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
Love Conquers All
Show how one character helps another to overcome a difficulty in his or her life through love. 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
A Clouded Gem by Rocky41_7
Indis struggles to understand her husband's son.
| Major Characters: Fëanor, Indis |
| Major Relationships: Fëanor & Indis |
| Genres: Family, Ficlet | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 563 |
| Posted on 19 July 2022 | Updated on 19 July 2022 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (4) |
Warning Labels by grey_gazania
Maedhros and one of his followers discuss Elrond and Elros' future.
| Major Characters: Original Character(s), Original Female Character(s), Maedhros |
| Major Relationships: Elrond & Elros & Maedhros & Maglor |
| Genres: Ficlet, General | Challenges: Zingers |
| Rating: Creator Chooses Not to Rate | Warnings: Creator Chooses Not to Warn |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 585 |
| Posted on 18 July 2022 | Updated on 18 July 2022 |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (6) |
A Distant Peace by Astrance
Someday you’ll go far. And I really hope you stay there. Finarfin’s words to Fëanor haunted him throughout his life, from the idyllic land of Valinor to the shores of Middle-Earth.
| Major Characters: Fëanor |
| Major Relationships: Amras & Amrod & Caranthir & Celegorm & Curufin & Fëanor & Maedhros & Maglor, Fëanor & Finwë |
| Genres: Drama | Challenges: Zingers |
| Rating: General | Warnings: Character Death |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 2, 786 |
| Posted on 17 July 2022 | Updated on 17 July 2022 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (2) |
Prehistory of the Eldar by Lyra
Before the Elves came to Aman, they spent centuries in the dark lands of Middle-earth, but there are few stories from these days. This series collects artwork and stories that attempt to close that gap in the history of the Eldar.
| Major Characters: Elves |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Warnings: No warnings apply | |
| Posted on 17 July 2022 | Updated on 17 July 2022 |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (0) |
Prehistory of the Eldar by Lyra
A collection of illustrations about Elves in their pre-Aman days.
| Major Characters: Elves, Oromë |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Artwork Type: Illustration |
| Genres: | Challenges: B2MeM 2016, Love Actually |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Posted on 17 July 2022 | Updated on 17 July 2022 |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (6) |
Illegal Noldorin Immigrants by Himring
On Mount Olympus, Zeus receives a puzzling report about unusual activities among the Amazons.
His female relatives appear to know more about these than they let on.
| Major Characters: Legendary/Mythical Character(s), Eldalótë, Elenwë, Lalwen |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Crackfic, Crossover | Challenges: Also Appearing |
| Rating: General | Warnings: Check Notes for Warnings |
| Chapters: 2 | Word Count: 614 |
| Posted on 2 July 2022 | Updated on 16 July 2022 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (21) |
Review of "The Great Tales Never End: Essays in Memory of Christopher Tolkien" by Grundy
The Great Tales Never End: Essays in Memory of Christopher Tolkien is a collection that pays homage not only to the extraordinary achievement of Christopher Tolkien's work on the legendarium but that acknowledges him as a person and scholar whose impact ranged beyond the borders of Middle-earth.
Party Hangovers in Hobbiton by MirienSilowende
Hobbits flock to The Green Dragon to try and decipher the meaning of Bilbo's speech and work out if he was insulting them, or complimenting them.
This is a fic for the Zinger! challenge.
| Major Characters: Historical Character(s), Bilbo Baggins |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Fluff | Challenges: Zingers |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 604 |
| Posted on 15 July 2022 | Updated on 15 July 2022 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (13) |
The Last Frost Fair by Narya
In 1814 Maglor walks the frozen river Thames, observing and reflecting.
| Major Characters: Maglor |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 097 |
| Posted on 15 July 2022 | Updated on 15 July 2022 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (2) |
Us Two by Grundy
"Dior was slain also, and Nimloth his wife, and the cruel servants of Celegorm seized his young sons and left them to starve in the forest."
Maedhros was not the first to look for the missing twins. Nor did he ever learn that they had been found.
| Major Characters: Amras, Eluréd, Elurín, Maedhros, Maglor |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Character Death, Child Abuse, Violence (Mild) |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 3, 247 |
| Posted on 26 March 2017 | Updated on 13 July 2022 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (13) |
The Light of Other Stars by Grundy
Not many elves travel in deep space. Most stay close to home. Elnor is an exception.
| Major Characters: Original Male Character(s), Fingon, Maedhros |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Crossover | Challenges: Crackuary |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 519 |
| Posted on 16 February 2020 | Updated on 13 July 2022 |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (8) |
Everything In Order by Grundy
I've said many times that nearly everything I write is in the same continuity. So here's an attempt at collecting it all in order. (Still a work in progress at this point...trying out link collections to see if this is the way to go, or if it would make more sense to just start a new story and plunk it all there.)
| Major Characters: No major characters listed |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Creator Chooses Not to Rate | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Posted on 13 July 2022 | Updated on 13 July 2022 |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (0) |
Maudits silmarils, livre 2 by Dilly
À Gondolin, pendant que ses chevaliers parcourent le monde, Turgon déprime... Une parodie crack du Silmarillion façon Kaamelott et Sacré Graal. Suite du livre I. Nouveau chapitre : L'absence.
| Major Characters: Original Character(s), Original Female Character(s), Original Male Character(s), Aredhel, Ecthelion of the Fountain, Egalmoth, Elenwë, Fingolfin, Fingon, Glorfindel, Maedhros, Meleth (Elf), Men, Meril, Noldor, Orodreth, Penlod, Turgon |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Drama, General, Humor, Romance, Slash/Femslash | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Character Death, Mature Themes, Sexual Content (Moderate) |
| Chapters: 22 | Word Count: 60, 429 |
| Posted on 12 January 2016 | Updated on 10 July 2022 |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Bloody silmarils, book I by Dilly
In Gondolin, Turgon is depressed... A comedy and parody of the Silmarillion with a lot of characters and chapters. Chapter 20: Fear.
| Major Characters: Original Character(s), Aredhel, Ecthelion of the Fountain, Egalmoth, Elenwë, Elves, Fingolfin, Fingon, Glorfindel, Idril, Maedhros, Maglor, Men, Noldor, Orodreth, Penlod, Rog, Sindar, Thorondor, Turgon |
| Major Relationships: Elenwë/Turgon, Fingon/Maedhros, Fingon & Turgon, Fingolfin & Fingon |
| Genres: General, Het, Humor, Romance, Slash/Femslash | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Mature Themes, Sexual Content (Moderate) |
| Chapters: 20 | Word Count: 23, 889 |
| Posted on 27 March 2015 | Updated on 10 July 2022 |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (8) |
Gladden Fields by Himring
Photo of yellow iris with an inset photo of yellow water lilies.
| Major Characters: No major characters listed |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Artwork Type: Photography |
| Genres: | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Posted on 10 July 2022 | Updated on 10 July 2022 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (4) |
Tapestries and Fate by ArizonaPoppy
Finrod visits Andreth at her museum, where she works as a conservationist.
A museum/magical realism AU retelling of the Athrabeth for the "Also Appearing" Monthly Challenge.
| Major Characters: Andreth, Finrod Felagund |
| Major Relationships: Andreth & Finrod, Aegnor/Andreth |
| Genres: Alternate Universe, Ficlet | Challenges: Also Appearing |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 577 |
| Posted on 7 July 2022 | Updated on 9 July 2022 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (16) |
Hier, mit dir im Dämmerlicht by daughterofshadows
Sometimes life creates the most beautiful symmetries.
Or two times, Túrin and Beleg sat together during a blackout.
| Major Characters: Beleg, Túrin |
| Major Relationships: Beleg & Túrin |
| Genres: Fluff, General, Science Fiction | Challenges: Also Appearing |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 860 |
| Posted on 8 July 2022 | Updated on 8 July 2022 |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (4) |
Family Heirlooms by grey_gazania
A collection of stories about Elrond\'s childhood with the Sons of Fëanor, and its impact on his later life.
| Major Characters: Original Character(s), Original Female Character(s), Celebrían, Elrond, Elros, Maedhros, Maglor |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Drama, General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Warnings: No warnings apply | |
| Posted on 7 March 2021 | Updated on 6 July 2022 |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (0) |
Little Drop of Poison by grey_gazania
Maedhros is injured, and Elrond discovers his talent for healing.
Written for Tolkien Gen Week on Tumblr (prompt: grey spaces).
| Major Characters: Original Character(s), Elrond, Maedhros, Maglor |
| Major Relationships: Elrond & Elros & Maedhros & Maglor |
| Genres: General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Creator Chooses Not to Rate | Warnings: Creator Chooses Not to Warn |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 2, 339 |
| Posted on 6 July 2022 | Updated on 6 July 2022 |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (1) |
A Miracle of Infectiousness by kimikocha
It's supposed to be impossible for the Ainur to get sick, but Mairon has always been exceptional.
| Major Characters: Melkor, Sauron |
| Major Relationships: Melkor/Sauron |
| Genres: Crackfic, Fluff, Humor | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Creator Chooses Not to Rate | Warnings: Expletive Language, Mature Themes, Sexual Content (Moderate) |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 2, 577 |
| Posted on 6 July 2022 | Updated on 6 July 2022 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Tolkien Fanworks Scholarship Bibliography by Dawn Felagund
This collection includes links to online open-access scholarship about Tolkien-based fanworks.
| Major Characters: No major characters listed |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Reference Collection | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Creator Chooses Not to Rate | Warnings: Creator Chooses Not to Warn |
| Posted on 11 June 2022 | Updated on 6 July 2022 |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (0) |
Aurë Entuluva by StarSpray
Gil-galad comes face to face with Sauron.
| Major Characters: Gil-galad, Sauron |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Drama, Ficlet, General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Violence (Mild) |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 293 |
| Posted on 6 July 2022 | Updated on 6 July 2022 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (4) |
Sawdust by StarSpray
Findis watches, entranced, as he takes up his tools and begins a new carving, taking a shapeless lump of wood and turning it into a leaping hound before her eyes.
| Major Characters: Findis, Finwë |
| Major Relationships: Findis & Finwe |
| Genres: Family, Ficlet, General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Character Death |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 559 |
| Posted on 4 July 2022 | Updated on 6 July 2022 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (5) |
Calls from the other end of the galaxy by daughterofshadows
Sometimes you just need a little help with a code from the author, even if you've been working with it for decades. If only they would answer their dang phone!
So, instead Maeglin calls an old friend, hears an amusing anecdote and passes on a message.
It's all in a day's work.
Except for the autopilot. That took a lot longer.
| Major Characters: Celebrimbor, Maeglin |
| Major Relationships: Celebrimbor & Maeglin |
| Genres: General | Challenges: Also Appearing |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 601 |
| Posted on 6 July 2022 | Updated on 6 July 2022 |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (6) |
So It Is Said by StarSpray
Elros befriends some gulls
| Major Characters: Elros |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Ficlet, Fluff, General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 364 |
| Posted on 5 July 2022 | Updated on 5 July 2022 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (1) |
