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
[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.
[Writing] Lament for the Singer by daughterofshadows
A short thing about Maglor, death and grieving.
Current Challenge
Bollywood
Prompts this month are films, songs, and tropes from India's dazzling film industry, Bollywood. Read more ...
Random Challenge
B-Movie
Prompts for this Matryoshka challenge are loosely inspired by the predictable plot arcs of hilariously abominable, eye-rollingly corny, so-bad-they're-actually-kinda-good horror films. 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
Vanyar by heget
My stories, starting with Cuiviénen, that follow Ingwë\'s family and the other Vanyar.
| Major Characters: No major characters listed |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Warnings: No warnings apply | |
| Posted on 7 March 2021 | Updated on 12 April 2021 |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (0) |
Seeds and Pearls by heget
All my stories where the character focus is on the Lindar, be they the Sindar or the Falmari across the sea. Many star Elu Thingol or other members of his family, including some original characters surrounding Elmo.
| Major Characters: No major characters listed |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Warnings: No warnings apply | |
| Posted on 7 March 2021 | Updated on 12 April 2021 |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (0) |
Bór by heget
All my stories focused on the family of Bór, their descendents, and the first Queen of Númenor.
| Major Characters: No major characters listed |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Warnings: No warnings apply | |
| Posted on 7 March 2021 | Updated on 12 April 2021 |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (0) |
Bëor and Nóm by heget
All of my stories focused at least in part on the relationships between members of the House of Bëor and the children of Finarfin.
| Major Characters: No major characters listed |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Warnings: No warnings apply | |
| Posted on 7 March 2021 | Updated on 12 April 2021 |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (0) |
Band of the Red Hand by heget
Centered around a reoccurring cast of original characters - or at least characters unnamed in the text - from Nargothrond, namely the ten companions of Finrod and Beren and their friends who did not go. The name references two things: first the red hand in Beren\'s sigil, the second is the name of Matt Cauthon\'s army from The Wheel of Time. The other unifying feature of these stories is that they are often fusions or at least partly based on characters from other series (like WoT) adapted into The Silmarillion.
\
Eventually I\'ll have at least a vingette for each of the ten who died in Tol-in-Gaurhoth; the other half of the project is Release from Bondage and any spin-offs or sequels.
| Major Characters: No major characters listed |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Warnings: No warnings apply | |
| Posted on 7 March 2021 | Updated on 12 April 2021 |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (0) |
Series: Balar fics by Keiliss
Mainly about Gil-galad :)
| Major Characters: Círdan, Elwing, Erestor, Galadriel, Gil-galad, Gildor, Idril, Lindir, Tuor |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Adventure, Drama, General, Romance | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Warnings: No warnings apply | |
| Posted on 7 March 2021 | Updated on 12 April 2021 |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (0) |
B2MeM 2018 Musical Terms Bingo by Zdenka
Fics written for the B2MeM 2018 Musical Terms Bingo Card, for the line: Ostinato, Scherzando, Fuoco, Estinto, Cadence.
| Major Characters: No major characters listed |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Warnings: No warnings apply | |
| Posted on 7 March 2021 | Updated on 12 April 2021 |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (0) |
Artíreverse by WendWriter
Artíre the Watcher is an observer who likes drama for its own sake. He hates the thought of taking sides - he\'s more of a double agent. When Sauron inveigles him into a scheme against the Valar with the promise of a spectacle to enjoy, Artíre is forced to side with Melkor to satisfy his love of conflict. This kicks off a cycle of feuding that never really gets resolved and changes Artíre forever. Later on, he becomes the Watcher in the Water at Moria.
| Major Characters: Original Character(s), Melkor, Men, Orcs, Sauron, Valar |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Drama, Horror | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Warnings: No warnings apply | |
| Posted on 7 March 2021 | Updated on 12 April 2021 |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (0) |
Antonyms by Harnatano - Lithenna
This series is dedicated to the short things I\'ll write and which can be in relation to Anathema, although there are necessary to understand the main narrative, nor do they need the main narrative to be understood.
| Major Characters: Celebrimbor, Curufin, Fëanor |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Drama, Experimental | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Warnings: No warnings apply | |
| Posted on 7 March 2021 | Updated on 12 April 2021 |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (0) |
A Nerdanel Series by oshun
I am working on a few pieces about Nerdanel. So I will add them here as I finish. There is not nearly enough about her in The Silmarillion in comparison with her importance to the main storyline.
| Major Characters: Anairë, Eärwen, Fëanor, Finarfin, Fingolfin, Finwë, Indis, Míriel Serindë |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Drama, General, Romance | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Warnings: No warnings apply | |
| Posted on 7 March 2021 | Updated on 12 April 2021 |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (0) |
2019 Solstice Instadrabbling Challenge by lovelytimes
Short drabbles written for the 2019 Solstice instadrabbling challenge.
| Major Characters: Orcs |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Warnings: No warnings apply | |
| Posted on 7 March 2021 | Updated on 12 April 2021 |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (0) |
A Wild Tangle of Stones and Vines by Independence1776
An attempt to write for all of SWG’s 2019 challenges in a ‘verse where Celebrían is rescued immediately and therefore doesn’t sail West and Maglor settles in Rivendell.
The series is complete. Nine of the eleven challenges were written in this series; the other two challenges appeared in other fics.
| Major Characters: Celebrían, Elrond, Maglor |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Alternate Universe | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Warnings: No warnings apply | |
| Posted on 7 March 2021 | Updated on 12 April 2021 |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (0) |
Tyrant Spells by Independence1776
After an ambush by Morgoth’s army destroys the Fëanorian camp, the survivors seek refuge in the Havens. This is the aftermath, both immediate and later.
This is a dark AU (but not hopeless or grimdark), so the entire series functions under the "Choose Not to Warn" banner because I suspect I'd miss a warning if I attempted to list them all. The first story contains a ton of off-screen character death, on-screen suicide-by-battle, and no good answers. The rest of the series may have references to and graphic descriptions of torture.
This series is complete.
| Major Characters: No major characters listed |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Alternate Universe | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Warnings: No warnings apply | |
| Posted on 7 March 2021 | Updated on 11 April 2021 |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (0) |
Course Correction by Raaf
After the not so untimely death of Ar-Pharazôn the kingdom of Númenor is now officially under the sole rule of Tar-Míriel. In practice, the position of the Faithful remains precarious and unpopular. She doesn't have the support to outright reverse her subjects’ misguided course, but now at least she has an opportunity to start fixing that.
Sauron’s powerbase is entrenched in Númenórean society, but it was based on the favour and support of the king. Openly acting against his nominal sovereign would endanger it. It was time to adjust his strategy.
Plotting ensues.
| Major Characters: Amandil, Sauron, Tar-Míriel |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Alternate Universe | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Violence (Moderate) |
| Chapters: 8 | Word Count: 20, 218 |
| Posted on 22 March 2020 | Updated on 11 April 2021 |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (1) |
Hunter, Hound and Lady by chrissystriped
Tyelkormo let himself fall to the ground when he heard the twang of a bowstring and the arrow hit the tree trunk above him.
After crossing the Ice, Aredhel confronts Celegorm in the woods.
| Major Characters: Aredhel, Celegorm |
| Major Relationships: Aredhel & Celegorm |
| Genres: | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Expletive Language, Violence (Mild) |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 963 |
| Posted on 27 June 2020 | Updated on 11 April 2021 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Begun in the Cradle by chrissystriped
Maedhros's and Fingon's friendship started when they were little, not least thanks to their mothers.
| Major Characters: Anairë, Fingon, Maedhros, Nerdanel |
| Major Relationships: Fingon & Maedhros, Anairë & Nerdanel |
| Genres: Family, Fluff | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 506 |
| Posted on 12 January 2020 | Updated on 11 April 2021 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
It'll All Be Clear by StarSpray
Eluréd and Elurín return to Imladris after their search for Daeron, but all is not well with them.
| Major Characters: Elrond, Eluréd, Elurín |
| Major Relationships: Eluréd & Elurín |
| Genres: Family, General | Challenges: Words of Wit and Wisdom |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 3, 053 |
| Posted on 10 April 2021 | Updated on 10 April 2021 |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (4) |
To Whom It May Concern by Anne Wolfe
This law-abiding Oklahoman isn't sure whether she's the best kind of person to find a Silmaril or the worst, but she does know one thing: she doesn't want to die. Featuring Mt. St. Helens and Tupperware.
| Major Characters: Original Female Character(s), Maglor |
| Major Relationships: Maglor & Original Character |
| Genres: Alternate Universe, General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 4 | Word Count: 3, 488 |
| Posted on 30 June 2019 | Updated on 10 April 2021 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (4) |
Little Ghosts by Anne Wolfe
Eluréd and Elurín are lost. They meet somebody in the woods, though. Perhaps they can all be lost together.
| Major Characters: Amrod, Eluréd, Elurín |
| Major Relationships: Eluréd & Elurín |
| Genres: Alternate Universe, Experimental, Fluff | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: Character Death |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 461 |
| Posted on 28 October 2019 | Updated on 10 April 2021 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (2) |
Not Shortened by Anne Wolfe
"Do you think Númenor may yet be saved?"
A story of the Faithful, and of hope.
| Major Characters: Amandil, Anárion |
| Major Relationships: Amandil & Anárion |
| Genres: General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 592 |
| Posted on 30 September 2020 | Updated on 10 April 2021 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (4) |
Words of Whimsy and Wit by Lferion
Fills for the March 2021 Silmarillion Writer's Guild bingo challenge, based on W words edited by JRRTolkien from the Oxford English Dictionary. Poems, drabbles and half drabbles ranging from silly to solemn.
| Major Characters: No major characters listed |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Experimental, Fixed-Length Ficlet, Poetry | Challenges: Words of Wit and Wisdom |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 3 | Word Count: 958 |
| Posted on 10 April 2021 | Updated on 10 April 2021 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (1) |
Endure by Anne Wolfe
The stench of fresh blood reached even to the queen's chambers.
A snapshot of Númenor, in the earliest days of sacrifice. Written for Tolkien Gen Week.
| Major Characters: Original Female Character(s), Tar-Míriel |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: Check Notes for Warnings |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 526 |
| Posted on 22 September 2020 | Updated on 9 April 2021 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (2) |
Uttermost West by Sasha Honeypalm
On the eve of the War of Wrath, a reborn Nando is not quite sure which side of the Sea she belongs on.
| Major Characters: Original Female Character(s), Finduilas |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: General | Challenges: B2MeM 2020 |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 118 |
| Posted on 28 March 2020 | Updated on 9 April 2021 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Ninnachel by Elwin Fortuna
The story of Ninnachel of the Noldor, neither male nor female, but gwegwin -- literally 'man-woman' -- intersex and identifying as outside the binary. Warrior, lover, writer of obscene poetry, giver of hope and defiance, community builder.
| Major Characters: Original Male Character(s), Original Nonbinary Character(s), Fingon, Gil-galad, Maedhros |
| Major Relationships: Fingon/Maedhros |
| Genres: Adventure, Drama, Experimental, Humor, Poetry, Romance, Slash/Femslash | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Warnings: No warnings apply | |
| Posted on 24 July 2018 | Updated on 7 April 2021 |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (0) |
Hair Commander by Elwin Fortuna
Maedhros shows Fingon a new way of thinking about himself.
| Major Characters: Fingon, Maedhros |
| Major Relationships: Fingon & Maedhros |
| Genres: Ficlet, Fluff | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 762 |
| Posted on 26 March 2021 | Updated on 7 April 2021 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
