Find Ideas for Creative Letters to Inmates

iEditorial Note: These blog posts represent the opinion of DoNotPay’s Writers, but each person’s situation and circumstances vary greatly. As a result, you should make sure to do your own independent research. Because everyone is unique, our self-help tools are never guaranteed to help with any specific situation. DoNotPay is not a law firm, is not licensed to practice law, and is not equivalent to the services of a licensed lawyer. DoNotPay provides a platform for legal information and self-help, and does not offer legal services. Third party news articles mentioned on our website do not necessarily reflect the views of the company, or the current services that we offer.

How To Write Creative Letters To Inmates

Human contact is what inmates crave the most. This is why many inmates choose to have a pen pal via the PrisonPenPals and Write A Prisoner apps. A simple gesture, such as a supportive letter from a loved one, also goes a long way.

Letters can become repetitive when you run out of ways to talk about yourselves and your daily lives. Inmate letters don’t always have to be run-of-the-mill! Get creative and make your incarcerated loved one look forward to your letter!

DoNotPay can give you some fresh ideas on how to breathe life into your letters.

Prison Letter Ideas—What Should I Say?

It’s refreshing to come up with creative mail ideas for inmates, but it’s also important to keep it simple and not write anything you’re not comfortable with. Sometimes, inmates are not up for games or jokes. They want to read about your life and feel loved. Take a look at some ideas on what to talk about in your letters:

  • Motivate them to keep going
  • Remind them you are there for them and that they are not alone
  • Talk about your day-to-day life
  • Share news about their family and friends and pass on messages from them
  • Ask open-ended questions about their daily life to show interest in their activities
  • Encourage them to eat healthily and exercise

Send a Love Letter to Your Incarcerated Partner

If your spouse, boyfriend, or girlfriend is in jail, a love letter could brighten up their day and motivate them to power through the difficult time.

If you’re not comfortable talking with your loved one over the phone or during visitation, you can consider sending them a creative love letter.

Here are some ideas:

  • Write a love story
  • Write a poem if you wish
  • Include romantic song lyrics or poems
  • Reassure them that you are waiting for them
  • Exchange a list of things you love about each other
  • Add romantic quotes from their favorite books, movies, or TV shows

What Fun Inmate Letter Games Can You Play?

Aside from being creative in terms of what you write about, you can add a game and spice up your letter. Check out some great ways to play games with your incarcerated loved one via your letters:

  • Play mad libs, tic-tac-toe, or battleship
  • Play 21 questions, the newlyweds game, or two truths and a lie
  • Write riddles—Send riddles to each other and see who can find the answer faster
  • Have a drawing contest—Pick a theme or an object and exchange your drawings
  • Try to play Name that song—Send lyrics to each other, and the other person needs to guess the song
  • Make up a story together—You can write the first sentence, then they can continue, and so on
  • Have a joke contest—You can exchange jokes and vote for the best one or brainstorm puns and funny punchlines
  • Organize a book club—Choose a book you’ll both read and discuss together
  • Create puzzles for each other (e.g., a crossword puzzle, complete a sentence, find the answer, etc.)

Before you start playing a game, check with the correctional facility whether it’s allowed. Some games could be interpreted as code.

The Dos and Don’ts of Writing Creative Letters to Inmates

Before you send your letter, you should know the inmate mail rules and regulations.

Every piece of mail is inspected upon arrival. Most prisons have similar regulations, but some are stricter than others. Check the details with the correctional facility where your loved one is. You can do this by visiting their website or contacting them.

Check out what you can and cannot do if you want your letter to reach your loved one:

DoDon’t
  • Address the letter correctly
  • Send a simple greeting card
  • Include a photo no larger than 4x6 inches
  • Add newspaper and magazine clippings
  • Put the prisoner’s full name and ID number on the envelope and every page of your letter
  • Put perfume
  • Add a polaroid picture
  • Disparage the prison staff
  • Write about illegal activities
  • Send a musical or a pop-up card
  • Use glitter, stickers, colored paper, or colored pens

Locate an Incarcerated Loved One Using DoNotPay

A prison can return a letter if you don’t address it properly. The key detail here is knowing the exact address of the inmate you are writing to. We know the best way to find an inmate if you’re not sure about their address. Open DoNotPay in your and follow these steps:

  1. Select the Connect With an Inmate option
  2. Click on Locate Someone
  3. Type in the inmate’s full name
  4. Enter the state they are located in
  5. Answer a few more questions and hit Submit

DoNotPay will give you your incarcerated loved one’s full address so that you can mail your letter promptly.

Sending Inmate Letters Is Easier With DoNotPay

Sending a letter to prison using DoNotPay is convenient in many ways.

If penmanship is not your strong suit, DoNotPay is the way to go because you can type out the letter, and we will send it out.

Making even the simplest letter creative can be a challenge, but not with DoNotPay! Our features include adding a photo and choosing a template for holidays and special occasions. For extra inspiration, you can also check out our sample letters of encouragement to inmates.

Don’t get hung up on the technicalities—we will ensure that your letter meets all the requirements and doesn’t break any rules.

Visit DoNotPay in any and do the following:

  1. Tap on Connect With an Inmate
  2. Choose the Send a Personalized Letter feature
  3. Type in the name of the person you’re writing to
  4. Enter their Inmate ID or Booking Number
  5. Write your letter and add a photo if you wish

Once you finish writing your letter, we will print it out and deliver it as soon as possible.

Receive Letters From Prison Through DoNotPay

DoNotPay has a virtual mailbox you can use to receive your prison letters. When your loved one sends you a letter, we will digitize it, and you can access it with ease on our website.

Sort Out Other Problems With DoNotPay’s Help

You can rely on DoNotPay to help you through numerous administrative and issues, not only prison-related ones. Whether you need guidance on prison marriage and iCare packages for inmates or you need help paying your electric, heating, or medical bills, we can show you the ropes.

Open DoNotPay in your and start decluttering your life. We can assist you with:

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