That the words canon and cannon are homophones doesn't seem entirely a coincidence. I doubt I am the only person reading this who finds that idioms like "cannon warfare" and "loose cannon" could just as easily drop the second n and apply to Tolkien fandom. While canon is sometimes a delight—inspiring deep discussions and thoughtful fanworks, serving as the shared ideal around which communities and friendships form—it has also provoked its share of conflicts across the decades of the Tolkien fandom's history.
Over the next several months, our Cultus Dispatches column on Tolkien fandom history and culture will consider the concept of canon: how fans define it, use it, and build communities and friendships around it.
First, if you've thought about how to define canon, we are collecting responses to that question for the next iteration of our Fandom Voices project. Fandom Voices is part of Cultus Dispatches and exists as a means for Tolkien fans to share their experiences, views, and memories on questions related to the fandom. If you'd like to share your views on how to define canon, you can do so here. All Tolkien fans are welcome to participate, not just fanworks creators and readers/viewers (though there is a special section on fanworks and canon).
Next, this month's Cultus column is about canon and authority. Who gets to say what is canon and what is not? Using Tolkien Fanfiction Survey from the 2020 survey, this month's article spotlights three groups of fanwriters: those who disregard Tolkien's authority, those who embrace Peter Jackson's, and those who write based on The Silmarillion but not the films. The similarities and differences between these three groups of authors reveal how complex the question of canon and authority can be. You can read "Who Gets to Say? Canon and Authority" here.
Finally, if you know of a creator or a group with an interesting approach to the canon, or if you have a fandom-related memory related to canon, hit reply and let us know!
SWG News
A Sense of History: Straight Road
The next in a series of articles about ships passing to and from the West, Simon uses "The Fall of Númenor" to attempt to arrive at Tolkien's reading of the exordium to "Beowulf."
Fandom Voices: Comments and Feedback
Our Fandom Voices project tackles the fraught questions of feedback: what it is like to leave and receive feedback in the world of Tolkien fanworks.
20th Birthday Event Feedback Needed
Answer one small question to help us plan an even to celebrate our 20th birthday next year!
Call for Contributors: Themed Collections
Are you passionate about a topic related to Tolkien or fanworks? Do you have an impressive collection of bookmarks and favorites? We are looking for contributors who want to put together themed collections on the topic of their choice.
New Challenge: Bollywood
This month's challenge offers songs, films, and tropes from Bollywood, the world's largest film industry based out of India, as prompts for fanworks.
New Fanworks
Meeting the In-Laws by by awwyeah107 [Writing]
Caranthir is nervous about meeting Haleth’s father and brother for the first time. Haleth is sure everything will go well.
Read more ...Morgoth's prisoner by by elennalore [Artwork]
Maedhros in Angband
Read more ...Tumult by by StarSpray [Writing]
After the chaos of the War of Wrath, Uinen smooths the way for the ships of the Edain to sail to their new home.
Later, she does what she can at its fall.
Read more ...Coincidences of Fate by by cílil [Writing]
Sometimes Eönwë wonders if his life is just like Manwë's romance novels. Sometimes he even thinks the One may be laughing at him from above.
A story told in exactly 4 1/3 drabbles.
Read more ...Updated Fanworks
Tengwar Drabbles by by cílil [Writing]
A collection of Silmarillion-centric drabbles written for the Tengwar Challenge. Short and sweet!
Read more ...Around the World and Web
Teitho August/September Contest: Do you remember ...?
For the contest theme for August and September, characters will look back to the past.
August challenge at tolkienshortfanworks on Dreamwidth
The August challenge has been posted to the tolkienshortfanworks community on Dreamwidth. The thematic challenge is: magic trees. The formal challenge is: call and response. New participants welcome.
Tolkien Pinup Calendar 2025 Sign-Ups Open
The Tolkien Pinup Calendar is an 18+ event for creating a calendar of risque fan art of your favorite Tolkien characters! Sign-ups are open for main commissioners, artists, and pinch hitters.
August 2024 Call for Papers and Proposals
Calls for papers and proposals for conferences and publications that are open during the month of August 2024.
Innumerable Stars 2024
Innumerable Stars is a Tolkien fandom gift exchange for all works by Tolkien or associated with Middle-earth.
Forgotten Ground Regained: Call for Submissions
Forgotten Ground Regained is looking for alliterative poetry on the themes of love, devotion, and desire for their upcoming fall issue.
Eönwë Week 2024
Eönwë Week is a Tumblr event for creating fanworks about Eönwë.
Tolkien Reverse Summer Bang (TRSB) 2024
Tolkien Reverse Summer Bang is an annual event where authors create a story of at least 5,000 words in response to an artwork created for the event.
Acorns and Oak Leaves: A Year of Bagginshield
Throughout 2024, the Bagginshield community Acorns and Oak Leaves offers monthly prompts to encourage new creations of all kinds.