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!
New Challenge: Potluck Bingo Sit down to a delicious selection of prompts served on bingo boards, created by the SWG community.
Bingo Cards Wanted for Potluck Bingo Our November-December challenge will be Potluck Bingo, featuring cards created by you! If you'd like to create cards or prompts for cards, we are taking submissions.
Tolkien Meta Week, December 8-14 We will be hosting a Tolkien Meta Week in December, here on the archive and on our Tumblr, for nonfiction fanworks about Tolkien.
New Challenge: Orctober Orcs on a quest for freedom seek a place sheltered and safe from the Dark Lord. Fulfill prompts to gather the clues needed to bring them to freedom.
A series of articles featuring fan-made maps of all the lands of Arda. Part III explores the island of Númenor and mainland Middle-earth during the Second Age.
Created for the 'Geography/Maps/Places' prompt on the "Tolkien meta" bingo board, this is a collection of maps marked with the various people groups showing how they arrived and moved about Beleriand. This collection focuses specifically on the time from the arrival of the Teleri, Vanyar, and…
This is an analysis on whether the Sindar ate the Petty-dwarves during the years they hunted them, completed for the 'Literary Analysis' prompt on the "Tolkien Meta" bingo card.
Current Challenge
Potluck Bingo
Help yourself to a collection of prompts on bingo boards designed by members and friends of the SWG. Read more ...
Random Challenge
Start to Finish
Choose one of the famous first lines from the list below and use it to start your story. If you are creating a fanwork other than writing, you may use one of the first lines to inspire your fanwork. Read more ...
A series of articles featuring fan-made maps of all the lands of Arda. Part III explores the island of Númenor and mainland Middle-earth during the Second Age.
A reworking of the 2018 article for Long Live Feedback that includes data from the 2020 Tolkien Fanfiction Survey, pointing to a lack of comments as related to skill, confidence, and community connection.
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.
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.
Lord of the Rings Secret Santa 2024
LotR SESA has been ongoing for twenty-one years and is running again this year as a prompt meme hosted on AO3 for all genres of Tolkien-based fanfiction.
Kiliel Week 2024
Kiliel Week is a Tumblr event for fanworks about the Kili/Tauriel pairing.
November challenge at tolkienshortfanworks
The challenge for November has been posted to the tolkienshortfanworks community on Dreamwidth. Thematic prompt: refuge. Formal challenge: include imitation of a sound. As always, these can be filled independently and also freely combined with SWG and other challenges. New participants welcome!
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.
Oh my! Well, they should have known what they were getting themselves into when Nerdanel announced that she insisted on being allowed to follow her artistic vision! But then, your Ingwe doesn't seem to be the sort of person who actually realises that other people's vision might differ from his. I love that you made Osse so sympathetic and reconciliatory. And Finarfin is willing to think and listen, at least. (I also can't help but notice that the Valar do not appear to take offense!)
Meanwhile, the sculpture you describe is utterly compelling! Again, I found it surprising (and fascinating!) that you made Námo one of the Valar who have their eyes open, since he tends to be depicted as a complete killjoy who ignores those Noldor who are alive and looks down on those who come to his halls. So the idea of him weeping over a dead elf is intriguing! And Varda with her sickle, and the (blindfolded!) dancing ladies... I wish I could see the sculpture in real life!
Thank you so much. I have always had a great deal of sympathy for Lord Namo - it's a rather thankless job that he holds. I think he cares for each soul who comes to him with love and respect. I also would love to see this sculpture in real life, it would be intruiging, to say the least - LOL.
I very much apprediate your reading and your comments. *hugs*
Really liked this piece. Especially the description of Namo. I can see that image of him, burdened with the countless deaths that occurred after the Separation and how, in a way, each one was another layer of guilt, another failure, another soul requiring a healing touch--perhaps never to recover and be re-embodied. And he was in charge of them all. He had watched them set out, warned them of the Doom and in the end he was the one they came back to, he was the one that had to see/experience their pain, he was the one who had to heal them--absorbing in a way all that came before. Quite a heavy duty.
The blinfolds and choices for that were also fascinating, as were the ones with unbound eyes.
Thanks so much for your words and review. I admit I have a soft spot in my heart for Namo. He seems to get the blame so often but his job is a very tough one, as you summarized. It was fun to allow my little sculptor to run freely through the Valar.
Thank you! I quite firmly support the idea of artistic independence and integrity. Often artwork can give insights into behavior that are hidden in other venues. Your review is deeply appreciated. Thanks!!!
Oh, this is wonderful! I love how you depicted who Nerdanel chose to leave with eyes unbound and why- it has such poetic description and feels true to the Valar as well. As my name gives away, I love Nienna. I think in one simple line you so perfectly described her. "While her brother weeps for the dead, she weeps for the living." Likewise, the depictions of Ulmo, Námo, and all the others was spot on. And your Nerdanel is wonderful too. Such determination to share her vision.
It is such an interesting way to put it, the Valar with their eyes bound. And I know I've said this before, but everything about your descriptions seems so true to each Vala.(And likewise for Nerdanel.) Really all your characters seem true to themselves, in a way I cannot quite explain, considering how little we see of some of them in canon. But it all just feels right.
I loved this fic so much! As a fellow artist I perfectly know Nerdanel feeling of a) not wanting to be disturbed by other people while she is working and b) the imperative importance of finishing your art remaining true to it and not bending it to the will of other people.
I wasn't expecting this rapresentation of the Valar but I have loved it! And I love how Nerdanel has stood her ground with Ingwe and all the other man... she is great! the best! We all have to learn from Nerdanel!
Again, great fic! I enjoied it a lot! Good work!! <3<3<3<3<3
Comments
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.