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] Unforgotten by daughterofshadows
Carrying the Silmaril for millennia has consequences.
[Series] The Light and the Sea (Steampunk Númenor) by AdmirableMonster
Largely focused on Númenor, its fall, and the aftermath, as seen from the perspective of two Mannish scientists, bit players in some ways, but who nonetheless cast their shadows across the history of Middle Earth.
[Writing] Reflections by AdmirableMonster
A story of three friends in Númenor, one of whom attracts the attention of the High Priest. What does friendship mean in the shadow of the Black Temple?
[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.
Current Challenge
Bollywood
Prompts this month are films, songs, and tropes from India's dazzling film industry, Bollywood. Read more ...
Random Challenge
Turgon's Rock Opera
On the anniversary of the publication of "The Silmarillion," we’re reflecting on the importance of music in Arda with prompts that come from rock songs. 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
Sandbox Love by Rocky41_7
Galadriel felt she had a well-matched friend in Princess Luthien, and she did not expect that ever to change.
| Major Characters: Galadriel, Lúthien Tinúviel |
| Major Relationships: Galadriel/Lúthien |
| Genres: Drama, Femslash, Romance | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Sexual Content (Mild) |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 9, 559 |
| Posted on 22 July 2023 | Updated on 22 July 2023 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Nature Teaches Beasts to Know Their Friends by BloodwingBlackbird
Tar-Miriel, last queen of Numenor, reigns in name only. Isolated and hopeless, she seeks little more than survival. As the doom of Numenor draws near, she finds herself facing unexpected temptations and strange alliances.
Written for TRSB summer 2023 for art by elvencloud_a_plotting
| Major Characters: Ar-Pharazôn, Sauron, Tar-Míriel |
| Major Relationships: Ar-Pharazôn/Tar-Míriel |
| Genres: | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Adult | Warnings: Check Notes for Warnings |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 13, 608 |
| Posted on 22 July 2023 | Updated on 22 July 2023 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Fault Lines by Lferion
A Dwarf tries to come to terms with the cataclysm that was the end of the First Age. A four-drabble sequence.
| Major Characters: Original Agender Character(s), Dwarves |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Drama, Fixed-Length Ficlet, General | Challenges: Dip the Ladle |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 410 |
| Posted on 20 July 2023 | Updated on 20 July 2023 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (7) |
for time runs more swiftly than justice by Arveldis
“And yet is it not the greater folly to imagine that such love could never grow between our kinds? Was it not folly for us to be made thus and yet driven to dwell together and take up arms together?” She cupped his face in her hand, beseeching him. “Would not the One, who your people say commands the Music of the world—though my people hear it not—have surely foreseen such a grief? And if he did foresee such grief and did nothing, allowing it to pass, what difference is there between his allowance and his will? And if he did will such a grief, then how can your people say that he is good?”
Andreth shares with Aegnor what the Wise say of Men's original nature, and of the wound dealt to them by Morgoth.
| Major Characters: Aegnor, Andreth |
| Major Relationships: Aegnor/Andreth |
| Genres: Het, Romance | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 630 |
| Posted on 19 August 2022 | Updated on 19 July 2023 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
and I will love with urgency, but not with haste by Arveldis
“I would honor the customs of thy people, Andreth, and marry thee in the manner of thy people,” he said at last.
“And if I did not want to?” she asked, so soft she barely heard her own voice. “If I wished to marry thee in the manner of thy people?” Her voice trembled, but she held his gaze.
Aegnor drew in an uneven breath, swift and sharp. His gaze roved her face, tracing her features. When he spoke, his voice was rough but tender. “I would take thee away, to the south or east, and marry thee under the light of the stars. And there none would speak against our union. And I would be thine and thou would be mine in every way that there is.”
A summer evening spent in a glade near the shores of the Aeluin.
| Major Characters: Aegnor, Andreth |
| Major Relationships: Aegnor/Andreth |
| Genres: Het, Romance | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Sexual Content (Mild) |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 3, 143 |
| Posted on 14 June 2022 | Updated on 19 July 2023 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Fëanorians in Seventeen Kisses by sallysavestheday
The rise and fall of the House of Fëanor, told in 17 kisses. Each is a perfect drabble.
| Major Characters: No major characters listed |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 828 |
| Posted on 5 July 2023 | Updated on 19 July 2023 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (4) |
A Return Is Not a Homecoming by grey_gazania
Gil-galad is released from the Halls of Mandos in the Fourth Age, but settling into Tirion is not as easy as she would hope.
Written for Tolkien Gen Week on Tumblr.
| Major Characters: Unnamed Canon Character(s), Unnamed Female Canon Character(s), Anairë, Círdan, Gil-galad |
| Major Relationships: Círdan & Gil-galad, Gil-galad & Unnamed Canon Character, Anairë & Gil-galad |
| Genres: Alternate Universe, General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Creator Chooses Not to Rate | Warnings: Creator Chooses Not to Warn |
| Chapters: 3 | Word Count: 4, 706 |
| Posted on 9 July 2023 | Updated on 18 July 2023 |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (2) |
When the Sixth Day Comes by sallysavestheday
Fëanor takes a momentary interest in a youthful Fingolfin.
| Major Characters: No major characters listed |
| Major Relationships: Fëanor & Fingolfin |
| Genres: | Challenges: Dip the Ladle |
| Rating: Adult | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 616 |
| Posted on 18 July 2023 | Updated on 18 July 2023 |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (15) |
Tar-Míriel by Grundy
A tragic figure of the Second Age, Tar-Míriel should have been the ruling queen but was usurped and forced into marriage by her cousin, leaving her to witness Númenor's fall.
Don't Lose Your Head by daughterofshadows
After his death, Fingolfin does not go to the Halls of Mandos.
| Major Characters: Fingolfin, Rochallor |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Fixed-Length Ficlet | Challenges: Dip the Ladle |
| Rating: General | Warnings: Check Notes for Warnings |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 101 |
| Posted on 15 July 2023 | Updated on 15 July 2023 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (16) |
longing by Harp_of_Gold
In Numenor, Mairon contemplates a sacrifice.
| Major Characters: Sauron |
| Major Relationships: Celebrimbor/Sauron, Melkor/Sauron |
| Genres: Ficlet | Challenges: Dip the Ladle |
| Rating: Adult | Warnings: Character Death, Mature Themes, Violence (Moderate) |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 646 |
| Posted on 15 July 2023 | Updated on 15 July 2023 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (2) |
Notes on Small Matters by Narya
Fingon records a selection of details about his life from the Fourth Age onwards.
| Major Characters: Fingon |
| Major Relationships: Fingon/Maedhros |
| Genres: Ficlet | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Character Death |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 658 |
| Posted on 15 July 2023 | Updated on 15 July 2023 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (2) |
The Cîr Imladris Archive by Lferion
The library and archives of Cîr Imladris contain many stories.
| Major Characters: No major characters listed |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Ficlet, Fixed-Length Ficlet, General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Warnings: No warnings apply | |
| Posted on 15 July 2023 | Updated on 15 July 2023 |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (0) |
Artifacts in Archive by Lferion
In Valinor, Cîr Imladris built, Elrond takes the opportunity to properly catalogue, categorize, and annotate one of the slowly diminishing collection of uncatalogued, uncategorized "miscellaneous objects with words attached" that had been part of the library and archive at Imladris from the beginning.
| Major Characters: Original Agender Character(s), Original Nonbinary Character(s), Elrond |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: General, Mystery, Poetry | Challenges: Pride, Secret Gate |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 224 |
| Posted on 15 July 2023 | Updated on 15 July 2023 |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (4) |
The Choice by LadySternchen
The Grinding Ice proves a deadly trap for Elenwë and her daughter. Turukáno is willing to give his own life to save that of his wife and child, and almost succeeds.
| Major Characters: Turgon |
| Major Relationships: Elenwë/Turgon |
| Genres: Ficlet | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: Character Death |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 2, 268 |
| Posted on 11 July 2023 | Updated on 14 July 2023 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Húrin Thalion, Part 1 by Melesta
A character who remained in the legendarium, largely unchanged, since its earliest writings, Húrin lives an early life defined by valor and heroism. This first part of his biography explores his heroic youth, including connections to ancient and medieval history.
Review of "Tolkien and Diversity" by daughterofshadows
The recent Tolkien Society Seminar proceedings "Tolkien and Diversity" explore both cultural identity and the international fan community and how Tolkien's fanworks and fandom represent marginalized identities.
Daughters of Celebrían by Grundy
Celebrían wasn't caught by orcs. Unfortunately for Elrond and his children, something even more inexplicable happened...
| Major Characters: No major characters listed |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Crossover | crossed with Buffy the Vampire Slayer | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Warnings: No warnings apply | |
| Posted on 11 July 2023 | Updated on 11 July 2023 |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (0) |
didn't know where else to go by maglor-my-beloved
Erestor and Gil-galad are not friends, to say the least, barely tolerating each other for Elrond's sake.
Their comfortable enmity, however, is interrupted one night, when Erestor finds Gil-galad at his door, hurt and terrified.
| Major Characters: Erestor, Gil-galad |
| Major Relationships: Erestor & Gil-galad |
| Genres: Hurt/Comfort | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Check Notes for Warnings |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 588 |
| Posted on 11 July 2023 | Updated on 11 July 2023 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Utopia by FactorialRabbits
Definition: An imagined place or state of things in which everything is perfect.
| Major Characters: Galadriel |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Experimental, General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Check Notes for Warnings |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 861 |
| Posted on 27 June 2018 | Updated on 10 July 2023 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Among the reeds by Adlanth
‘And that is the device of the house of Bëor,’ Elwing adds. ‘My house.’
‘Mine too,’ Tuor says. ‘In part.’
-
Tuor, a young Elwing, and the remnants of the Edain in the havens of Sirion.
| Major Characters: Elwing, Tuor |
| Major Relationships: Elwing & Tuor |
| Genres: General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: Character Death |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 6, 328 |
| Posted on 10 July 2023 | Updated on 10 July 2023 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (4) |
A Small (Mis)Adventure by Grundy
When Tuor can't find Eärendil, he sends for Maeglin to help.
| Major Characters: Eärendil, Maeglin, Tuor |
| Major Relationships: Eärendil & Maeglin |
| Genres: | Challenges: Secret Gate |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 171 |
| Posted on 8 July 2023 | Updated on 8 July 2023 |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (8) |
Things You've Done by StarSpray
They sat in silence for a little while, until Maglor finished his cup of water and sighed. “There is something on your mind,” he said. “Out with it.”
To his vague surprise, Elros did not look up. He carefully plucked another flower and added it to his growing chain. “Why did you do it?”
“Why did I do what?”
“Not—just you. You and—everyone. Why did you come to Sirion?”
| Major Characters: Elros, Maglor |
| Major Relationships: Elros & Maglor |
| Genres: General | Challenges: Secret Gate |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 2, 188 |
| Posted on 8 July 2023 | Updated on 8 July 2023 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (7) |
Loyalty: A Tale in Three Voices by grey_gazania
Who were Ulfang's people, and why did they betray the Elves? The truth as seen by Uldor, Caranthir, and Ulfang's granddaughter.
| Major Characters: Original Character(s), Bor, Brodda, Caranthir, Dwarves, Maedhros, Thuringwethil, Uldor, Ulfang, Ulfast, Ulwarth |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Drama, General | Challenges: 10th Birthday Celebration |
| Rating: Creator Chooses Not to Rate | Warnings: Creator Chooses Not to Warn |
| Chapters: 9 | Word Count: 10, 389 |
| Posted on 4 July 2015 | Updated on 8 July 2023 |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (10) |
Once upon a moon on the brink of June by Himring
Quirky Tom is stumped in his investigation; his partner delivers the goods. (Deliberately misleading summary inspired by the challenge prompts! See Story Notes for more reliable information.)
| Major Characters: Goldberry, Tom Bombadil |
| Major Relationships: Goldberry/Tom Bombadil |
| Genres: Crossover | crossed with Adventures of Tom Bombadil | crossed with Lord of the Rings | Challenges: Secret Gate |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 576 |
| Posted on 5 July 2023 | Updated on 8 July 2023 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (10) |
