Lay of the Land extends the idea behind our Character of the Month biographies to important locations within Tolkien's world. These articles seeks to compile the information available in the texts about a particular location and expand that information through analysis using geographical, linguistic, and literary approaches. They are aimed at a wide audience, including fans who are new to The Silmarillion and those who are looking to deepen their understanding, including for the purpose of creating fanworks.
Status: Open to new submissions. Please contact us (see below) before beginning an article.
Contact: Dawn Felagund
Publishes: Monthly
Length: Any
Other Requirements:
Location bios should, at a minimum, review what the major texts tell us about that location: its description, the people who live there, and major events that occur there. However, articles often extend beyond this and can consider
- analysis of how geographical features (including climate) would impact the lives of the people living there, including consideration of economy, culture, transportation, migration patterns, etc.
- analysis of the location's contributions to literary impression: tone, mood, theme, tension, foreshadowing, etc.
- mythological and historical analogues
- linguistic development of place names
- analysis of the location's development as the texts evolved
- interpretation and depiction of the location by fans and in media adaptations
Other approaches are welcome as well. There is no length requirement or recommendation for location bios.
Location bios can use commentary on Tolkien (such as Karen Wynn Fonstad's Atlas of Middle-earth), but this is not required.
Location bios should be aimed at an audience that has minimal familiarity with The Silmarillion. Articles should not editorialize or advocate for one interpretation over another.
Suggested Columns:
While we are actively seeking columns on the following locations, columns are not limited to these locations. Use the contact link above to suggest locations that are not on the list.
In some instances, locations are listed together. If there is enough material to break these into separate columns, that is an acceptable approach. Likewise, locations for which there is a lot of information can be broken into multiple articles across multiple months.
- Alqualondë
- Aman/Valinor
- Amon Ereb
- Angband/Utumno/Thangorodrim
- Arnor
- Balar
- Belegost and Nogrod
- Brethil
- Cuiviénen
- Doriath
- Dorthonion
- Erebor
- Eregion (Hollin)
- The Falas (Brithombar and Eglarest)
- Gondolin
- Gondor
- Great Sea
- Grey Havens
- Harad/Far Harad
- Helcaraxë
- Himring/Himling
- Hithlum
- Imladris
- Khazad-dûm
- Lake Helevorn
- Mordor
- Mountains of Middle-earth
- Nan Elmoth
- Nan-Tathren
- Nargothrond
- Nevrast
- Númenor
- Ossiriand and Lindon
- Pass of Aglon
- Rohan
- Mouths of Sirion/Arvenien/Cape Balar
- Shire
- Tirion
- Tol Sirion/Tol-in-Gaurhoth
- Umbar
- Valimar
