There are all kinds of ways to be free. Having opportunities available is key. The freedom of written expression is essential to democracy. All writing is not revolutionary by nature, but it does have the power to open the mind. Guns are not revolutionary, but an open mind in a closed-minded society is.
Government can use guns to arrest and imprison.
Sometimes when government is afraid it will rather its citizens have guns than pens. At least guns can be confiscated. Consider the case of Mr. Huang in China. Fiction you say, it's all just made up. Perhaps, but it doesn't come out of nowhere and good fiction, good poetry too, speaks directly to us about our human frailties.