IWSG and the falsity of safe places

 It is the first Wednesday of the month and so that means another meeting of the IWSG or for anyone new (is there really ever anybody new?) the Insecure Writers Support Group, where those of us who use pen and keyboard gather to laugh and cry about the whole thing. If you are interested here is a link to the signup page - IWSG

Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!

The awesome co-hosts for the April 2 posting of the IWSG are Jennifer Lane, L Diane Wolfe, Jenni Enzor, and Natalie Aguirre!

This month's question is 

What fantasy character would you like to fight, go on a quest with, or have a beer/glass of wine with?

This question is a tough one. I think most of the characters in fiction are fantasy characters but I'm willing to play the game. So . . . I'd like to hang out with Robin Hood and his merry band. I'd like to help him figure out ways to outwit the greedy men led by Prince John and the Sherriff of Nottingham, who have taken advantage of King Richard being away on a pilgrimage to plunder the land. I'd like to live in the forest with people who understand that it is better to fight for what is right than submit to tyranny. And let us not forget his band is merry! Why are they merry? Because they are not pretending that nothing is happening - they are taking action. And they balance out their righteous quest with eating and drinking and playing music in a beautiful sylvan place. Also, I've also wanted to learn how to use a bow and arrow. I'm a Sagittarius after all.

painting by Newel Convers Wyeth

WARNING! - the following is an opinion on so-called safe places and is not under the banner of the IWSG

 I was conflicted writing this piece. Why? Because the IWSG has cautioned us to make sure our writing under their banner is about writing and not about the world burning down etc. . . Why is writing about fantasy characters okay then? What has that to do with the practice of writing? Reading yes, writing no. Don't get me wrong please. I love the IWSG - been a part of it from the beginning, but I'm most recently allergic to the notion that talking about what is happening in the world, even in a non-partisan way is unsafe. As a psychotherapist who has dealt with many people who suffer from PTSD I can tell you what feels unsafe to me - people pretending nothing is happening when something clearly is. Also, I write about what is affecting me - whether it is in my poetry, my essays or my fiction. My fiction is about issues like the environment, indigenous oppression, human trafficking and so on. These are directly related to what I'm sensing and reacting to in my environment. So, I may be cautioned to stick to some lane or another, but I'm afraid that, like Robin Hood, the Doctor, Bilbo Baggins, Harry Potter and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, I will not.