Tolkien Meta Week Starts December 8!
Join us December 8-14, here and on Tumblr, as we share our thoughts, musings, rants, and headcanons about all aspects of Tolkien's world.
SWG News
We are currently accepting proposals to present your meta, research, and scholarship! Learn more about presenting your meta, research, and scholarship here.
Artists Needed to Create 2025 Challenge Stamps
We are soliciting help from artists who want to help create the stamps we award to challenge participants.
Tolkien Fanartics: Mapping Arda - The Second Age
In the third part of the Mapping Arda series, Anérea and Varda delle Stelle present a selection of fan-created maps of the lands of the Second Age.
New Challenge: Potluck Bingo
Sit down to a delicious selection of prompts served on bingo boards, created by the SWG community.
New & Updated Fanworks
[Writing] Kiss the ground / then turn from it by Elleth
After the attack on the Havens of Sirion, a figure from Maedhros' past comes face-to-face with him one last time.
[Writing] Mercy, Love by Elleth
Maedhros' rescue from Thangorodrim left him deeply scarred. But how did it impact Fingon as his rescuer? A drabble sequence from Thangorodrim to the Nirnaeth Arnoediad.
[Artwork] Aredhel at Eithel Ivrin by Anérea
Painting of Aredhel at the Pools of Ivrin
[Writing] Many Journeys by Elleth
A gathering place for ficlets of varying length written in response to prompts, prods and as gift ficlets.
New (added December 2024):
Instadrabbling fics from the SWG server event on February 17, which I never uploaded here, as well as a couple of shorter ficlets…
[Writing] Silhouettes of Doom by Ecthelion
"At least we have learned that the sons of Fëanor can die too."
[Writing] Merry Midwinter by Aprilertuile
Snippets of life of a midwinter in Fëanáro and Nerdanel's household in Valinor, during the Age of the Trees.
Prompts will be as follow, taken from the Midwinter Bingo card (board by AdmirableMonster) :
Family ; Carols and Singing ; Death and rebirth ; Candles ; Sledding
…
[Writing] A Winters Tale by Glorified
Elrond on a winters night
Current Challenge
Festival of Lights Fest
This is a fun and low-key event meant to encourage works about or inspired by Hanukkah, running this year in conjunction with the Potluck Bingo challenge. Read more ...
Potluck Bingo
Help yourself to a collection of prompts on bingo boards designed by members and friends of the SWG. Read more ...
Random Challenge
In Rare Form
Try something "in rare form," using a format or genre that is rarely utilized in Tolkien fanfiction. Read more ...
New in References
Libraries at the Edge of Middle-earth: Fanworks, Archives, and Communities as Heritage by Dawn Walls-Thumma
Tolkien fanfiction archives both preserve the "libraries of Middle-earth" in the form of keeping Tolkien's original words alive and promote conversations around heritage as community and fan identity that keeps those central texts relevant to diverse fans in a rapidly changing world.
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.
Featured Themed Collection
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.
Beyond the Silmarillion
[Multimedia] Entwined {text + podfic} by Anérea
First Age 116: in the foothills of the Orocani Mountains, west of Hildórien and far, far east of Beleriand.
Woman meets Maia in four perfect drabbles.
[Writing] Homage to the Song of Durin by Flora-lass
Legolas is inspired by Gimli's song - and by Gimli himself.
[Writing] Partners in Craft by elennalore
Annatar realises that he might like Celebrimbor too much.
Around the World and Web
My Slashy Valentine 2025
Sign-ups are open for My Slashy Valentine, a hand-matched slash fiction exchange focused on the people of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth.
Thorin's Spring Forge 2025
Sign-ups are open for Thorin's Spring Forge, a minibang-style event where writers and artists come together to create fanworks centred on Thorin Oakenshield.
Tolkien Pinup Calendar: Dead Dove December
Tolkien Pinup Calendar is hosting a December event for non-con smut fanworks.
Tolkien Pinup Calendar: 8 Nights of Smut
Tolkien Pinup Calendar and Hanukkah Bingo are teaming up for eight nights of naughty prompts.
Festival of Lights Fest 2024
This is a fun and low-key event meant to encourage works about or inspired by Hanukkah, running this year in conjunction with the Potluck Bingo challenge.
Words of Wit and Wisdom
J.R.R. Tolkien wasn’t just the creator of Middle-earth. He was also a scholar of philology. One of his first jobs was with the Oxford English Dictionary, where he was assigned a welter of words beginning with W. In this month’s challenge, we’re presenting you a bingo card with Prof. Tolkien’s W words we hope will inspire a wealth of wonder, wit, worldbuilding, and general whimsy.
You are free to work in as many of the prompts as you wish in your creation. Responses do not have to attempt to complete a row or another bingo pattern--using even just one prompts is fine! However, as in years past, there will be special stamps for completed rows or card blackouts, so please include in your story notes if you complete a row or the entire card (or email us at moderator@silmarillionwritersguild.org to let us know you need those stamps.)
If you'd like an additional challenge or inspiration, click on a square to read the original OED entry.
This challenge opened in .
Prompts
Choose your prompt from the collection below.
- View Prompts
-
- Words of Wit & Whimsy Bingo Text-Only Prompts
-
If you need assistance at any time, including devising prompt combinations that fill rows or other bingo patterns, please email the SWG moderators at moderator@silmarillionwritersguild.org.
B1: waggle
B2: wallop
B3: water
B4: wasp
B5: warlock
I1: winter
I2: wane
I3: want
I4: warm
I5: wake
N1: waistcoat
N2: wander
FREE SPACE
N4: wild
N5: wield
G1: wruxled
G2: waiting
G3: wain
G4: wick
G5: wandreth
O1: whole
O2: wampum
O3: walrus
O4: walnut
O5: walm
Fanworks Tagged with Words of Wit and Wisdom
Aesthetic Appreciation by Lferion
Fingon, Returned, takes in some of the sights of spring. A quadruple drabble.
The Shipwright and the Hobbit by daughterofshadows
Belladonna goes to the sea and understands something of importance.
Círdan is there for emotional support, even if he doesn't know it.
It'll All Be Clear by StarSpray
Eluréd and Elurín return to Imladris after their search for Daeron, but all is not well with them.
Words of Whimsy and Wit by Lferion
Fills for the March 2021 Silmarillion Writer's Guild bingo challenge, based on W words edited by JRRTolkien from the Oxford English Dictionary. Poems, drabbles and half drabbles ranging from silly to solemn.
Wruxled in White by Lindariel
I did the entire "Words of Wit and Whimsey" bingo card.
Intoxicated. by hennethgalad
Finrod learns more.
"Words of wit and whimsy" all of line 3 (free spac: weald)
The Wild of the Helcaraxë by ArizonaPoppy
A dare between siblings on the icy expanse leads to an encounter with the local fauna
In Time. by hennethgalad
At the 'anniversary' of the delving of Menegroth, Finrod wears a waistcoat...
for “Words of Wit and Whimsy” bingo. (includes all the words of the top line.) Especially 'waistcoat'
