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] Silhouettes of Doom by Ecthelion
"At least we have learned that the sons of Fëanor can die too."
Nine POVs on the kinslaying at Doriath.
[Writing] Stream of Clashing Ice by Himring
Maglor and his companion almost drown in the River Lune.
[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] 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
…
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
Of All That Remains
Create a fanwork that features a memory from a character's childhood. 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
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.
Fluffcember 2024
Fluffcember is a Tumblr event with daily fluffy prompts during the month of December.
Fanworks Tagged with Character/Portrait
Aredhel at Eithel Ivrin by Anérea
Painting of Aredhel at the Pools of Ivrin
2024 Potluck Doodles by silmalope
Assorted prompt fills for the 2024 Potluck bingo boards, to varying degrees of completion! :)
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.
Laughter and Mourning by silmalope
Laughter and Mourning, the daughters of Húrin. An illustration for the 2024 Orctober challenge prompt “eyes”.
Celegorm - Treelight in his eyes by Gabriel
Character portrait of Celegorm Feanorian
Where have you gone, my friend? by elennalore
Eönwë in Almaren after Mairon went missing.
Summer Celebration by between_thepages
Amarië and Finrod are dancing together during a celebration of summer.
Morgoth's prisoner by elennalore
Maedhros in Angband
Portraits of Elves by between_thepages
A collection of my portraits of various elves and the headcanons that lead to their depictions
Portrait of Anairë by between_thepages
A portrait of Anairë, wife of Nolofinwë.
Portrait of Eärwen, Swan Maiden of Alqualondë by between_thepages
A portrait of Eärwen, created for Middle-earth is Multitudes
Eönwë after the War of Wrath by Ruiniel
Eönwë, Maia and herald of Manwë, after the War of Wrath and after seeing Angband. He has long silver-grey wings, and his appearance is tattered and bloodied, he's exhausted after the long war and what he's seen. His hair is silver-white and long. He wears a knee-length surcoat over his armor. He wields a polearm.
Beasts of Dubious Nature by Anérea
A wolf, a spider, a bat, a dragon... what do they have in common?
Finarfin, Idril Celebrindal and Anairë by Sirielle
Illustration to The House of Fëanor by Deborah Judge, inspired by The Silmarillion.
The First Snow (illustration) by Sirielle
Maedhros. Illustration to "The First Snow", inspired by The Silmarillion.
Tar-Míriel by Sirielle
Tar-Míriel, traditional media, A5, 2020.
Maedhros's portrait by Varda delle Stelle
Here is a portrait of the Eldest son of Feanor, with his swords ready to try to protect his people and fufill his Oath
Nerdanel, after... by Anérea
Nerdanel stood on the shore of Aman, watching the flamelight that rose in the East and, as a wife and mother, couldn't help but wonder where she went wrong.
Answering Light by Anérea
Inspired by Surfacing, Into Light by Maggie Honeybite featuring Keiliss' Erestor and Gil-galad from Answers in the Dark, the sequel to Burning Bright: The Road.
- - -
Music: Come Back to Us · Thomas Newman
The Crafting of Galadriel’s Mirror by Anérea
Portrait of Mélamírë, Master Smith of the Gwaith-i-Mírdain, crafting Galadriel’s Mirror.
Elven Nature by Anérea
An elf of the Lembi, those that lingered under the starlight in Middle Earth, shunning the summons of the Valar to journey to Aman. (Later called Avvari by the Eldar.)
Glorfindel by owly
Lord Nightlight in all his shiny glory. I went for Holbein/Renaissance vibes and I think that came out okay. Painted on a Huion tablet in MyPaint.
Lúcëmetta (Enchantment's End) by Anérea
Melian and Thingol awake from their enchantment in Nan Elmoth.
Círdan Falben by Anérea
After living for hundreds, never mind thousands, of years by the sea there's no way that Círdan wasn't a) as brown as a berry, and b) didn't invent surfing.
