Welcome to the Silmarillion Writers' Guild

New Challenge: Tengwar. Each day for thirty-six days, we feature a randomly chosen letter from the Tengwar as a prompt.
A Sense of History: Crossroads. In the ongoing series on towers in Tolkien's work, a thread runs through "The Lord of the Rings," revealing the divine assistance of Varda in the travails of the Fellowship.
Cultus Dispatches: Canon Deviations, Multifandoms, and Original Content. Tolkien Fanfiction Survey data gives some insight into what connections, if any, exist between fanfiction and original fiction.
Character of Month: Olwë. Olwë disappears from "The Silmarillion" before the First Age but has a tumultuous life leading to that point.
Tolkien Fanartics: Interview with Mirra Kan. Anérea interviews artist Mirra Kan about her work that focuses on the cultures to the south and east in Middle-earth.

Latest News

New Challenge: Tengwar
Each day for thirty-six days, we feature a randomly chosen letter from the Tengwar as a prompt.

A Sense of History: Crossroads
In the ongoing series on towers in Tolkien's work, a thread runs through "The Lord of the Rings," revealing the divine assistance of Varda in the travails of the Fellowship.

Cultus Dispatches: Canon Deviations, Multifandoms, and Original Content
Tolkien Fanfiction Survey data gives some insight into what connections, if any, exist between fanfiction and original fiction.

Newest Fanworks

Do you cut down down blossoming trees in the spring for firewood? by Himring

In western Numenor, there is an area famous for its trees and plants. But the Faithful have been banished to the east. And in the last days of Numenor, on the coast an army assembles... 

Family Gossip by StarSpray

“You,” Fingon pronounced, “are drunk. I am not going to give you anyone’s name just so you can make up a silly drunken ballad."

Tengwar (working title) by cuarthol

For the Tengwar prompt challenge.  To be updated as new prompts are completed.

Lost and Found by awwyeah107

In the aftermath of the second kinslaying, Maglor and Maedhros are faced with the disappearance of a pair of twins: Eluréd and Elurín.

Years later, another pair of twins—this time under the Fëanorians’ care—are missing: Elrond and Elros.

[3 chapters, posted over 3 consecutive days.]


What Comes Naturally by Rocky41_7

Two queens of the Noldor discuss motherhood.

New in References

Crossroads by Simon J. Cook

With Gildor Inglorion we finally climb the stairs of Elostirion and look on the view, and what we see appears to reveal a hidden thread in the story of Frodo Baggins. This post reads two annotated translations of two Elvish songs to step through a crossroads in the narrative to arrive at the tower on the margin of the story, wherein is a stone that is a window onto Valinor.

Grief, Grieving, and Permission to Mourn in the "Quenta Silmarillion" by Dawn Walls-Thumma

In a book as full of death as the Quenta Silmarillion, grief and mourning are surprisingly absent. The characters who receive grief and mourning—and those who don't—appear to do so due to narrative bias. Grief and mourning (or a lack of them) serve to draw attention toward and away from objectionable actions committed by characters.

In the House of the Fairbairns by Simon J. Cook

The first of some posts on the Elf-tower on the western margin of The Lord of the Rings attempts to frame the relationship between the narrative and the appendices of The Lord of the Rings and an analysis of Frodo's dream-visions. 

Newest Artwork

"Tengwar" artworks by chrissystriped

Artworks created for the "Tengwar" challenge

Rating: General
Warnings: No warnings listed

The Siege of Himring by Dawn Felagund

Fingon attacks Himring; Maedhros defends. A calligraphy piece done for the Hungarian Tolkien Society's Mailing Competition.

Rating: General
Warnings: No warnings listed

Aratar by Kaylee Arafinwiel

Eight emblems for the eight most powerful of the Valar. Drawn for "Scribbles and Drabbles" 2021.

Rating: General
Warnings: No warnings listed

Around the World and Web

Glorfindel Week 2024
Glorfindel Week is a week-long Tumblr event for creating fanworks that celebrate Glorfindel. Glorfindel Week will run April 29-May 5, 2024.

Teitho April/May Challenge: Quotes
Teitho is a monthly fanfiction contest. Our April/May prompt uses the source material directly for inspiration with quotes to choose from.

PhD Research on Writing Tolkien's Female Characters: Participants Needed
Interview participants are needed who write Tolkien-based fanfiction about female characters.