New Challenge: Bollywood
This month's challenge offers songs, films, and tropes from Bollywood, the world's largest film industry based out of India, as prompts for fanworks.
SWG News
Cultus Dispatches: Fandom Chocolate … or Authors Love Comments
Tolkien Fanfiction Survey data provides insight into how comments benefit authors and which authors are most impacted by a lack of comments, with a digression on authors' perspectives one-click feedback like kudos.
A Sense of History: Passing Ships
As Tolkien's characters in various texts gaze out to the sea, what do they see? What is brought by the ships coming out of the West?
Beta-Reader List Now Available
The beta-reader list and profiles have been moved into our new system and are available again.
New & Updated Fanworks
[Writing] No Time Have I by Flora-lass
A Silmarillion acrostic.
[Writing] An exercise in music... And patience by Aprilertuile
Makalaurë was sitting at the harp in his music room. He was holding a dark blindfold in his hands and was looking at it with much scepticism.
[Writing] I called it Fate that I should fail by AdmirableMonster
Nimruzimir, a natural philosopher recently out of his apprenticeship, hardly considers himself very important to anyone, least of all his colleagues. When his strange, prophetic fits bring him to the attention of the High Priest, however, he may find that his existence is less superfluous than…
[Writing] All of you by chrissystriped
Elrond and Celebrían celebrate their anniversary with their family.
[Writing] Lament for the Singer by daughterofshadows
A short thing about Maglor, death and grieving.
[Writing] Cosmological Poems of Arda by AaronAzrael
I would like to share my revelations of Tolkien's Universe in the form of narrative and emotional poems.
[Writing] Eä's Redemption by AaronAzrael
This is my new poetical attempt to add my own interpretation to Tolkien's Cosmology as to Eru's Creation and the Valar's minds and behind-the-scene providence reasons and mechanisms.. I often review Eä as part of our own world, just in another dimension, this is why I have always seriously…
Current Challenge
Bollywood
Prompts this month are films, songs, and tropes from India's dazzling film industry, Bollywood. Read more ...
Random Challenge
Strength and Beauty
Create a fanwork using the Melville quote about the relationship between strength and beauty. Read more ...
New in References
Fandom Chocolate … or Authors Love Comments by Dawn Walls-Thumma
[]Tolkien Fanfiction Survey data shows that authors view comments as driving their motivation to create fanfiction. However, perception of comments by authors is part of a larger shift in fandom around how and how often fans interact with each other.
Passing Ships by Simon J. Cook
[]The arrival and departure of ships across the Great Sea carries mythic significance for the peoples of Middle-earth. The image of ships crossing out of and back into a mysterious West appears as well in Beowulf and is alluded to in Tolkien's tower analogy in his lecture "Beowulf: The Monsters and the Critics," where the tower allows those who climb it to observe the passage of the ships.
Fanfiction and the Serious Business of Writer's Craft by Dawn Walls-Thumma
[]Tolkien Fanfiction Survey data shows that while most authors self-identify as taking their craft seriously, a growing subset of authors may be pushing that norm.
Beyond the Silmarillion
[Writing] Staging a Battle by StarSpray
[]He and Diamond were visiting, though Pippin had been disappearing every afternoon, and taking Frodo and Elanor and most other lads and lasses in the neighborhood with him—though why they couldn’t use Pippin’s own pony, Sam couldn’t imagine.
[Writing] From whose bourn no traveller returns by losselen
[]So gathered they were to Bree, what lieutenants who could be spared, from their scattered watches west and east, for their chieftain had returned from his long sojourn in lands godless and mountains strange.
Aragorn returns from the South to tells his tales. Halbarad listens.
[Writing] Sand Sorcery by StarSpray
[]It is well known that Psamathos does not leave his cove. He does not like to get his feet wet, and prefers to spend his days dozing under the sun.
Around the World and Web
Fellowship of the Fics: Summer Stories 2024
Fellowship of the Fics offers four weeks of summer-themed prompts during the month of July.
July challenge at tolkienshortfanworks posted
The tolkienshortfanworks challenge for July has been posted to the Dreamwidth community. The thematic challenge is: original character or unnamed canon character; the formal challenge: fixed length of multiple of 50 words. New participants welcome.
July 2024 Call for Papers and Proposals
Conferences and publications that have open calls for papers and proposals in July 2024.
Teitho June/July Challenge: Mentor
The June/July prompt for the Teitho challenge is "mentor" and invites fanworks about this relationship in Tolkien's works.
Scribbles & Drabbles 2024
A chill Tolkien event, where artists make art, and authors write little stories in response. Begins in June and ends in November.
New and Updated Fanworks
Include Beyond the Silmarillion Fanworks
Two months by maeglin
Short tales that should have remained untold.
| Major Characters: Amras, Amroth, Andreth, Arvedui, Arwen, Celebrían, Celebrimbor, Círdan, Elrond, Elros, Elu Thingol, Erestor, Eöl, Finarfin, Finwë, Galadriel, Glorfindel, Legolas Greenleaf, Maedhros, Rog, Tulkas |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: Creator Chooses Not to Warn |
| Chapters: 17 | Word Count: 40, 514 |
| Posted on 17 September 2015 | Updated on 24 August 2017 |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (9) |
The Black Room. by hennethgalad
Mithrandir protects Thranduil from a new weapon of Sauron.
(reading 'Dol Guldur' first will add to this)
| Major Characters: Gandalf, Sauron, Thranduil |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Erotica | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Adult | Warnings: Rape/Nonconsensual Sex, Sexual Content (Graphic) |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 976 |
| Posted on 20 August 2017 | Updated on 20 August 2017 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
A Rustle in the Underbrush by Lordnelson100
Of the Petty-Dwarves, the Elves, and first encounters. What they told themselves, and others.
| Major Characters: Avari, Dwarves, Elves |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Drama, Horror | Challenges: Noegyth Nibin |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Violence (Graphic) |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 3, 072 |
| Posted on 19 August 2017 | Updated on 19 August 2017 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (2) |
Hunting by feanorusrex
Larnach's daughter kills her would-be rapist.
| Major Characters: Larnach's Daughter |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Horror | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: Violence (Mild) |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 3, 038 |
| Posted on 18 August 2017 | Updated on 18 August 2017 |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Waiting by feanorusrex
Fëanor in the halls of Mandos has one request for Nerdanel.
| Major Characters: Nerdanel |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Drama | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 2 | Word Count: 4, 773 |
| Posted on 18 August 2017 | Updated on 18 August 2017 |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Invisible Suspenders: Sometimes Elves Write Songs by feanorusrex
Fingon and Maedhros write a song.
| Major Characters: Maedhros |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 2 | Word Count: 7, 067 |
| Posted on 18 August 2017 | Updated on 18 August 2017 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
In Darkness Wandering by feanorusrex
Morwen and Hurin's final meeting.
| Major Characters: Morwen |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Drama | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 2, 498 |
| Posted on 18 August 2017 | Updated on 18 August 2017 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Hope and Healing by feanorusrex
The closest thing to Bradir/Niniel fluff that has ever been written.
| Major Characters: Brandir |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Romance | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 3, 840 |
| Posted on 18 August 2017 | Updated on 18 August 2017 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Flames by feanorusrex
Idril watches Gondolin burn.
| Major Characters: Idril |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Drama | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 3, 245 |
| Posted on 18 August 2017 | Updated on 18 August 2017 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Whispers In The Stream by just_jenni
A tragic story of love between elf and mortal with some political issues that may be offensive to some readers.
| Major Characters: Caranthir, Haleth, Original Female Character(s), Original Male Character(s) |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Drama | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Adult | Warnings: Character Death, Mature Themes, Sexual Content (Graphic), Violence (Moderate) |
| Chapters: 4 | Word Count: 13, 046 |
| Posted on 17 August 2017 | Updated on 17 August 2017 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
A Candle for the Hollow City by Lordnelson100
About the Nauglamír and the other side of the story. Of culture clash, betrayal, and lost art.
We have our teaching, and the Elves have theirs. Through countless years, they have continued to tell their own version of events about the Nauglamír. Ever they turn the story against us, saying it reveals the greed of the Dwarves, and our treachery.
They say that Elven memory is perfect. And yet it seems not so.
| Major Characters: Beren, Celeborn, Dwarves, Elrond, Elu Thingol, Elves, Elwing, Finrod Felagund, Gimli, Historical Character(s), Legolas Greenleaf, Lúthien Tinúviel, Thranduil |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Drama | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Violence (Moderate) |
| Chapters: 10 | Word Count: 39, 223 |
| Posted on 17 August 2017 | Updated on 17 August 2017 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (2) |
Hold Each Other by Grundy
Carnistir had been curious about the firimar for a while, but he hadn’t seen them for himself until now.
| Major Characters: Caranthir, Elves, Haleth, Men |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 2 | Word Count: 3, 230 |
| Posted on 23 March 2017 | Updated on 12 August 2017 |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (8) |
I've Hungered for Your Touch by oshun
Caranthir is offered a chance to read an unpublished diary entry. It’s a copy of a recently discovered ancient manuscript apparently written by Haleth the Hunter. It’s a follow-up to my previous story The Manly-hearted Woman, but can be read independently of that one. It is also an entry in the SWG Challenge Just an Old-Fashioned Love Song. (“...use a popular love song as a prompt to inspire a fanwork about romantic or sexual love. You will choose your own prompt from the list of love songs below.” I chose "Unchained Melody" by the Righteous Brothers: video | lyrics).
| Major Characters: Caranthir, Haleth, Nerdanel, Noldor, Sindar |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Drama, Het, Romance | Challenges: Just an Old-Fashioned Love Song |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Creator Chooses Not to Warn |
| Chapters: 7 | Word Count: 10, 517 |
| Posted on 11 August 2017 | Updated on 12 August 2017 |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (28) |
New Directions. part two. by hennethgalad
In part one, the crew of Eärendil were sent back to Beleriand from Valinor in a new ship.
In this part, the wind changes for the Ainumanä and the crew meet some strangers.
| Major Characters: Aerandir, Erellont, Falathar |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: General | Challenges: Just an Old-Fashioned Love Song |
| Rating: General | Warnings: Mature Themes |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 221 |
| Posted on 10 August 2017 | Updated on 10 August 2017 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (1) |
Far From The World We Know by Himring
At the top of Elwing's white tower.
Earendil has landed, back from traversing the pathless sky, and Elwing has flown to meet him.
| Major Characters: Elwing, Eärendil |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: General, Romance | Challenges: Just an Old-Fashioned Love Song |
| Rating: Creator Chooses Not to Rate | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 168 |
| Posted on 9 August 2017 | Updated on 9 August 2017 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (12) |
Pictures at an Exhibition by Robinka
A series of drabbles, some humorous, other not so much, centered on the Sindar (because they deserve all the praise).
Brand new one, written for the challenge Just an Old-Fashioned Love Song!
| Major Characters: Beleg, Daeron, Elu Thingol, Lúthien Tinúviel, Mablung, Maedhros, Melian, Nellas, Original Character(s), Túrin |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Drama, Fixed-Length Ficlet, Het, Humor, Romance | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Adult | Warnings: Mature Themes |
| Chapters: 15 | Word Count: 2, 031 |
| Posted on 10 June 2007 | Updated on 7 August 2017 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (56) |
Back to the Shadow by Luxa
“You come all the way to Belegost to see the Lord of Himring?”
“Yes,” says Amlach.
“I hope you’re not here to impart a message of doom upon him—a memorandum that one of his brothers has died, a notice that the Dark One has broken the Siege, something like that.”
| Major Characters: Amlach, Maedhros |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Adventure, General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 8, 149 |
| Posted on 6 August 2017 | Updated on 6 August 2017 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (2) |
The Snakes and the Flowers by Lyra
A young Vanyarin poet makes some clever observations, the relevance of which only grows apparent in good time.
Inspired by Oshun's character biography of Barahir, and written for the "New Directions" challenge... and a different character altogether.
| Major Characters: Amarië |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: | Challenges: New Directions |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 2 | Word Count: 1, 257 |
| Posted on 6 July 2017 | Updated on 2 August 2017 |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (12) |
Picking Up The Pieces by Grundy
After the Fall of Gondolin, Maeglin's more than a little broken. Is there any hope for him?
| Major Characters: Eärendil, Idril, Maeglin, Other Fictional Character(s), Sauron |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Crossover | Challenges: Just an Old-Fashioned Love Song |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Torture |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 2, 747 |
| Posted on 29 July 2017 | Updated on 29 July 2017 |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (4) |
Hypotheticals by grey_gazania
Word of the coronation of Fingon's child reaches the Sons of Fëanor, and Maedhros is shaken by a realization about himself.
| Major Characters: Amras, Amrod, Maedhros, Maglor |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Alternate Universe, Drama | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Creator Chooses Not to Rate | Warnings: Creator Chooses Not to Warn |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 178 |
| Posted on 29 July 2017 | Updated on 29 July 2017 |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (3) |
The taste of sulphur by Harnatano - Lithenna
The siege has just been broken and Curufin must deal with a certain amount of contradicting feelings and fears.
| Major Characters: Celebrimbor, Curufin |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: Violence (Graphic) |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 3, 141 |
| Posted on 23 July 2017 | Updated on 23 July 2017 |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
For Love of Silver Stars by LadyBrooke
The sun’s dying rays faded over Doriath for the first time, and Lúthien looked at Nimloth.
| Major Characters: Lúthien Tinúviel, Nimloth |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Slash/Femslash | Challenges: Just an Old-Fashioned Love Song |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Sexual Content (Mild) |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 300 |
| Posted on 22 July 2017 | Updated on 22 July 2017 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (4) |
There a Pretty Lady Is by StarSpray
Nellas meets the River-daughter.
| Major Characters: Goldberry, Nellas |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Slash/Femslash | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 2 | Word Count: 5, 627 |
| Posted on 20 July 2017 | Updated on 22 July 2017 |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Your Song by Kaylee Arafinwiel
"But Lúthien came to the halls of Mandos, where are the appointed places of the Eldalië, beyond the mansions of the West upon the confines of the world. There those that wait sit in the shadow of their thought. But her beauty was more than their beauty, and her sorrow deeper than their sorrows; and she knelt before Mandos and sang to him..."
| Major Characters: Beren, Lúthien Tinúviel, Maiar, Mandos |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Romance | Challenges: Just an Old-Fashioned Love Song |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Character Death, Sexual Content (Mild), Violence (Mild) |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 159 |
| Posted on 17 July 2017 | Updated on 17 July 2017 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (6) |
Leaves in the Wood by Zdenka
After the fall of Doriath, Nellas seeks a new land to call home.
| Major Characters: Galadriel, Nellas, Nimrodel |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 2, 049 |
| Posted on 16 July 2017 | Updated on 16 July 2017 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (4) |
