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Start a folder: book reports, goals, a mission statement, your first entries, and a list of what you'll write in your first 90 days. Daniel walked into Lompoc carrying one after putting off our calls for fourteen months. I surrendered in 2008 with nothing, zilch!
The folder on the 101
Fourteen months before he surrendered, Daniel booked a free call with our team. Someone called him. He didn't answer, or as my kids say: He ghosted me!
He kept opening our emails. Then he booked another call and missed that one too.
On the morning he reported to Lompoc, I rode in the back seat while his wife, Karen, drove north on the 101. She was going a little fast. I reminded her they were already three hundred thousand into the lawyers; no need to add a $400 ticket in a broke prison town.
Daniel held a manila folder on his lap. He'd open it, move things around, close it. A few minutes later he'd open it again. It was thick: book reports, goals, his mission statement, blog entries Karen typed and posted from home, and a list of what he planned to write in his first 90 days.
"Will they let me bring this in?" he asked.
"They might."
"Might?"
"I don't run intake at Lompoc."
They let him keep it.
Fourteen months earlier, he wouldn't pick up the phone. That morning he walked in carrying the start of his record.
Six weeks later, he called me from Lompoc ready to quit. I'll tell you about that call in the next post.
I surrendered in 2008 with nothing prepared. No plan. I needed a guide.
Our team works with people who want to keep their family close, protect or rebuild a business, and earn more liberty at each step: the halfway house, home confinement, supervision, and someday clemency. We build the release plan, the daily writing, and all other assets with you.
If you're reading these posts and putting off the call, you're in good company. Daniel did it for months.
Schedule a free call with our team.
Questions people ask
Can I bring papers with me when I self-surrender?
Sometimes. Each facility sets its own rules at intake. Daniel was allowed to keep his folder. Don't count on it, and keep copies at home.
What should I write before I surrender?
Your goals, a mission statement, and your first entry. A list of what you'll write in your first 90 days keeps you going when the routine gets hard.
Read next: Part 2: Is It Worth Writing a Blog While You Are in Federal Prison?
Written by
Justin Paperny
Founder White Collar Advice
