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 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.
New Challenge: Birthday Bash In honor of our twentieth birthday, we look back at twenty years of SWG history with a new poetry, image, and word prompt each day.
Mereth Aderthad Interview: Interview with Shadow by Himring Himring interviewed Shadow about their upcoming presentation for Mereth Aderthad, "The Aromantic in Tolkien," and their inspiration for pursuing this topic that is rarely covered in Tolkien scholarship.
But at the very end of the letter she spoke of one more prisoner that Elladan and Elrohir had discovered in one of the deepest dungeons of Dol Guldur, locked away behind a door unopened in so long that the hinges had rusted.
Maglor has been rescued from Dol Guldur, and now faces…
Cúrandil knows the stories, knows how their people first awoke in the water. How they came to walk the land and how the sea has called them back ever since. It is their turn to follow the call now.
Aromanticism is a topic not often covered in Tolkien scholarship, but many Tolkien characters can be read as aromantic. In this interview, Himring talks with Shadow about their upcoming Mereth Aderthad presentation "The Aromantic in Tolkien."
Stella Getreuer-Kostrouch has always felt deeply connected to the character of Elu Thingol. In this interview, Quente asks about this connection and how Stella sees Thingol as unjustly treated by many in the fandom.
Shadow spoke to Acha Rezak about her upcoming presentation for Mereth Aderthad, which reads Tolkien less as a Catholic Christian work and more as a world inclusive of many religions, especially in its focus on nature and landscapes
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
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.
Feanorian Week 2025
Feanorian Week is a Tumblr event offering optional prompts for fanworks about the sons of Feanor and their parents.
C&C Week 2025
C&C Week is a Tumblr event for fanworks about Celegorm and Curufin. This year, the event will run from March 16-23, 2025, with prompts featured every other day.
March Challenge at tolkienshortfanworks
The challenge for March has been posted to the tolkienshortfanworks community on Dreamwidth. 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.
A fascinatingly "human" but still admirable portrayal of Glorfindel--I enjoyed the first-person perspective. I also liked your vivid and "sensual" way of describing certain emotions:
"Anticipation mounts as I strain to remember, like the smell of fresjly baked bread waiting to be tasted..."
"It is perhaps no different from a flower, dormant in winter only to return in the spring."
I think he must have felt fear, anger, and disgust. And I think this story is perfectly balanced, and very emotive. Thanks a lot for sharing. You've nailed Glorfindel in this short piece. Bravo!
Thanks for the feedback :) I don't think I can ever do Glorfindel justice. He is really difficult to write. But I'm really pleased you found something of him in the story. :)
A most welcome portrait of a conflicted Glorfindel who tries to reconcile his feelins over what he views as his short-comings: cowardice in the face of a most fearsome foe. Yet he did what he had to do, and you portray that very well here. As another Glorfindel fan (yes, I fell for the blond dude many years ago when I first read LotR), I really enjoyed this!
A minor formatting suggestion: text that is all italics is kind of a strain on the eyes to read, especially old eyes. ;^)
Thank you so much for the review. I still don't think I did him justice. It's really hard to stay true to this character. I'm glad you mentioned the formatting of the story. I didn't think of it from a reader's point of view. :)
I certainly understand wanting to bring the perfect heroes of Tolkien's world to life beyond the legends they inhabit (such is one of my motivations as a writer as well ;), and I think it's perfectly reasonable that Glorfindel would have been fearful. I think it is a testament to his character as you envision him that, despite his deeds--which saved a good number of his people--he is discontented because of his fear and his vengeance and what others would say if they knew of it. I'd imagine they'd think little of it in the wake of what he accomplished! ;) But, clearly, he believes the legends as well and doesn't feel that he can fit in the ranks of perfect heroes they describe. This is an intriguing look at his character, and the language is simply lovely! I particularly liked the metaphor of the flower gone dormant as a comparison to the re-embodiment of Elves. (What a mystery this must have been for them to understand!)
Comments on Retrospective
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.