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
Just an Old-Fashioned Love Song
Use a popular love song as a prompt to inspire a fanwork about romantic or sexual 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
Four times the Tirion Assistant Civil Registrar sighed at a name, and one time she nodded in approval by Chestnut_pod
Contrary to Luimiel’s nemesis, public opinion, it was not illegal to reuse names. How anyone ever thought a policy of strict non-repetition could work was beyond her. Sheer coincidence essentially guaranteed that there were multiple Sea Lovers or Green Jewels or Happy Women striding about Arda, blissfully unaware of their nominal compatriots across the continent, in the Halls, up a mountain retreat somewhere, or even, in these recently troubled times, beyond the Sea.
One very much could give one’s child a name that had been used before, and, frankly, Luimiel thought, looking across her desk at the unfortunate infant first in line to be registered today, she wished more people would.
| Major Characters: Original Female Character(s) |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: General, Humor | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 3, 925 |
| Posted on 13 April 2022 | Updated on 13 April 2022 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Reverse Death Spiral by Himring
Beren and Luthien.
| Major Characters: Beren, Lúthien Tinúviel |
| Major Relationships: Beren/Luthien |
| Genres: Poetry | Challenges: Arda on Ice |
| Rating: General | Warnings: Check Notes for Warnings |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 44 |
| Posted on 13 April 2022 | Updated on 13 April 2022 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (7) |
Whims of Time and Fate by QuillAndInkWrites
Towards the middle of the Second Age, a young Dwarf of the Longbeard royal line seeks out answers to the mysterious visions and memories she has begun to see over her waking sight — the answer may be right in front of her, written plainly in the histories of Durin I and his reincarnation, Durin II, but does she have the strength to follow the thread and accept the truth?
| Major Characters: Original Female Character(s), Original Male Character(s), Durin I, Durin III, Dwarves |
| Major Relationships: Durin III & Original Male Character, Durin III & Original Female Character |
| Genres: Family, General, Hurt/Comfort, Mystery | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 3 | Word Count: 10, 610 |
| Posted on 19 March 2022 | Updated on 10 April 2022 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (1) |
A Web of Stars by Idrils Scribe
Thranduil never forgave Elrond for Oropher's death at the Last Alliance, and a thousand years of diplomacy have failed to repair the rift between Rivendell and the Greenwood.
For his final, desperate attempt to seal the breach, Celeborn brings an unlikely ambassador: Arwen Undómiel.
Tauriel doesn't care for this foreign lady. Legolas begs to differ, and Arwen ... Arwen just wants an Adventure.
| Major Characters: Arwen, Legolas Greenleaf |
| Major Relationships: Arwen/Legolas |
| Genres: Adventure, Romance | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Creator Chooses Not to Warn |
| Chapters: 12 | Word Count: 24, 005 |
| Posted on 13 February 2022 | Updated on 10 April 2022 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (3) |
Maedhros by oshun
Maedhros is one of the most popular—and controversial—characters in The Silmarillion. The first part of this two-part biography considers his early years, before his capture and torment by Melkor, and how he was shaped by his years in Aman, his impetuous father, and the mediating influence of Nerdanel.
Go On As Three by Elwin Fortuna
Beren falls down a ravine and breaks his leg, but that's just the start of his good fortune.
| Major Characters: Beren, Celegorm, Lúthien Tinúviel |
| Major Relationships: Beren/Celegorm/Luthien |
| Genres: Adventure, Poly, Romance | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Adult | Warnings: Creator Chooses Not to Warn |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 5, 903 |
| Posted on 5 April 2022 | Updated on 5 April 2022 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
I Choose a Mortal Life by Uvatha the Horseman
Elrond and Elros, who are Half-Elven and therefore able to choose whether to be mortal or immortal, choose very different fates.
| Major Characters: Elrond, Elros, Gil-galad |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Drama, Humor | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 10 | Word Count: 4, 419 |
| Posted on 5 April 2022 | Updated on 5 April 2022 |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (1) |
The Loss of Tol Sirion by Uvatha the Horseman
Sauron battles Luthien the great hound Huan for Tol Sirion and loses everything but the shirt on his back. No, make that everything.
| Major Characters: Huan, Lúthien Tinúviel, Melkor, Sauron, Thuringwethil |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Humor | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Rape/Nonconsensual Sex |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 999 |
| Posted on 1 April 2015 | Updated on 4 April 2022 |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (4) |
The Battle of Sarn Ford by Uvatha the Horseman
In SA 1700, Sauron swept across Middle Earth on a mission to take the three Elven Rings from Gil-Galad. He was just as quickly swept back.
| Major Characters: Gil-galad, Sauron |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Humor | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 4, 835 |
| Posted on 1 April 2016 | Updated on 4 April 2022 |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Sofa City by Uvatha the Horseman
After losing Isengard, Saruman has to sleep on a relative's couch.
| Major Characters: Saruman, Sauron, Witch-king of Angmar |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Humor | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 3, 609 |
| Posted on 1 April 2016 | Updated on 4 April 2022 |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (1) |
Our Most Beloved Star by Uvatha the Horseman
Six-year old Elrond and Elros are kidnapped by the Sons of Feanor and held for ransom in exchange for Luthien's Silmaril.
| Major Characters: Elrond, Elros, Maedhros, Maglor |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Drama, Humor | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 11 | Word Count: 5, 056 |
| Posted on 4 April 2022 | Updated on 4 April 2022 |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Fëanor, The World's Worst Son-In-Law by Uvatha the Horseman
In which the sons of Feanor watch funny cat videos on the Palantir
| Major Characters: Ainur, Amras, Amrod, Aulë, Caranthir, Celegorm, Curufin, Maedhros, Maglor, Mahtan, Maiar, Nerdanel |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Humor | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 12 | Word Count: 6, 908 |
| Posted on 1 April 2017 | Updated on 4 April 2022 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Diplomatic Relations by Uvatha the Horseman
50 years before the War of the Ring, the Mouth of Sauron is pranked by the Nazgul on his first day as Chief Ambassador for Mordor.
| Major Characters: Nazgûl, Sauron |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Humor | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 908 |
| Posted on 1 April 2016 | Updated on 4 April 2022 |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Another Man's Trash by Uvatha the Horseman
The Ring has been destroyed, yet Barad-dur still stands. Saruman goes inside to search for anything Sauron might have left behind that will tell him how to make a Ring.
| Major Characters: Elrond, Gríma Wormtongue, Saruman, Sauron |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Humor | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 11 | Word Count: 12, 493 |
| Posted on 1 May 2019 | Updated on 4 April 2022 |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Writing by Candlelight by Himring
Maedhros writes to Fingon.
| Major Characters: Maedhros |
| Major Relationships: Fingon/Maedhros |
| Genres: Fixed-Length Ficlet | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: Check Notes for Warnings |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 100 |
| Posted on 3 April 2022 | Updated on 3 April 2022 |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Becoming Bookverse: Jackson's Films as an Initiation Point for Tolkien's Book Fandom by Dawn Walls-Thumma
As the debut of Amazon's Rings of Power series approaches, fans wonder how their Tolkien fandom communities will be changed by the new show. Using Tolkien Fanfiction Survey data, this article makes the case that, while Tolkien-based media franchises bring new fans to the fanfiction fandom, the stories those fans write become almost wholly book-based.
Starlight, Moonlight, light my sky tonight by Himring
Celeborn and Tom Bombadil watch the moon above the Ered Luin.
For the first time, Celeborn begins to have faith in the Second Age.
| Major Characters: Celeborn, Tom Bombadil |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Fixed-Length Ficlet | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: Check Notes for Warnings |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 100 |
| Posted on 1 April 2022 | Updated on 1 April 2022 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (4) |
Ongoing Efforts of the Healer by Rocky41_7
In the wake of the queen's death, Elrond attempts to ease Thranduil's pain, and soothe his worries for his child.
| Major Characters: Elrond, Thranduil |
| Major Relationships: Elrond & Thranduil |
| Genres: General, Hurt/Comfort | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 2, 215 |
| Posted on 28 March 2022 | Updated on 28 March 2022 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (2) |
What was, what is, and what might be by chrissystriped
Osse and Nowe share some private time together. Nowe has a question about Osse's past. Osse does not want the Teleri to leave for Aman.
| Major Characters: Círdan, Ossë |
| Major Relationships: Círdan/Ossë |
| Genres: Slash | Challenges: Arda on Ice |
| Rating: Adult | Warnings: Check Notes for Warnings, Sexual Content (Graphic) |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 2, 410 |
| Posted on 27 March 2022 | Updated on 27 March 2022 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (6) |
| Major Characters: Maglor |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Fixed-Length Ficlet | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 101 |
| Posted on 25 March 2022 | Updated on 25 March 2022 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (3) |
Wandering Woodcarver by Himring
During the Siege, one of the more peaceful times in the history of Beleriand:
Oderen, the woodcarver, and his wife Emlinn have returned from their travels to their home in Brithombar in the Falas.
But not for very long.
Soon they will set out again...
| Major Characters: Original Character(s) |
| Major Relationships: Original Character/Original Character |
| Genres: Fixed-Length Ficlet | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 205 |
| Posted on 25 March 2022 | Updated on 25 March 2022 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
In the Glittering Halls of King Felagund by Rocky41_7
In his youth, Thranduil went on a diplomatic mission to Nargothrond on behalf of Elu Thingol. His report on the trip was remarkably brief.
| Major Characters: Finrod Felagund, Thranduil |
| Major Relationships: Finrod/Thranduil, Male/Male |
| Genres: Romance, Slash | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Sexual Content (Moderate) |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 16, 566 |
| Posted on 1 March 2022 | Updated on 24 March 2022 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Da Capo by Grundy
Everyone has to start somewhere - though not all children realize it. Drabble written for the Opposites Attract challenge.
| Major Characters: No major characters listed |
| Major Relationships: Elrond & Elros & Maedhros & Maglor |
| Genres: Fixed-Length Ficlet | Challenges: Opposites Attract |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 105 |
| Posted on 14 March 2022 | Updated on 14 March 2022 |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (2) |
How I met your mother by daughterofshadows
Rog tells Celebrilmal how he first met her mother when Celebrilmal is in need of some patching up
| Major Characters: Original Character(s), Rog |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: | Challenges: Opposites Attract |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 554 |
| Posted on 14 March 2022 | Updated on 14 March 2022 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (2) |
The way of things by firstamazon
Maitimo helps Fëanáro, and Fëanáro decides something important.
Written for the Monthly Challenge Opposites Attract with the prompt "organized-chaotic"
| Major Characters: Fëanor, Maedhros |
| Major Relationships: Fëanor & Maedhros |
| Genres: Family, Ficlet, General | Challenges: Opposites Attract |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 707 |
| Posted on 13 March 2022 | Updated on 13 March 2022 |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (6) |
