Founded in 2005, the Silmarillion Writers' Guild exists for discussions of and creative fanworks based on J.R.R. Tolkien's The Silmarillion and related texts. We are a positive-focused and open-minded space that welcomes fans from all over the world and with all levels of experience with Tolkien's works. Whether you are picking up Tolkien's books for the first time or have been a fan for decades, we welcome you to join us!
Mereth Aderthad Interview: Interview with polutropos by Dawn "And love grew after between them"—those words have fascinated a fandom intent on revealing the how and why of the "kidnap fam" plot point in "The Silmarillion." In this interview, polutropos discusses her upcoming Mereth Aderthad paper on the topic, “'Kidnap Fam' and the Living Legendarium."
Mereth Aderthad Interview: Interview with Maglor by Shadow Who is Gil-galad? That might seem a silly question, but we know very little of his character beyond his kingship. In this interview, Shadow talks with Maglor about his upcoming Mereth Aderthad presentation "Gil-galad was an Elven King: Kingship and Personhood in the Last High King of the Noldor" that explores who Gil-galad might have been, beyond the last king of the Noldor.
Mereth Aderthad Registration Is Open! Registration for attending Mereth Aderthad is open for both in-person and virtual attendees and will remain open through the day of the event.
Shadow spoke with cloudyhymns about his upcoming presentation for Mereth Aderthad 2025, "The Design of Dragons and the Doom of the Dwarves," where he shares his theory about how Dwarves and dragons are connected in the legendarium, a topic full of implications for fanworks.
They passed out of Lhûn and the wider coastline of Middle-earth opened up before his eyes. He had wandered those shores for centuries, and even now he felt the pull of that same wanderlust, and knew he would miss them for the rest of his life. Their wildness, the untamed waves, the rocky…
Eärendil has to find his way in this unfamiliar land. Luckily (or unluckily, depending on your point of view) for him, it's a time of festival in Valimar...
Dawn spoke with polutropos about her upcoming presentation for Mereth Aderthad, “'Kidnap Fam' and the Living Legendarium," including the appeal of kidnap fam, the appeal of Maglor's character, and how The Silmarillion as an incomplete, complex word makes it ripe for both fanworks and…
Current Challenge
Birthday Bash
Daily word, image, and poetry prompts are loosely structured around events and milestones leading up to our 20th birthday. Read more ...
Random Challenge
Inspiration
Your characters inspire you--but what inspires them? Consider what inspires your characters to act and create. Read more ...
Shadow spoke with cloudyhymns about his upcoming presentation for Mereth Aderthad 2025, "The Design of Dragons and the Doom of the Dwarves," where he shares his theory about how Dwarves and dragons are connected in the legendarium, a topic full of implications for fanworks.
Dawn spoke with polutropos about her upcoming presentation for Mereth Aderthad, “'Kidnap Fam' and the Living Legendarium," including the appeal of kidnap fam, the appeal of Maglor's character, and how The Silmarillion as an incomplete, complex word makes it ripe for both fanworks and scholarship.
As one of the most beloved Silmarillion characters, Maglor is a bundle of contradictions undergirded by a complex textual history. Warrior, musician, wanderer, and survivor, Maglor brings to the fore key themes in Tolkien's early legendarium, such as the role of music, oaths, and exile.
Part of our Themed Collection series for our newsletter, this collection features fiction, artwork, and essays that transcend the idea of Orcs as the enemy, instead considering their humanity.
One wrong decision can make a world of difference. When one of the Fellowship makes the mistake, the consequences are so severe that only the Valar can repair it. But will they?
Glorfindel daughter's life is in Elrohir's hands and only she remembers th eir love for each other. The fate of…
The Gardens of the Entwives are fallen, but two Entwives remain.
Around the World and Web
April Challenge at tolkienshortfanworks
The tolkienshortfanworks challenge for April has been posted to the Dreamwidth community. The thematic prompt is: wood. The formal challenge is: linnod (Gilraen's canonical verse form). These can be filled separately and freely combined with other challenges and prompts that allow this.
Celedriel Week 2025
Celedriel Week is a Tumblr events for fanworks about Galadriel and Celeborn.
Neurodivergent Arda Week 2025
Neurodivergent Arda Week is a Tumblr event to celebrate neurodiversity in Tolkien's works.
Tolkien Ekphrasis Week 2025
This is a Tolkien-fandom-wide event dedicated to the art of ekphrasis in Tolkien's worlds. Its goal is to illuminate the artistic surroundings of the places, people, and stories we love, in as many media as possible.
The Silmarillion Writers' Guild is more than just an archive--we are a community! If you enjoy a fanwork or enjoy a creator's work, please consider letting them know in a comment.
Spoken very much in Tolkien-style verse and woven with clever poetry. I like the fairytale aspect of your tale and the way you portray the passage of time. You also have me imagining Arien's ship on cruise control so she can take the occasional nap.
Oh noes, don\'t give me any ideas! :D Thanks so much for reading and reviewing, Cirdan. Also, a belated welcome to SWG; my apologies for not saying hi sooner, but I was away this weekend past.
I loved this, Dawn! The idea of irreversible change has been on my mind since writing "Wrong Way to..." I like how your character ponders on it, too, and how she comes back to look at that horizon in older age and feels that same stirring she felt as child. You've managed to say so much with this piece, I think new meanings will come every time I read it.
(I'm so sorry I haven't responded to this till now. I came to reply to another comment and realized I had left several unanswered. Bad 'gund! :( )
I have to say that this comment is giving me that happy butterflies-in-the-stomach feeling. :) Of all the stories on my list here, this is one where I feel it doesn't yet reach what I want it to be in my mind. I had a lot going on in my mind, too, as I wrote it, but poetry is and probably always will be difficult for me. I'm so glad that it worked for you, and that you liked it. Thank you for your comment!
(I came here to respond to a new comment and realized I never answered you! I'm so sorry! :( )
I am still very wincy about most of my poetry. I am so happy that it worked for you! I remember writing it in my parents' car on our way to Williamsburg. I had such a clear idea of what I wanted to do and don't feel I'm quite there yet, but it's very encouraging to think I'm on my way, at least. :) Thank you for your kind comment!
I thought this story was great! (As is everything you write, of course). I loved how it was written in a way that almost made it feel like a fairytale, and also the poetry that you interspersed was gorgeous. The ending was especially powerful.
Thank you! I'm not fully happy with this piece ... I'm not fully happy with my poetry, full stop, in the vast majority of instances! :D But you've mentioned here two things that I was definitely trying to do, which is give it a fairy-tale/folkloric feel and make the poetry work with the link pieces. I'm thrilled that these things came through for you. Thanks so much for your kind words and encouragement!
Comments on Bedtime Tales of the Sun
The Silmarillion Writers' Guild is more than just an archive--we are a community! If you enjoy a fanwork or enjoy a creator's work, please consider letting them know in a comment.