Cultus Dispatches: The Tolkien Estate and Fanworks

Within the past week, there has been an explosion of commentary on the recent update to the Tolkien Estate's website, which included changes to their FAQ on fanworks. Does this spell the end of fanworks?

The short answer is no. In a collaborative article written by our newsletter staff, we look at the history of the Estate's stance on fanworks, which has always been bad and never acted on, and the new FAQ on fanworks, which changes in style but not substance. We include a primer on copyright, a frequently misunderstood concept, and discuss why the Estate has chosen this moment in time to spring this upon fans.

You can read the full article "A Sudden Outcry: The Tolkien Estate and Fanworks" here.

This article is the first of our new column, Cultus Dispatches, which explores the history and culture of Tolkien fandom. Cultus Dispatches is looking for contributors interested in sharing more about their fandom communities.

Posted on 12 March 2022 (updated 1 April 2022) by Dawn Felagund