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.
So glad to see you've posted this here, it's a lovely little piece! Will there be any more in this vein? I'm quite curious to know if Gil-Galad ever gets an answer.
Thank you! And yes, I hope to continue when the craziness of graduating with my MA/moving to a new apartment is over. It's funny how much, as someone who teaches writing, I have the urge to give poor Gil writing tips...
Ooooh, I really enjoy this! Your descriptive passages are gorgeous and balance so beautifully with Gil-galad and his uncertainty. I also think you’ve given Gil-galad such a personable, distinctive voice. Excellent piece!
OMG, thank you so much! I haven't written creatively in years - probably not consistently in about a decade, so your words mean a lot! I'm very quickly falling in love with Gil :)
I'm dying--this is great! I had a theory also (doesn't reach the level of theory--more like speculative head-canon) that it might have been possible that Maedhros was Gil-galad's daddy!
See my chapter "Fingon's Heir" in It Gives a Lovely Light (http://www.silmarillionwritersguild.org/archive/home/viewstory.php?sid=25&chapter=9)
Yaaasss I read that story and loved it! My personal headcanon is that Mae is The Best Dad (TM) and I can totally see him being just the best to Gil when he was little (and to Elros and Elrond). I'm so glad you liked it!
Oh, thank you so much! I was nervous about writing and posting this, and it's so encuraging to hear that you like it! And yes, I have a vague idea for a second and third part - just need to get through the next week of graduating and moving apartments. :)
Poor Gil indeed! I didn't used to be terribly interested in him, but once I saw that post, it totally changed how I felt. I saw an idea and I ran with it - as for now, the way it's described in the post is pretty much how I see it going down in "my" universe, but I suppose that might develop more when I continue. And yes, I imagine this is going to be an awkward conversation...so I said poor Gil, but maybe "Poor Mae" is more accurate!
I liked Gil's characterization, how after the initial dithering he just went for it, and enjoyed the descriptions of Maedhros reading the letter and Maedhros at his desk, writing.
And it was fun to think of Fingon enthusiastically signing birthday cards for Maedhros's adopted children!
Thank you so much! I'm so glad to hear you liked it - it was such fun getting to share my visions of these characters with people I just want a happy ending for them!
I apologise for not reviewing each and every one of the chapters. Its usually my MO, but I've been impossibly busy what with the holidays and all and I can spend a ridiculous amount of time reviewing too, which doesn't help.
Anyway, back to this incredible story.
I love Gil's problems with beginning his letter. "Four words!" He may be a King but that doesn't seem to help him on the writing letters side of things.
But this last chapter. Wow! I could really feel the affection Maedhros held for Gil, whilst penning his letter to him.
Naming Gil-galad after the fire he saw in his eyes was beautiful and Maedhros secretly envious of that fire.
This was a wonderful end to it and the irony of the Noldor having a Sindarin High King. If only they knew.
Lovely janeways. I would recommend this as a great read.
WOW oh my gosh this has to be one of the best comments I've ever received!! Thank you!! This was such a harebrained idea and I'm so glad you've enjoyed it. I think we can all relate to Gil not knowing how to start a message, lol. And as for Maedhros...I wanted to think he'd avail himself of an opportunity to make amends. Secretly, he's a big softie. Thank you again for your lovely comment and for reading!
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.