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] 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] No Time Have I by Flora-lass
A Silmarillion acrostic.
[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
Middle-earth Olympics
Complete Olympic events Middle-earth style! 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.
Elrond Week 2024
Elrond Week is a fandom event dedicated to Elrond Peredhel that will run from July 10th to July 16th on Tumblr.
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.
New and Updated Fanworks
Include Beyond the Silmarillion Fanworks
The Silver in your Eyes by Elisif
A pair of Maedhros x Fingon vignettes from Fingon's perspective, the first focussing on Maedhros' recovery from Thangorodrim, the second in Valinor in the distant future.
| Major Characters: Fingon, Maedhros |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Fixed-Length Ficlet | Challenges: Color of ... |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Mature Themes, Violence (Mild) |
| Chapters: 2 | Word Count: 1, 007 |
| Posted on 7 July 2013 | Updated on 23 July 2013 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (2) |
Never Let Me Go by Elisif
Maedhros’ rescue from Fingon’s perspective, and a slashy but non-explicit encounter between the two of them about a year later.
| Major Characters: Fingon, Maedhros |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Drama, Slash/Femslash | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Mature Themes, Violence (Graphic) |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 3, 485 |
| Posted on 22 July 2013 | Updated on 22 July 2013 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (2) |
Of Beechen Green and Shadows Numberless by Innin
One night in Doriath, Melian seeks to teach Galadriel something of her magic.
| Major Characters: Galadriel, Melian |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Slash/Femslash | Challenges: International Day of Femslash 2013 |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Sexual Content (Mild) |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 985 |
| Posted on 21 July 2013 | Updated on 21 July 2013 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (4) |
The Sailing Forth by Dawn Felagund
One oppressive summer in Tirion, Anairë is sent by her father to Alqualondë. A diligent scholar and obedient daughter, Anairë has never made time for love, but finds her womanhood awakened by the most unlikely of romantic partners: Eärwen, daughter of the Telerin king. As the summer draws to a close, both women must accept that their obligations to their families and people do not allow much space for their love. Written for the International Day of Femslash 2013.
| Major Characters: Anairë, Eärwen, Fingolfin, Original Character(s) |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Romance, Slash/Femslash | Challenges: International Day of Femslash 2013 |
| Rating: Adult | Warnings: Mature Themes, Sexual Content (Graphic) |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 10, 824 |
| Posted on 21 July 2013 | Updated on 21 July 2013 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (11) |
The In-universe Authorship of LACE by Independence1776
The in-universe authorship of LACE makes the document inherently unreliable.
| Major Characters: Eriol |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Nonfiction/Meta | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 890 |
| Posted on 20 July 2013 | Updated on 20 July 2013 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (2) |
The Little Boy by LadyBrooke
Once upon a time, a little boy made his mother a promise.
| Major Characters: Eldalótë, Orodreth |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Experimental | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: Character Death |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 597 |
| Posted on 15 July 2013 | Updated on 15 July 2013 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (4) |
A Brother's Gift by Elisif
An explorative response to the question "why didn't Curufin ever make Maedhros a mechanical hand"?
| Major Characters: Amrod, Caranthir, Celegorm, Curufin, Maedhros, Maglor |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Drama | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Mature Themes, Violence (Mild) |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 2, 233 |
| Posted on 15 July 2013 | Updated on 15 July 2013 |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (3) |
On the Uses of Lists by Angelica
Nerdanel remembers (or tries to)
| Major Characters: Nerdanel, Sons of Fëanor |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 357 |
| Posted on 13 July 2013 | Updated on 13 July 2013 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (6) |
In the Silent Spaces by Elleth
In the wake of Finrod's abdication and departure, Finduilas struggles to uphold order in Nargothrond in whatever way she can, and finds herself involved, if quietly, in momentous events. Written for Zdenka at Not Primetime 2013.
| Major Characters: Curufin, Finduilas, Huan, Lúthien Tinúviel, Orodreth |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Adventure, General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 4, 631 |
| Posted on 11 July 2013 | Updated on 11 July 2013 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (6) |
Sunday Scriberies by Elleth
A collection of answers and essays originally written as guest contributions to Ask Middle-earth's Scribe Sunday project on tumblr. Will be updated bi-weekly. Discontinued.
| Major Characters: Elves, Eärendil, Maiar, Meril-i-Turinqi, Ossë, Uinen |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Nonfiction/Meta | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 5 | Word Count: 5, 944 |
| Posted on 23 May 2013 | Updated on 11 July 2013 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (8) |
Roads not Taken by clotho123
These five short vignettes are AUs that might have been canon. Each of them takes an idea that was conceived and then abandoned by Tolkien, and builds a brief scene on it.
| Major Characters: Aredhel, Beren, Celegorm, Círdan, Curufin, Eöl, Fëanor, Fingolfin, Gildor, Noldor |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Alternate Universe, General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 2, 445 |
| Posted on 8 July 2013 | Updated on 8 July 2013 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (4) |
Even in Valinor by Elisif
Maedhros reflects on the process of teaching himself to fight with his left hand and his motivations for it.
| Major Characters: Maedhros, Sons of Fëanor |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Fixed-Length Ficlet | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Violence (Moderate) |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 613 |
| Posted on 8 July 2013 | Updated on 8 July 2013 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (1) |
Strange Encounters by Cirth
Elrond meets his mother in an unlikely place. Sequel to 'Fissure'.
| Major Characters: Elemmírë, Elrond, Elwing |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Drama | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 3, 428 |
| Posted on 8 July 2013 | Updated on 8 July 2013 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (3) |
Loyalty Unyielding by Zlu and Luff
This story follows Melkor and Sauron through the main Melkor-relevant events of the Silmarillion. Beginning with Morgoth's triumphant return to Angband with the Silmarils, through the consequences of the taxing battle with Fingolfin and the troublesome Quest for the Silmaril, all the way to Dagor Dagorath... and beyond.
During the course of this story you shall see Melkor risen high and fallen low and you will learn a thing or two about the loyalty of a certain Maia. There will be moments sad and serious and those quite funny as well. Please review!
| Major Characters: Melkor, Sauron |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Erotica, Humor, Romance, Slash/Femslash | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Adult | Warnings: Mature Themes, Sexual Content (Graphic) |
| Chapters: 13 | Word Count: 89, 483 |
| Posted on 26 November 2012 | Updated on 7 July 2013 |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (14) |
Storm Tossed by Levade
She was his, his bright-eyed, noisy, always-hungry lovely, until the day the sea called her home. Ereinion, Círdan and a quick look at life in 2nd Age Lindon.
| Major Characters: Círdan, Gil-galad |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 686 |
| Posted on 6 July 2013 | Updated on 6 July 2013 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (5) |
Threads by Dawn Felagund
Shortly after the kinslaying at Alqualondë, Finarfin finds his nephew Fingon on the beach. Always the peacekeepers in their tumultuous family, both must choose where their loyalties lie in times to come.
| Major Characters: Finarfin, Fingon |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Mature Themes, Violence (Mild) |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 3, 352 |
| Posted on 5 July 2013 | Updated on 5 July 2013 |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (14) |
Cold are the waters of Cuiviénen by belegur
Melkor's thoughts before the making of the orcs.
| Major Characters: Melkor |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Experimental, Horror, Science Fiction | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Torture |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 421 |
| Posted on 4 July 2013 | Updated on 4 July 2013 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (4) |
Cook Wanted by Alquien
Cooking for a large family is harder than it may seem.
| Major Characters: Amras, Amrod, Caranthir, Celegorm, Curufin, Fëanor, Maedhros, Maglor, Nerdanel |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: General | Challenges: B2MeM 2011 |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 430 |
| Posted on 3 July 2013 | Updated on 3 July 2013 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (4) |
In The Interest of Historical Accuracy by Duilwen
In Eregion in the mid-Second Age, an ambitious young scholar sets out to understand the last remaining followers of the House of Fëanor.
| Major Characters: No major characters listed |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: Character Death |
| Chapters: 6 | Word Count: 20, 209 |
| Posted on 14 March 2013 | Updated on 2 July 2013 |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (37) |
| Major Characters: Curufin, Finrod Felagund |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Slash/Femslash | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Adult | Warnings: Incest, Expletive Language, Sexual Content (Graphic) |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 868 |
| Posted on 28 June 2013 | Updated on 28 June 2013 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (3) |
Without the Walls by clotho123
In which Fingolfin makes a fresh start, and later discusses the First Age with his younger brother
| Major Characters: Finarfin, Fingolfin |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 2, 439 |
| Posted on 27 June 2013 | Updated on 27 June 2013 |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (2) |
Then Eru Spoke by Taylor17387
After destroying the world, Morgoth reunites with Eru to have an enlightening conversation in the dark.
| Major Characters: Eru Ilúvatar, Melkor |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 2 | Word Count: 1, 997 |
| Posted on 26 June 2013 | Updated on 26 June 2013 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (6) |
Poetic History of Arda ( Part 1: The Music of the Ainur) by Furnace with wings
An ongoing project to render the ENTIRE history of Arda (From the Music of the Ainur to the Fourth Age) into Verse.
Comments and Suggestions for improvement are solicted and accepted.
| Major Characters: Ainur |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Poetry | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 868 |
| Posted on 23 June 2013 | Updated on 23 June 2013 |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
A Rare Gift by Elisif
At the end of his life, Elros recieves an unexpected visitor.
| Major Characters: Elrond, Elros, Maglor |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Drama | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Character Death |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 2, 293 |
| Posted on 23 June 2013 | Updated on 23 June 2013 |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (3) |
Ecstasy by Independence1776
Varda/Yavanna femslash: photosynthesis as sex.
| Major Characters: Varda, Yavanna |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Fixed-Length Ficlet, Slash/Femslash | Challenges: B2MeM 2012 |
| Rating: Adult | Warnings: Sexual Content (Graphic) |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 100 |
| Posted on 22 June 2013 | Updated on 22 June 2013 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (8) |
