New Challenge: Understory

In his lecture "On Fairy-stories," Tolkien spoke of the Tree of Tales. As a metaphor, this functions on multiple levels, implying that stories don't just draw from the store of myth and history at their roots but constantly grow and branch from each other. Building on Tolkien's metaphor, this month's challenge considers the understory: that foliage that grows in the shade of larger branches, or the smaller characters and plots that give dimension to a tale and tantalize the reader into wondering where they'd go, were they allowed to grow.

This month's challenge is a remix challenge, meaning that you will use another person's fanwork as your inspiration. You will choose a minor character or minor plot point and develop it into its own story. Note that this is a two-month challenge. Make sure you review the schedule and expectations for using another fan's work below.

Schedule

15-22 November. We encourage creators, especially those who plan to participate in the challenge, to fill out the form about how participants can use your fanworks. This is not required, but we will post a list of creators here on November 23 who are open to having their works used for this challenge. Note that you can fill out the form after the 22nd, and we will update the list as new responses come in.

23 November-15 January. Contact a creator with an understory you'd like to develop into its own fanwork and get started!

Working with Other Creators

It is imperative that all fanworks used for this challenge are used with permission and credited according to the creator's expectations.

Some creators will give open permission to use their work. You should credit the creator and link to the original work in your fanwork notes.

In all other instances, you should obtain permission from any creators whose work you wish to use. Be clear about what work you want to use and how you plan to remix it, and make sure to ask how they wish to be credited.

To contact SWG creators, click on a creator's name and use the Contact link at the top of their profile. Note that some creators may have this feature disabled. You can contact creators through other sites and social media also. If you cannot find a way to contact a creator or do not hear back from a creator, do not use their work for this challenge.

Other Details

"Understory" implies written fanworks, but non-written fanworks can serve as inspiration for this challenge, and responses can be in any form that you choose. In fact, non-written fanworks like artwork and playlists can be especially suitable as inspiration for this challenge.

The fanwork (or fanworks!) that inspires your response to this challenge does not need to be archived on the SWG. The same rules for contacting the original creator (or following their permission statement, if they have one) apply.

Many thanks to Cuarthol for this month's beautiful banner and stamps!

In order to receive a stamp for your fanwork, your response must be posted to the archive on or before 15 January 2024. For complete challenge guidelines, see the Challenges page on our website.

Posted on 14 November 2023 (updated 20 January 2024) by SWG Moderators