New Challenge: Potluck Bingo
Sit down to a delicious selection of prompts served on bingo boards, created by the SWG community.
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.
[Artwork] 2024 Potluck Doodles by silmalope
Assorted prompt fills for the 2024 Potluck bingo boards, to varying degrees of completion! :)
[Writing] Ransom of the Fairy Twins by Rocky41_7
Maglor and Maedhros trade Elrond and Elros to King Gil-galad in exchange for a Silmaril, but they have miscalculated.
[Series] Pennas Pengolodh by AdmirableMonster
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.
[Writing] Havens by AdmirableMonster
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.
[Writing] Collection of Potluck Drabbles by Artano
This is a collection of true drabbles completed for the 'Four Words' drabble bingo card.
[Writing] Hurting Tyelpë by elennalore
Sauron has taken Celebrimbor as a prisoner in Ost-in-Edhil. Whump happens.
[Writing] On a Night of Snow by Elleth
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.
Potluck Bingo
Help yourself to a collection of prompts on bingo boards designed by members and friends of the SWG. Read more ...
Great Journeys
Join a character on the road to explore the actual and symbolic importance of journeys. Read more ...
Mapping Arda, Part III: The Second Age by Varda delle Stelle, Anérea
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.
Doom and Ascent: The Argument of ‘Beowulf: the Monsters and the Critics’ by Simon J. Cook
Simon reads 'Beowulf: the Monsters and the Critics' to conclude his account of the Anglo-Saxon tower of its allegory.
Why People Don't Comment: Data and History From the Tolkienfic Fandom by Dawn Walls-Thumma
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.
Alliterative Verse for Arda by Rhunedhel
Part of our Themed Collection series for our newsletter, this collection features alliterative poems about Middle-earth.
[Writing] Homage to the Song of Durin by Flora-lass
Legolas is inspired by Gimli's song - and by Gimli himself.
[Artwork] Long-tressed Wingildi by Anérea
"... the long-tressed Wingildi ... spirits of the foam and the surf of ocean."
~ a painted sketch for Scribbles and Drabbles 2024.
[Writing] Partners in Craft by elennalore
Annatar realises that he might like Celebrimbor too much.
Fluffcember 2024
Fluffcember is a Tumblr event with daily fluffy prompts during the month of December.
Hidden Paths 2025
Hidden Paths, an event dedicated to the celebration of smaller Tolkien canons, has released their early prompts for the 2025 event.
Teitho November/December Contest: Healing
The theme for Teitho's November/December contest is healing.
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.
I suppose that one find what they seek in a story, no matter the intention of the author. If I have learned nothing from reading and writing Silmarillion fanfiction I have certainly learned that. There are so many different voices and interpretations of the same set of tales. I read your introduction and thought: Oh, a story about Nerdanel. I am always eager to read stories of the women of The Silmarillion, especially of the Noldor. Even though I haven’t written a lot of those yet myself, I think about them and I do intend to pursue them some day. But Nerdanel is one of them who seemed clear to me from the texts and who I could easily sympathize with and understand. However, when I began this story I was once again captured and intrigued by your interpretation of Arafinwë. You never cease to engage me when you write about him, because of all of the Finweans he was originally the one I least expected to feel sympathetic to and you completely turned him around for me. He and Nerdanel together are perfect in that last scene. Loved Earwen in this story too. Nerdanel is not the only one who should be called “the wise” as you write these women. (Actually, just throwing in my two cents worth, I have never been sure where Tolkien got the idea of "the wise" for Nerdanel (sounds like man thinking to me--if she was so wise how in the world did she end up with Feanor, maybe "the passionate" or "reckless"?
Lovely! This piece is very well written. Your Arafinwe is so considerate and different from his brothers. I wonder what might have happened if he had been the middle son... who knows? Nerdanel, in here, is very different from her husband, yet not so that she didn't love him. Her wisdom is shown here perfectly. Just a reason to call her, 'Nerdanel the wise.'
Thanks for writing!
I MUST stop reading your stories. I am crying AGAIN onto my keyboard. This is beautiful.
I am ashamed to say that I never knew what a wonderful character Finarfin was until I read your work.
I also love elegant comparison you drew between Finarfin and Orodreth.
Thank you, Becca! I'm glad you liked the story, and if I'm giving you a new appreciation for Finarfin, then my mission has been accomplished. *rubs hands together devilishly* ;) In all seriousness, I find him a fascinating character (obviously) who has been largely mistreated in fanon. I'm glad you've enjoyed my work about him. :)
Thanks for taking the time to read and to write a comment!
This is so beautiful. I've always thought Finarfin was overlooked and deserved more appreciation, and this story does such a good job of painting his grief! I felt it even more acutely than I felt Nerdanel's, which is saying something, because she's the one I love and empathize with most. Or maybe that's because I simply can't imagine the depth of her tragedy. I don't know, but this was just really beautiful. Love your work! Also, at the risk of sounding completely obnoxious, is that Fëanor/Nerdanel AMC prequel still in the works? Or will it be someday? Do I have hope? Please excuse me, the drama queen in me tends to get the better of me sometimes.
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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.