integrity who act with kindness, caring, and compassion despite their challenging circumstances. My hope is they will inspire others—of all genders—to greatness.
Michelle Barry
I have not yet completed my book; however, I am further along on writing a book than I ever have been before. I have been given amazing tools and information to help me on my way. I have been made to believe that there is a purpose in my writing. That it can actually help people.
I have amazing support and inspiration from Shayla and Kat. These amazing women have helped me to know that I can accomplish anything. I think that is the most important thing, that you have to believe in yourself. Believe that what you have to say matters, that it has a purpose that can serve others and in turn is a service to God, if it can give even just one person a new perspective that will help turn them from a road full of thorns and thistles. And that is my goal.
I feel completely supported. I know that any help I may need is available to me, whether it’s a better way to express something, research, ideas, more training, the book’s layout or the cover design, even emotional or spiritual support. It is all there available to me. Like family people I can trust and rely on. People that want to see my dreams—all of our dreams—come true. People that really care and are giving me a state-of-the-art education, but for free. It is so amazing, really. I don’t deserve it and didn’t earn it. But they are still doing it! What a blessing! I thank God. So I’m going to have to write a good book!
SoniaWeidenfelder
I was already a writer. I took some classes in college, entered an essay in a contest here and there, and had a couple things published in anthologies. Unfortunately, I used to write like I used to play the lottery: every once in a while, when I was feeling lucky or especially desperate, I’d give it a shot and see what happened. And like the lottery, it mostly turned out okay. Every once in a while, I’d win a little something, but in general it just led to a lot of paper trash. I really had no idea how to learn to write better or whether I could actually write regularly enough to finish something as big as a whole book. (I used this comparison in class once: “Write a book” sounded as impossible as “Clean a mountain.” Like . . . um . . . okay, that sounds pretty big. How do I even get started?)
Writers Guild Advanced/Crime & Compassion Inc. has not only helped me develop the discipline to finish a big, long-term goal like writing an entire novel, but it has also helped me to be a better writer. All the writing books agree that a writer . . . writes. Basically, if you write, you’re a writer. As simple and logical as that sounds, I’ve spent years trying to be a writer by sitting around reading and talking about writing without actually doing any writing. And then I would complain about having writer’s block and how I couldn’t get anything done. In class, I realized that my so-called “writer’s block” was actually a magical combination of laziness and insecurity, that my need to write perfectly and fear of doing anything else was keeping me from writing anything at all. Once I realized that, I noticed that the same attitude was paralyzing me in the rest of my life, too. If I didn’t have time to finish my school work perfectly, for example, I might not work on it at all until I had more time to do it. Coming to the (probably far-too-obvious) realization that it’s okay to sit down and do a little bit of something imperfectly, and then come back and improve it later, has of course changed my writing. What I didn’t expect was how much more effective it would make me in the rest of my life.
Also, when you’re in the middle of writing something, and especially if you’ve spent much time in academia, it’s pretty easy to lose your purpose and believe that you’re writing for its own sake. And of course, in a sense, you are, but if you’re not saying anything worth reading, what’s the point? Writers Guild has helped me look past the writing to get to what I’m trying to say. My story is my story, of course, but what’s the deeper meaning? And how can I get at that deeper meaning, make it obvious not only to myself but also to anyone else who might be looking? And of course I mean my novel, but I also mean my life. Learning to write better has also taught me to reframe my own narrative and seek the deeper meaning behind the simple events. You expect a writing class to change the way you write; you don’t always expect it to change the way you live, the way you see the world. But that’s exactly what has happened.
Crystal Avilla
Writers Guild Advanced saved my sanity, if not my life. I had been scratching stories in composition books for over twenty years before I met Shayla Hale, praying for the chance to see my name in print, but not gaining any traction. The moment the petite blond sat next to me as a new volunteer with Poetic Justice, with her infectious smile and indomitable passion to help, I felt a fire come alive on the inside.
When I told her about my dream of becoming a published author, she didn’t laugh. She didn’t offer false praise and pat me on my head. She listened. She even offered to read the rough draft of my first full-length novel and offer feedback. I felt as if I were truly free for the first time in a long time.
Before Writers Guild, the only programs that existed for incarcerated writers catered to those writing poetry, and on the rare occasion, short stories. Helping you get published—that was unheard of. The sole purpose of the classes was to deal with trauma and to help with healing. While writing for the sake of healing has its place, it was extremely limiting. It was like they were saying that the only significant contribution incarcerated writers were capable of is writing about things having to do with prison, or about the lowest moment of their lives. As a creative person, I admit to feeling offended at times. Who were they to limit what I was capable of?
Holding my novel in my hands for the first time was truly indescribable—a humbling experience for someone like me, who expresses themselves with words. As I sat at the table surrounded by my sisters of the pen, Shayla, her husband Jeremy, and Kat Browning, I felt a sense of community that some think shouldn’t exist in prison. We laughed, ate until we were about to burst, and celebrated my accomplishment as if it belonged to each of us—which of course it did. Writers Guild did more than open doors and bring hope to a bunch of incarcerated authors; it birthed a revolution. Nevermore will we allow others to decide what we’re capable of. And why should we? We exceed their expectations every day.
This spring, we’re expanding, adding new authors to the Writers Guild family, and I couldn’t be happier. I want every person who dreams of being a published author to feel the way I feel.
Sarah Ganis
To fully capture my Writers Guild Advanced testimony, I must start back at the beginning. My WGA journey began in May 2024. I was a complete wreck, and my life was pure chaos. Shortly prior to receiving an application for WGA, I had just re-involved myself in a program known as Poetic Justice after taking a long break. That is where I first met Shayla. I had seen her in class, but had no idea who she was. I had been away from the program for quite some time, and there were several volunteers I hadn’t yet met. A stranger to me as she was, I was instantaneously drawn, like a moth to a flame, toward her energy. If it were possible to bottle up Shayla’s energy, it would consist of: perfectly golden sunshine, white sandy beaches, California waves, pink flip-flops, big sunglasses, and a piña colada. She is everything bright, everything warm, and everything cheerful.
When I was asked to fill out an application for WGA, I was barely hanging on. I was in a very dark place, and had been for quite some time. I remember that I had just barely climbed out of a pit so dark and lifeless. I wasn’t in the clear, though, not by a long shot. I was just peering over the edge, finally getting some footing. I was struggling to get sober, only because I knew it was the only sure way to keep from falling right back into that awful place. I sure didn’t want to be sober; I had been wounded bad. My heart obliterated.
I filled out the application because I needed something positive to focus on, and I had always loved to write. I never dreamed I would actually get accepted, let alone that I would actually be writing a novel.
It was a whirlwind of mixed emotions at first. It was great to have been accepted, as it gave me something to look forward to doing, and it provided a group of familiar faces to enmesh myself with; on the other hand, I didn’t have the mental energy or strength to put in the work. Oh, I would try, carrying my notebook with me everywhere, trying to find a quiet place to sit and to create. I’m not gonna lie, it was rough for those first few months. I kept writing the same few pages of material over and over again, trying to perfect it. Also trying to spark the creative juices. I couldn’t tap into the imagination part of my brain. It wouldn’t flow. My living situation didn’t help matters any. I was getting beat up, threatened and verbally tortured. I was still dabbling with the drug scene, so there was that on top of it always being so loud and obnoxious everywhere I went. I couldn’t concentrate at all.
I was getting discouraged. I had an idea for a story, a fictionalized version of my story. The idea that I could talk about and expose the hurt and betrayal I had just experienced was liberating and powerful. I would finally be able to tell my side of things, to feel validated, even if no one else knew what I was referring to, or who I was writing about, I would. No one could silence me or call me a liar. The truth of what I had gone through would be out in the open. It was exhilarating.
Even while I was putting out minimal work, Shayla never gave up on me. She stood by me and encouraged me to keep going. She helped me to brainstorm when I got stuck and cheered me on when I would find inspiration and write. Never once did I feel judged or put down. I also never felt enabled or coddled. She has always been fair, firm, and consistent. I had finally gotten on a writing streak, and then my tablet fell and went out of commission. She stood by my side for months, fighting and advocating for me to get a new tablet so that I could continue in my novel-writing education. Finally after months, the Crime & Compassion board had donated the money to sponsor me in buying a new tablet. Again, Shayla fought unceasingly to get it all approved from one end to the other until finally I held a new tablet in my hands.
What has Crime & Compassion and WGA done for me? So much more than could ever be expressed in words. Besides the obvious, teaching me new tools and skills that allow me to write more effectively. I have learned the art of self-discipline. I was able to actually create and also maintain a structured writing routine. I have never in life been able to do that for myself. I could follow someone else’s schedule when necessary, but I have never been able to do that for myself. That was monumental, and also useful in other areas of my life. I am also learning through this process not to get caught up in the traps of comparison or perfection. Shayla has drilled it into our hearts and our heads that we are valuable and worthy just as we are before we ever put one word onto the paper. My value as a person or as a writer is not dependent upon the quantity or quality of the words I put on paper. That was another huge lesson for me to learn.
Besides all of those skills, I have also been able to heal from past hurts through writing. Being able to put a voice to my experiences, thoughts, and feelings allowed the power of those things to diminish and fade. I have gained emotional and mental strength, to such a degree that I have to revamp my main character. She is no longer a weak and broken shell of a person, not to the extreme that I first saw her. Writing about that hurt is no longer as important to me as it once was. I am writing fiction—the possibilities are endless! I can create anything I want to. I don’t have to stick to any kind of script.
I have been shown guidance and leadership in a way that works. I have a true cheerleader—we all do. She demonstrates her passion for this work, her love for the incarcerated, and her devotion to the mission in each and everything she does and says.
She shows us, rather than tells us, that she believes in us as writers, and also as people. This program, through Shayla and Kat, have provided something that no other class or program has: a genuine love for and belief in us that can be trusted, without a doubt. It’s a family unlike any other.
I am forever changed, and growing stronger, healthier, and more disciplined each and every day.
