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
Pride
Create a fanwork using a prompt from an LGBTQIA+ person, choosing from music, art, poetry, and quotations. 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
That Blow to Your Leg by LadyBrooke
Caranthir does not trust easily and does not love easily, but Haleth told him in a different world they would be perfect.
7 related drabbles.
| Major Characters: Caranthir, Celegorm, Haleth |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Drama, Romance | Challenges: Strength and Beauty |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Sexual Content (Mild), Violence (Mild) |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 715 |
| Posted on 23 March 2017 | Updated on 23 March 2017 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (4) |
A Spitting Image by oshun
Fëanor feels sorry for himself. (Artwork with short, short story.)
B2MeM 2017 Prompt: Blue Path, Artwork, Realistic; also Tumblr Feanorian Week (Caranthir)
| Major Characters: Caranthir, Fëanor, Nerdanel |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: General | Challenges: B2MeM 2017 |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 646 |
| Posted on 22 March 2017 | Updated on 22 March 2017 |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (2) |
Noldolantë – Maglor’s Lament by oshun
This is an micro-essay and a banner created as an extended introduction to a fic-rec list pulled together to celebrate Maglor’s Day on the Fëanorian Week celebration on Tumblr and initially inspired by the SWG Strength and Beauty March 2017 challenge.
| Major Characters: Maglor, Noldor, Sons of Fëanor, Uldor |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Nonfiction/Meta | Challenges: Strength and Beauty |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 672 |
| Posted on 21 March 2017 | Updated on 21 March 2017 |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (5) |
She walks in Beauty by lindahoyland
Varda has not forgotten Middle-earth.
| Major Characters: Varda |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: General | Challenges: B2MeM 2017, Strength and Beauty |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 023 |
| Posted on 20 March 2017 | Updated on 20 March 2017 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (5) |
Still by LadyBrooke
Findekáno thinks Maitimo is beautiful, through life and into death, though not always how others think of it.
7 connected drabbles.
| Major Characters: Fingon, Maedhros |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Drama | Challenges: Strength and Beauty |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Character Death, Mature Themes |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 717 |
| Posted on 20 March 2017 | Updated on 20 March 2017 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (6) |
Strength Bestows Beauty by oshun
"Real strength never impairs beauty or harmony,
but it often bestows it; and in everything imposingly beautiful,
strength has much to do with the magic." ~Herman Melville, Moby Dick
SWG March 2017 Strength and Beauty Challenge
B2MeM 2017 (blue path/artwork/secondary colors/Tolkien quote)
Fëanorian Week Tumblr 2017 - Day 1- Maedhros - > Adjusting/Coping, Beauty
| Major Characters: Maedhros |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Nonfiction/Meta | Challenges: B2MeM 2017, Strength and Beauty |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 551 |
| Posted on 19 March 2017 | Updated on 19 March 2017 |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (3) |
The Ring of Barahir by hennethgalad
Finrod is inspired to make a ring.
| Major Characters: Finrod Felagund, Mahtan |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 4, 096 |
| Posted on 18 March 2017 | Updated on 18 March 2017 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Cast All Away by Zdenka
Celebrimbor takes refuge in memory. (Finding out wherever there is comfort there is pain, only one step away . . .)
| Major Characters: Celebrimbor, Sauron |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Experimental, General | Challenges: B2MeM 2014 |
| Rating: Adult | Warnings: Creator Chooses Not to Warn |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 6, 688 |
| Posted on 17 March 2017 | Updated on 17 March 2017 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (4) |
Insomnia by Michiru
Macalaurë often has trouble sleeping. After the birth of the new baby, he finds he’s not the only one.
| Major Characters: Curufin, Fëanor, Maglor |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: General | Challenges: B2MeM 2017 |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Character Death |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 2, 561 |
| Posted on 15 March 2017 | Updated on 15 March 2017 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (1) |
Perception by Ysilme
Perception changes through past experience
| Major Characters: Original Male Character(s) |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: General | Challenges: B2MeM 2017 |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 4, 140 |
| Posted on 13 March 2017 | Updated on 13 March 2017 |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (6) |
Bedtime Stories by lindahoyland
Aragorn tells his son stories of the First Age
| Major Characters: Eärendil, Melkor |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Fixed-Length Ficlet, General, Humor | Challenges: B2MeM 2017 |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 2 | Word Count: 1, 187 |
| Posted on 20 September 2010 | Updated on 12 March 2017 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (4) |
Far Too Many Of You Dying by StarSpray
After the Noldor depart, Alqualondë is left reeling.
| Major Characters: Elves, Olwë, Original Character(s) |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Drama, General | Challenges: Revolution |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Mature Themes |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 145 |
| Posted on 10 March 2017 | Updated on 10 March 2017 |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (2) |
Your Image in an Antique Book by IgnobleBard
After the Battle of Unnumbered Tears, Maedhros revisits Fingon's fortress.
| Major Characters: Maedhros |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Drama | Challenges: Revolution |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 176 |
| Posted on 10 March 2017 | Updated on 10 March 2017 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (4) |
Those Who Remain by Tyelca
In 1997, Maglor visits the musical The Scarlet Pimpernel shortly after the premiere, and one song in particular catches his attention.
Also featuring Fëanorian Stubbornness.
| Major Characters: Maglor |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Drama, General | Challenges: Revolution |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 447 |
| Posted on 10 March 2017 | Updated on 10 March 2017 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (2) |
Obsidian to Cut by LadyBrooke
He is reborn in Valinor, and they assume he died because the Kindi were incapable of standing against Morgoth, especially after their King and Princes were not.
(The Noldor forget that their relatives weren't left behind on the March because they were incapable, but because they didn't wish to come.)
| Major Characters: Original Male Character(s) |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Drama, Experimental | Challenges: Revolution |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 333 |
| Posted on 10 March 2017 | Updated on 10 March 2017 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (6) |
Like The Fall Of Night by hennethgalad
Morgoth sells the concept of swords to the elves through his minions.
(Ah, er, contains a canon error. Mairon was not in Valinor at the same time as the elves.
However, i could just change the name of the evil maia and it would be compatible...)
| Major Characters: Curufin, Fëanor, Finarfin, Fingolfin, Fingon, Maiar, Original Male Character(s), Sauron |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Erotica, Horror | Challenges: Revolution |
| Rating: Adult | Warnings: Rape/Nonconsensual Sex, Sexual Content (Graphic) |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 457 |
| Posted on 9 March 2017 | Updated on 9 March 2017 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (1) |
The Parting of the Ways by Lyra
On the eve of the Great Journey, Morwë discusses his doubts with Finwë.
| Major Characters: Finwë, Morwë |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: | Challenges: Revolution |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 2, 021 |
| Posted on 9 March 2017 | Updated on 9 March 2017 |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (10) |
The Deaths of Kings: Historical Bias in the Death Scenes of Fëanor and Fingolfin by Dawn Felagund
The death scenes of Fëanor and Fingolfin parallel each other closely in plot, beginning with the rash pursuit of single combat with Morgoth. Yet the manner in which the narrator of The Silmarillion, Pengolodh, employs language and symbolism leads to two very different conclusions that likely served to advance Pengolodh's political and personal agenda. Written for B2MeM 2017 for the prompt "Analyze a Chapter or Passage" on the nonfiction (orange) path.
| Major Characters: Fëanor, Fingolfin, Pengolodh |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Nonfiction/Meta | Challenges: B2MeM 2017 |
| Rating: General | Warnings: Character Death, Violence (Moderate) |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 4, 891 |
| Posted on 8 March 2017 | Updated on 8 March 2017 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (4) |
Early Roman Kings by mangacrack
The degree of civilisation of a society can be judged by entering its prisons.
| Major Characters: Ecthelion of the Fountain, Glorfindel, Idril, Maeglin, Rog, Turgon |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Drama | Challenges: Revolution |
| Rating: Creator Chooses Not to Rate | Warnings: Creator Chooses Not to Warn |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 6, 052 |
| Posted on 8 March 2017 | Updated on 8 March 2017 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Wait Until the Light Breaks by Michiru
The night after Eöl’s execution, a young orphan sits in his mother’s room and waits for his fate to catch up to him.
| Major Characters: Maeglin, Turgon |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: General | Challenges: B2MeM 2017 |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 2, 061 |
| Posted on 8 March 2017 | Updated on 8 March 2017 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (1) |
Bears and Bees by StarSpray
Eluréd, Elurín, and Radagast are traveling through Wilderland, and discover the Carrock—and that someone has carved steps into it.
| Major Characters: Eluréd, Elurín, Radagast |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: General | Challenges: B2MeM 2017 |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 228 |
| Posted on 7 March 2017 | Updated on 7 March 2017 |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (1) |
Book Blubs by oshun
Chapter 5 – Bird Talk - Known for his popular TV show “Shut Up and Listen,” specialist in bird behavior from early childhood Turko Fëanárion insists that his methods work with the most resistant birds and the clumsiest of humans. Get all the details in this water-resistant 100-page paperback guide.
These blurbs are written by a reader who is on the mailing lists of far too many publishing companies. Why not use some of the dozens of prompts of yet another annual B2MeM to design covers or ads, write ad copy, review, or draft summaries of books I would not be likely to write?
| Major Characters: Celegorm, Elu Thingol, Finarfin, Fingolfin, Finwë, Indis, Maglor, Mandos, Olwë, Túrin |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Alternate Universe, Humor | Challenges: B2MeM 2017 |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 5 | Word Count: 11, 471 |
| Posted on 3 March 2017 | Updated on 7 March 2017 |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (5) |
Uncertain Seas by Grundy
Today changed everything, and Artanis isn't certain of anything now.
| Major Characters: Curufin, Fëanor, Galadriel, Maedhros, Maglor |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: | Challenges: Revolution |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Mature Themes, Violence (Mild) |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 2, 310 |
| Posted on 5 March 2017 | Updated on 5 March 2017 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (4) |
Give Me Freedom, Give Me Fire by Fernstrike
In the week after the beginning of Dagor Bragollach, an elfling and his mother flee their settlement near the Fens of Serech. With his father's fate unknown and his home destroyed, the elfling considers what is to come next.
| Major Characters: Original Character(s) |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: General | Challenges: Revolution |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 4, 010 |
| Posted on 5 March 2017 | Updated on 5 March 2017 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Three by the Door by Himring
Elros, future King of Numenor, makes the acquaintance of some of his future subjects--and finds out that some traditions that he thought forgotten have survived the drowning of Beleriand.
| Major Characters: Elros, Men |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: General | Challenges: Revolution |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 688 |
| Posted on 4 March 2017 | Updated on 4 March 2017 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (10) |
