For refugees and migrants, the written word becomes a sanctuary. Read how Exiled Writers Ink champions their right to be heard, fostering freedom of expression in the face of displacement and adversity.
Since its inception in 2016, TogetherintheUK (TGIUK) has strived to share the stories and lived experiences of refugees and migrants settling in the UK to encourage and foster shared understanding and acceptance. Many of the people we have spoken with have turned to writing to find comfort from the sadness and sense of loss of being forced to leave their home country. Some are exiled because of their writing, such as Amir Darwish, who was forced to flee Syria because of a simple poem written by a wistful young man. (You can read his story here). Or some have become writers to share their story, such as Gulwali Passarlay, author and activist for migrant rights. (You can read his story here or listen to his Podcast with Teresa Norman). Ironically, for some, being exiled has become a source of creativity and a way of connecting with a former life, albeit remotely.
However, TGIUK is not the only organisation fostering a body of writers keen to share their creativity, Exiled Writers Ink has spent almost a quarter of a century bringing together established and developing writers from repressive regimes and war-torn situations as well as migrants forced to leave home for economic reasons. TGIUK spoke with Danielle Maisano, author of The Ardent Witness and former chair of the board of Exiled Writers Ink, editorial committee member, and facilitator for one of the various creative writing skills workshops run by the organisation.
Danielle explained how Exiled Writers Ink support established writers and those just starting the creativity journey.
There are a variety of ways in which we help writers. One of the main ways is through our monthly Exiled Lit Cafes, held in various venues across London. We often hold workshops in collaboration with other organisations, such as Amnesty International UK. The focus of the gathering can vary from month to month, featuring writers around a specific theme or region, such as human rights, imprisoned writers, or, for instance, the impact of the war in Syria. It can also be a celebration of voices, where writers of stories or poetry come together to share their work, discuss their writing challenges, or share their successes. It is a really good informal and relaxed way of getting writers out before an audience sharing or discussing their work, some for the first time. Many of the evenings also include an open mic portion.
We also run prose and poetry workshops, which help writers of all different levels, from published to those just starting out, and from all different backgrounds and personal circumstances, to come together to study the craft. Our writers have found it a wonderful way to share work and creative ideas with a broad spectrum of co-writers, publishers, and academia, everyone adding value and personal perspective to collectively support the writer. What is hugely beneficial for all of us is that our workshops are attended by not just different levels of writers but by people from different cultures, different personal experiences, and different professions in the writing industry; we all leave the workshops having gained a new skill, knowledge or insight and for many of us, a spark of creativity and the beginnings of a new piece of prose or poetry.
As all writers know, finding a way to publish their work is a major challenge; how can Exiled Writers Ink help with that?
We have a wonderful online magazine, Exiled In Ink, which is a really wonderful platform for writers from a refugee or migrant background. We issue the publication once or twice a year and all our earlier editions are accessible on our website. Seeing your material published is such an exciting achievement and this publication acts not just as a platform for sharing their art but for some a kick start into other publishing opportunities.
We also have a network of independent publishing houses such as Afsana Press, Pale Well Press, and, of course, the sadly the now closed Victorina Press, amongst others, so we can introduce writers to our contacts and hope that they make a positive connection. In addition, through our partnership with The Literary Consultancy, our members have access for the Free Read Scheme, where low-income writers from a migrant and refugee background can receive professional feedback on their work.
As both a published writer and an active supporter of Exiled Writers Ink, why do you think that the work of refugees and migrants in the literary world is important?
I believe that the power of literature is that it gives us access to experiences that would typically be beyond our reach. Through the literary skills of these writers, readers can share experiences, cultures, and insights that they might never otherwise have the opportunity. The stories can be harrowing and at times terrifying to even imagine, but it is essential that these experiences are shared. Through their work, refugee and migrant writers humanise the political rhetoric we hear and see on the news. The world needs to see refugees and migrants as individuals and not just a statistic. What organisations such as Exiled Writers Ink and TGIUK do in giving writers a platform to either write their story or have their story told is essential in developing a fully informed society – hopefully, one more sympathetic and understanding.
At TGIUK, we have learned that readers benefit from the author’s perspective of their new world, whether the writing is fact or fiction. Many of us live in a world where we take much of what we have for granted. Still, for a writer who has come from a land destroyed by drought, the mere act of turning on a tap is a revelation and sharing that newfound experience can renew the reader’s appreciation for such basic luxuries. Or the writer who finds they can write freely against injustices or their sexual orientation without fear of retribution reminds readers of the value of human rights and freedom of speech.
TGIUK also often speaks of the migrant and refugee journey, the physical and mental journey from an old life to often a completely different life. In our anthology of migrant writing, Hear Our Stories, we set out the prose and poems to reflect the physical and mental journey many migrants and refugees encounter as they adjust to living in the UK. Likewise, these refugees and migrant writers invite the reader on a journey that can cross countries, transcend cultures, and obliterate perceived differences.
Given the trauma caused by being exiled from your home country because of your writing, whether from political or social reasons, how does continuing in the literary world benefit these exiled writers?
I believe that art, in all forms, is very therapeutic. From talking to our writers, many have found that writing offers the opportunity to reflect on experiences and situations in a way that can be easier than talking. And while I cannot talk for all exiled writers from the very brave and admirable writers I know, despite the trauma of mentally reliving dreadful experiences while writing, they do so in a desire to raise awareness about either what has happened to them or the situation in their home country. Many have told me that despite how painful and traumatic it is to recall such memories, they want their story to be told as these experiences should not be allowed to continue.
TGIUK also knows that some writers in exile face the additional pressure of trying to protect their loved ones back home. So, while they may now have the power of freedom of speech, they are still aware of the potential risk their activism might cause in their home country. When editing the Hear Our Stories anthology, some writers only choose to use their first name or a pseudonym.
TGIUK will share Danielle’s writing experience and advice to writers in a subsequent blog. Please visit Exiled Writers Ink’s website for more information and to become a member.
Notes
Exiled Writers Ink, founded in 2000, brings together established and developing writers from repressive regimes and war-torn situations, and it equally embraces migrants and exiles. Providing a safe, welcoming space for writers to be heard, Exiled Writers Ink develops and promotes the creative literary expression of refugees, migrants and exiles, increases their representation in the mainstream literary world, develops cross-cultural dialogue and advocates human rights and social justice through literature and literary activism.
To purchase a copy of Hear Our Stories, An Anthology of Migrant Writings, compiled by TogetherintheUK, go to TGIUK
To read more about the lives and impacts of migrants on UK society, go to TogetherintheUK.
