When the SWG opened its archive in 2007, it was one of dozens of archives, most of which accepted fanfiction based on all of Tolkien's works. We were one of many choices and happened to specialize in Silmarillion-based fanworks. Almost two decades later, most of those small archives have closed. We would sometimes hear from our members that they wish there was an SWG-like site where they could post all of their Tolkien-based fanworks. Our Beyond the Silmarillion section was opened to meet that need.
The Beyond the Silmarillion section is a separate section of the site for Silmarillion creators on our site to also post fanworks based on Tolkien's works and adaptations of those works that do not meet our definition of "Silmworks."
Who is eligible for the Beyond section?
Creators who post Silmarillion-based fanworks with us are eligible for the new section. In order to be eligible, creators must meet one of the following criteria:
- They have posted five or more Silmarillion-based fanworks with us.
- They have posted 10,000 words or more of written Silmarillion fanworks with us.
Once a creator meets one of the above, permission to post to the Beyond the Silmarillion section will be granted by a moderator. Please allow us at least twenty-four hours to activate your new permission; permission is activated by a human, not automatically. If more than twenty-four hours have passed and you do not have the permission enabled yet, you should contact the moderators, and we will get you set up as soon as we can!
What fanworks can be posted in the Beyond section?
The Beyond the Silmarillion section accepts all types of fanworks that are currently eligible on the archive: artwork, audio, link collections, playlists, series, videos, and writing of all types, as well as multimedia fanworks that combine two or more of the aforementioned fanwork types. All other guidelines about fanworks (e.g., image use, ficlet collections) apply to the Beyond the Silmarillion section as well.
Fanworks posted to the Beyond the Silmarillion section must be based on one of Tolkien's texts or an adaptation of those texts. Examples of adaptations include, but are not limited to, films, shows, games, and animations. Note that works based on Tolkien's non-Middle-earth texts (and adaptations of those texts) are welcome as well.
Real Person Fiction (RPF) strictly about actors or other persons associated with films, shows, and other Tolkien adaptations are not eligible, as they are not about Tolkien. RPF where an actor or other real person interacts with Middle-earth or other Tolkien settings and characters are acceptable (e.g., Ian McKellan falls into Middle-earth). RPF about Tolkien himself continues to be acceptable.
Can I include Beyond fanworks in series, link collections, and multimedia fanworks on the main SWG archive?
In short, yes. Our policy on Silmarillion fanworks states that, for multi-age fanworks, a significant portion of the fanwork should be eligible under the guidelines for Silmarillion-based fanworks. You should keep this in mind when deciding if a series, link collection, or multimedia fanwork fits best on the main archive or should itself be archived in the Beyond the Silmarillion section.
For example, an author has created a series of twelve stories about Elrond's life, from childhood to his arrival in Aman. Previously, she was unable to archive two of the stories—about meeting Bilbo for the first time and about healing Frodo in Rivendell—but can now archive them in the Beyond the Silmarillion section. Because those two stories are only a small part of the entire series, it is appropriate to include the series in the main archive.
On the other hand, a creator has done a series of six fanworks (drabbles and sketches) about all of the "celebrities" Samwise Gamgee met during his unexpectedly exciting life and has collected them in a multimedia fanwork. All of these take place during The Lord of the Rings except for the final drabble, where Sam meets Maglor. Because just a small portion of the fanwork is eligible for the main archive, the multimedia fanwork should be posted to the Beyond the Silmarillion section. (The Maglor drabble can, of course, stand on its own on the main archive if the creator chooses.)
Are Beyond the Silmarillion fanworks eligible for SWG challenges?
Beyond the Silmarillion fanworks are not eligible for SWG challenges. As always, if a challenge prompt inspires a fanwork set outside the world of The Silmarillion (or in another fandom entirely!) you are welcome to use the prompt as an inspiration for that work. However, it cannot count as an official challenge entry and will not receive a challenge stamp.
How do I post a Beyond the Silmarillion fanwork?
You will post fanworks to the Beyond the Silmarillion section in the same way that you currently post Silmarillion-based fanworks. There are just two extra steps!
First, once your Beyond permissions are enabled, you will see a "Beyond the Silmarillion Fanwork" checkbox below the Title field on all fanworks submission forms. Check this box if your fanwork is intended for the Beyond the Silmarillion section.
Checking this box opens the Source Text(s) field, where you will choose the texts or adaptations on which your fanwork is based. Note that this field is required. As always, you can select more than one source text by holding down CTRL (on PC) or Command (on Mac). The screencap shows what you will see on fanworks submission forms once your Beyond permissions are enabled.
If you need a source text that is not included on the list, please use the Moderator Request field further down the page to request it. This will automatically notify the mods, who will update the tag list and your fanwork for you.
If, at a later date, your fanwork becomes eligible for the main archive as a Silmarillion-based fanwork, you can uncheck the "Beyond the Silmarillion Fanwork" box. However, before doing so, make sure to select "None" in the Source Text field. The fanwork will then become available on the main site. If you want to list the other source texts you used, select "Crossover" under Genre and add the other texts in the Crossover Texts field. Note that fanworks using The Rings of Power as a source, even if eligible for the main SWG archive, must choose "Crossover" as a genre, if available.
Where can Beyond the Silmarillion fanworks be found?
Beyond the Silmarillion fanworks can be found by clicking the Beyond the Silmarillion link on the Fanworks menu.
If you want to see all fanworks (Silmarillion and Beyond the Silmarillion) all in one place, check out the Truly All Fanworks page. This is link on the All Fanworks page, again under the Fanworks menu.
Beyond the Silmarillion fanworks will be listed alongside a creator's other fanworks on their profile, and you can view statistics and edit your Beyond fanworks from your My Fanworks page.
You can bookmark, favorite, and follow fanworks in the Beyond the Silmarillion section just like you can bookmark, favorite, and follow fanworks elsewhere on the site. Likewise, if you follow a creator or tag, you will be notified if a Beyond fanwork is posted by that creator or to that tag.
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