Jubilee

SWG Jubilee challenge banner - the word "Jubilee" in a large handwritten font over a blue background spangled with silver stars. At the top is the text "Silmarillion Writers' Guild Challenge"; at the bottom the text "1 January - 15 February 2025"

We always like to start the new year fresh and with creativity. To that end, we begin the year with an amnesty, allowing you to create a fanwork for any of the previous year’s challenges. To celebrate the SWG’s 20th anniversary year, we’re expanding that in our second ever Jubilee. (Yes, we know Jubilees are traditionally every 25 or 50 years. We’re not that patient, so we’re making our own Jubilee tradition—do one when it feels right.)

Any challenge from January 2017 onward is fair game for the amnesty this January! If there’s a challenge you’ve been eyeing that was before your time, or one you’ve been kicking yourself for missing, this is your moment. If you started a challenge response but never finished it, here’s your chance. Done them all? We are in awe. Also, you can create for any of them—just make sure you post to the Jubilee challenge to get your stamp.

If you’re all worn out from all 2024 threw at you but ready to go on a fanworks binge, the Jubilee includes commenting stamps.

During the Jubilee, you can collect any existing challenge stamp. The only new stamps we’ll be giving out are the Jubilee-specific ones.

There are a few caveats and mod requests:

  • We will not be making new stamps for previous challenges - you can receive any existing challenge stamp.
  • Challenges with mod-assigned prompts are now self-select, and the prompts can be found on the challenge page. That being said, if the fun of a challenge is having a prompt lobbed at you by the mods, you can contact us, let us know the challenge you want, and we'll choose for you.
  • Please inform the mods if you need commenting stamps for prior challenges, and which stamps you need. (All challenges have commenter and 5 comment stamps, some challenges have stamps for 10 or higher numbers of comments.If you’re not sure, ask—the mods will be happy to tell you how high the comment count stamps go for a particular challenge.)
  • Resolution challenge: Resolution stamps are not available. Please do not tag for the Resolution challenge.
  • For bingo challenges, please let the mods know if you need any special bingo stamps:
    • For Potluck (2024), in addition to row, column, diagonal, and card blackout, there are commenter bingo cards—if you play comment bingo, let the mods know you need the appropriate comment bingo stamps. (Row, column, diagonal, or card blackout.) There is also a stamp for boardmakers; we will accept and post new boards through the Jubilee deadline.
    • For Roaring 20s (2023), there are row, column, diagonal, and card blackout bingo stamps; there are also stamps for each individual board, so specify in the notes or let the mods know which board(s) you played.
    • For Words of Wit and Wisdom (March 2021) or Vintage (May 2022) row, column, diagonal, and card blackout stamps are available.
    • For Crackuary (February 2020), row fill and blackout are available.
    • For Sitcom (September 2018) and Taboo (January 2017), row fill is available.
  • For Matryoshka challenges:
    • If you need to email the moderators for prompts, please include the challenge name and date in the subject line. (For example: Hero's Journey May 2017.)
    • If you do a Matryoshka at the Difficult level, let the mods know - there is a special stamp.
    • For Meet & Greet (February 2024), only the first prompt was emailed to participants—the others had to be gathered through interaction with SWG members. There is a list on the challenge page of participating members.
  • November/December challenges:
  • The following challenges have Live Event stamps, which may be collected by participating in Instadrabbling on January 18-19. Session 1 will be 3PM UTC January 18 (what time is that for me?); session 2 will be 6PM UTC January 19 (what time is that for me?).

This challenge opened in .

Fanworks Tagged with Jubilee

This is a Writing fanwork

Menneen Talven Lumia "Snows of Winter Past" by Anérea

After the Dagor Bragollach, Hiril contemplates past and future, despair and acceptance: an illustrated drabble and a half.

Fanwork Information and Table of Contents

This is a Artwork fanwork

Light in Gloom, or An Unexpected Find by Anérea

A teeny tiny illustrated poem about Beleg unexpectedly finding Gwindor with his blue lamp in Taur-na-Fuin, Forest of (Gloomy) Night. 

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This is a Writing fanwork

The Deeds of His Father by Zdenka

As Nargothrond reacts to Finrod's death, Celebrimbor secretly goes to Orodreth.

Fanwork Information and Table of Contents

This is a Writing fanwork

Shadows of Us by Artano

Inspired by the song "Can't Catch Me Now", this AU was written for the Song of Exile and Jubilee challenges.

Fanwork Information and Table of Contents

This is a Audio fanwork

{podfic} Lúthad "Enchantment" by Anérea

Melian and Thingol stand enchanted for two hundred years. Why could no one find them in all that time? And what did they see in each other to keep them entranced for so long? 

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This is a Artwork fanwork

Gorthaur by elennalore

Artwork created for Mairon 30-Day Character Study

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This is a Writing fanwork

Mirrormere by Flora-lass

O Kheled-zâram fair and wonderful!

Fanwork Information and Table of Contents

This is a Writing fanwork

Go On Aching Still by StarSpray

Troubled by dark dreams, Nerdanel picks up a palantír to seek for Maglor. She finds him. 

After, Maedhros has returned to life and also seeks for his brother--and also finds him.

Fanwork Information and Table of Contents

This is a Artwork fanwork

Chronology of Arda's Light-forms by Anérea

An illustrated infographic timeline of the various sources of illumination of Arda from its creation to the sun.

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This is a Writing fanwork

The Songs of the Stars by Flora-lass

A meeting between a visually impaired singer and a flute-playing future king.

Fanwork Information and Table of Contents

This is a Writing fanwork

Burning in the Darkness by Artano

Series of snippets focusing on Finrod and written for the Restoration & Rebuilding and Jubilee challenges

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This is a Artwork fanwork

Gnome Tome Linguistics Meme by Artano

A meme created for the prompt: ''It is false to make Dwarves [?uncreative] or poor linguists.'' for the Gnome Tome and Jubilee challenges

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This is a Writing fanwork

Geese and a Violet by Himring

Two survivors finally get together, with a bit of help from Elrond.

Fanwork Information and Table of Contents

This is a Writing fanwork

Solstice Shenanigans by Artano

Maglor prepares for the Winter Solstice celebration, but Elrond and Elros disagree with his choice of clothing.

Or: in which the Noldor invented waistcoats

Fanwork Information and Table of Contents

This is a Writing fanwork

Dreams Fade at Dawn by Zdenka

Annatar sets off on a journey, challenging Celebrimbor to create something in his absence. Later, Celebrimbor uses the Ring of Air for the first time.

Fanwork Information and Table of Contents

This is a Writing fanwork

"An Elopement With Life": The Spectacular Fading of Celebrían by Zara BalrogBalls

An Elopement with Life is a 9-part essay collection that intertwines literary fan/fiction with the nonfiction essay form, exploring the idea of a Celebrían who stays in Middle Earth. The fictional narrative follows a year in the life of Celebrían who, across conversations with various 'lost women' of the legendarium, makes the deliberate choice to not-sail to Valinor. The essays engage with historiography, investigative environmental journalism, and critical queer/disability theory to unpack how mythic and literary narratives shape our understanding of loss, resilience, and reclamation. 

Fanwork Information and Table of Contents

This is a Writing fanwork

Tyelkormo's Great Escape by Aprilertuile

Tyelkormo was currently outside the house, hiding from his mother.

It was nearly winter and every winter was peak matchmaking activity time in Tirion’s palace. So Nerdanel focused more on her sons at this period since she wanted them to make a good impression so they could find a good wife as was proper for young adult elves. 

Alas, Tyelkormo didn’t want that. 

Works for the Sitcom Bingo : We need a distraction, Failure is the Only Option, and getting volunteered (poor Makalaurë's dramatic so he enjoys being volunteered, worry not, no minstrel was harmed in the writing of this fic).

Fanwork Information and Table of Contents

This is a Writing fanwork

Matters under Maiarin Investigation by Himring

Shortly after Thingol emerged from Nan Elmoth with Melian to rejoin the Sindar: Celeborn would very much prefer not to be asked some questions by Melian.

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This is a Writing fanwork

Even the Wisest Cannot Tell by Anérea

Galadriel sees something that yet may be.

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This is a Writing fanwork

Ages of Farewells by Anérea

Cirdan watches as Elrond, Galadriel and company sail into the West

Fanwork Information and Table of Contents

This is a Artwork fanwork

The Great Journey by Anérea

An instadrawble painting

Fanwork Information

Moodboard with photos of lakes with trees, ponds with lily leaves, flowers, hills covered in heather, stars reflecting in the water

Moods of Tarn Aeluin by Anérea

Two moodboards depicting Tarn Aeluin 

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This is a Writing fanwork

Sprinkles of Snow by Tamatoa

Instadrabbling from the discord event in January 2025.

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This is a Artwork fanwork

Portrait of Indis by between_thepages

A portrait of Indis in her wedding dress

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This is a Writing fanwork

Jubilee 2025 Instadrabbling by elennalore

Three 100 words drabbles I wrote during the Jubilee 2025 live instadrabbling event on the SWG discord server.

Fanwork Information and Table of Contents