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.
The majority of the Silmarillion was penned by a single Elf--an Elf who was so thoroughly written out as to appear only through the ways in which their perspective shaped the stories we see. This is their story, the historian's history, the Pennas Pengolodh.
The Exiles of Gondolin come to Sirion. The residents of Sirion welcome them, and friendship blossoms between the last remaining loremaster of Gondolin and a young poet of Sirion.
Fingon returns to Barad Eithel after a late-autumn hunt, finding someone unexpected with his wife. The night takes an even more unexpected turn for all three of them.
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
B2MeM 2010
Back to Middle-earth Month 2010 was a collaborative game-style challenge where participants created fanworks in order to progress in their attempt to win the Last Battle. 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.
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.
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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.
I like how you brought out the parallels between the first age and the third through the eyes of one of the few who had seen both. I can see a lot of thought went into this and I'm a reader who appreciates that. Well done and I'll be looking forward to seeing more of your work.
When it came to the section for Aragorn before the Morannon I was completely absorbed in movieverse, despite the set up you had given the reader, I could not have been farther in my mind from the First Age, and then you hit me with the comparison to Fingolfin calling out Morgoth. Nor had I ever seen the comparison to the War of Wrath when the eagles arrived. Very nice work.
Lovely! It is so good to see you here, Compa_Mighty! There are a few places where the wording stumbles, but the overall effect is magnificent - this is history writ large, a perspective that no one else could have. Seldom do we see the Valar active in the events of the Third Age, but through Gandalf's eyes, that seems clear. I loved how you compared Theoden to Oromë - straight off the pages of the original, but now in a new light! Good job, and I hope to see more from you.
Hello MithLuin, it was great to see you participate in the contest as well. I am sorry for not answering sooner to your post, but I have been really busy. I would very much appreciate for you to tell me where the wording stumbles. Any feedback is always good.
First of all let me say that I found this well written and very interesting. It was a new take on something very familiar and it was cleverly done, however I am afraid that for me personally this is still a Lotr story rather than a Silmarillion story, whcih of course doesn;t make it any less, just for me personally made it feel a bit misplaced. Still very nice work. :)
This story has a lovely touch of AU, I mean Oromë on Pellenor! That would have been so awesome, it would feel like him to ignore Manwé’s will for a good fight, then again I can see Tulkas doing this even more so! As I was reading this and all the allusions you wove into the retelling of the Siege of Minas Tirith and the final battle against Sauron, I suddenly started to miss Túrin in all of this, as much as I like Beren, Túrin stature as a warrior was greater and there were moments where the mentioning of Beren felt a bit off, imho. Anyway, this was a nice peace that paid tribute to all of Tolkien’s works – including the Hobbit.
Let me thank you for all these good comments, I really appreciate them! I also appreciate your feedback, as it will, no doubt, allow me to improve my style and adequate storytelling, with everything that implies.
Thanks again to everyone who reviewed my story. It was a real pleasure sharing with you and participating in the contest.
I am writing this review to say I edited the story for a few "where" that were actually "were" and slipped past the first revision. I hope it is better now, and I would appreciate you telling me any other mistakes you might find.
A much belated review here and one that comes from a circuitous route at that!
This is a great view from "30,000 feet" for all that ties to the War of the Ring. And how better to achieve this than having Olórin as narrator? That is a very effective device. As a dedicated Silm-geek (and also one who relishes the very weirdest bits of the History of Middle-earth), I loved the way you brought in all the past events into the light.
With regard to fan fiction or even a more orthodox reading of the trilogy, my opinion is that the better stories written in the Lord of the Rings milieu are informed by those who have read (and even re-read) The Silmarillion et al. since this is the foundation mythos for the trilogy. Your story is a perfect illustration of why this is so.
Very nice, and seeing as how this is your lone offering, I hope that you will consider writing more and posting your work here.
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.