Instadrabbling Session for Maedhros & Maglor Week
Join us to instadrabble on our Discord server on February 15 using prompts themed around the relationship between Maedhros and Maglor.
SWG News
The interest form for fanworks creators is now open. Sign-ups for fanworks begin on February 15. Learn more about sharing a fanwork at Mereth Aderthad here.
January Challenge: Jubilee
In celebration of our twentieth birthday year, create for any of our past challenges and earn stamps that you missed!
Mereth Aderthad 2025: Call for Fanworks
Do you want to share a fanwork at Mereth Aderthad? The interest form for fanworks creators is now open, and sign-ups for fanworks will begin on February 15.
Character of the Month: Vidumavi of the Northmen
A seemingly minor character, Vidumavi's story illustrates the themes of fellowship, the fading of faerie, and the dangers of racial hierarchy.
New & Updated Fanworks
[Link Collection] Tolkien Connections by Various Creators
If you love The New York Times' game Connections, this collection includes Tolkien-themed Connections games featured in our newsletter.
[Artwork] A pink flamingo by wisteria53
A drawing of a pink flamingo surrounded by yellow flowers.
[Writing] Still time by wisteria53
“We are time's subjects, and time bids be gone.” – Henry IV Part II, William Shakespeare
Erestor really dislikes being late, and Glorfindel had agreed they would enter the Hall of Fire together. So why is his golden lover behind a curtain instead of by…
[Artwork] Telperion by wisteria53
A quote from the Quenta Silmarillion, Chapter 1 for the Tolkien Reverse Summer Bang (artwork number 45 for TRSB 2024).
[Artwork] Sun flowering by wisteria53
A quote from the Quenta Silmarillion, Chapter 13 for the Tolkien Reverse Summer Bang (artwork number 19 for TRSB 2024).
[Writing] In Defense of Celebrimbor by AdmirableMonster
An essay on the subject of Celebrimbor, sin, and pity.
[Writing] Clear Pebbles of the Rain by StarSpray
But at the very end of the letter she spoke of one more prisoner that Elladan and Elrohir had discovered in one of the deepest dungeons of Dol Guldur, locked away behind a door unopened in so long that the hinges had rusted.
Maglor.
Current Challenge
Jubilee
This January, for our annual amnesty challenge, any challenge from January 2017 onward is fair game! Read more ...
Random Challenge
Crossroads of the Fallen King
Create a fanwork that crosses with a second text or fandom. Read more ...
New in References
Vidumavi of the Northmen by Secondborn
A seemingly minor character, Vidumavi's story illustrates the themes of fellowship, the fading of faerie, and the dangers of racial hierarchy.
Tolkien, His Gnarly Canon, and His Authority by Dawn Walls-Thumma
Tolkien Fanfiction Survey data from 2015 and 2020 shows that Tolkien fans have diverse views on Tolkien's authority but suggests that adherence to his authority is decreasing over time.
So You Want to Present at a Tolkien Conference? Writing the Proposal by SWG Newsletter Staff
Video and materials from our session on how to write a proposal for a Tolkien conference. The session covers how conferences work, the different types of sessions, and how to structure and write a proposal.
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
[Writing] Scatha's Bed by Himring
Like Smaug, Scatha, a great cold-drake of the North, keeps track of his hoard.
[Writing] Meadow Flowers & Butterflies by StarSpray
A collection of non-Silm-based drabbles and ficlets.
[Writing] Seven Names by Anne Wolfe
Seven names a princess of Rohan and daughter of Helm Hammerhand might have borne, and the fates that accompany them.
Around the World and Web
Tolkien Femslash February
Tolkien Femslash February 2025 on Tumblr is a prompt list for each day of February, offering four-word prompts for all kinds of femslash fanworks.
February challenge at tolkienshortfanworks
The February Challenge at tolkienshortfanworks has been posted to the community on Dreamwidth. Thematic prompt: recovery. Formal challenge: story-telling. As usual, these can be filled separately and freely combined with other prompts, such as the SWG's monthly challenge prompts. New participants welcome.
February 2025 Calls for Papers and Proposals
Calls for papers and conference proposals that are open during the month of February.
Finish Your Fucking Fics February 2025
A low-key bingo card challenge that aims to help authors clean out works-in-progress during the month of February.
Fandom Trumps Hate 2025
FTH is an online auction of fanworks that generates donations to progressive nonprofits that are working to protect marginalized people.
Fanworks Tagged with Elenwë
The Scented Pleasure Garden by whitewave
A very irreverent and heretical look at the Silmarillion Elves in terms of their "horticultural" potential. Has very strong sexual innuendo and adult language. You have been warned. *Complete!
***Some varieties were updated on Jan 1, 2009 to include my LJ friends' names in their particular muse's entry.
Chibis generated from this site: http://www.tektek.org/dream/
Across the Ice by ford_of_bruinen
The story follows Fingon across Helcaraxe from just before the ships burn at Losgar until the rising of the moon.
Voices of Despair by ford_of_bruinen
A series of 18 drabbles and 3 double-drabble on the theme despair throughout the first age. Silmarillion and HomE based.
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 from November 2024.
