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.
SWG News
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.
Mereth Aderthad 2025: Call for Presenters for Meta, Research, and Scholarship Open
We welcome proposals from creators of meta, research, and scholarship about Tolkien for our July 2025 hybrid Mereth Aderthad event!
A Sense of History: Doom and Ascent
In the final essay in the series about the tower allegory in Tolkien's "Beowulf: The Monsters and the Critics," Simon J. Cook pulls together the series to give the full picture of how not just the allegory but the legendarium can be read.
New & Updated Fanworks
[Writing] in all this godforsaken dark by Zdenka
On the Helcaraxë, Fingolfin invokes his family's strength and courage rather than the Valar.
[Writing] Heyr himna smiðr by Zdenka
In the wake of Nirnaeth Arnoediad, the Dwarves of Belegost mourn their dead.
[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.
[Writing] The Seven Gates by Laerthel
The impossible happened – a Silmaril has been stolen from Morgoth’s crown. Maedhros decides to reunite the People of Beleriand against the Enemy and attack him while he is still unprepared (which is by no means less impossible). Meanwhile, in the hidden city of Gondolin, Lord…
[Writing] What the ice tells by chrissystriped
The leader of the Lossoth contemplates her decision to help Arvedui.
[Writing] The Longed For That Cometh Beyond Hope by cuarthol
Eärendil found not Tuor nor Idril, nor came he ever on that journey to the shores of Valinor, defeated by shadows and enchantment, driven by repelling winds, until in longing for Elwing he turned homeward toward the coast of Beleriand. And his heart bade him haste, for a sudden fear had fallen…
[Writing] Shapes in the Mist by AdmirableMonster
A young Orc on a spirit quest walks through the memories of her people.
Current Challenge
Potluck Bingo
As the year draws to a close, we gather with friends and share memories and gifts and, of course, a good meal. And there’s nothing like a potluck to make sure there’s something for everyone! For our last challenge of 2024, we’re offering Potluck Bingo. We hope to have a smorgasbord of bingo cards made by you prompting a delectable spread of fanworks, with something to suit all tastes. (The mods will contribute a few boards to get things started. But as with any potluck, the more, the merrier!) Read more ...
Random Challenge
Notion Club Revival
Select any (or several) of the "mysterious documents" from our prompt set and let them feature in your fanwork. Read more ...
New in References
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.
Death, Grief, and the Other in the "Quenta Silmarillion" by Dawn Walls-Thumma
The narrator of the Quenta Silmarillion uses death, grief, and mourning rituals to generate sympathy for or dehumanize groups of characters considered the Other.
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] Partners in Craft by elennalore
Annatar realises that he might like Celebrimbor too much.
[Writing] Staging a Battle by StarSpray
He and Diamond were visiting, though Pippin had been disappearing every afternoon, and taking Frodo and Elanor and most other lads and lasses in the neighborhood with him—though why they couldn’t use Pippin’s own pony, Sam couldn’t imagine.
[Writing] From whose bourn no traveller returns by losselen
So gathered they were to Bree, what lieutenants who could be spared, from their scattered watches west and east, for their chieftain had returned from his long sojourn in lands godless and mountains strange.
Aragorn returns from the South to tells his tales. Halbarad listens.
Around the World and Web
White Oliphaunt 2024
The White Oliphaunt is a Tolkien fanwork exchange for humorous gifts.
Tolkien Horror Week 2024
Tolkien Horror Week is a Tumblr and AO3 event that celebrates all things spooky and creepy in Tolkien’s work—both the things he tells us explicitly and the things he leaves up to our imaginations.
Tolkien Society: Christopher Tolkien Centenary Conference
The Tolkien Society will be hosting the online Christopher Tolkien Centenary Conference on November 23-24, 2024.
Teitho October/November Challenge: Legacy
For October/November, the Teitho contest invites fanfiction and art around the theme of Legacy.
October challenge at tolkienshortfanworks
The October challenge at tolkienshortfanworks on Dreamwidth has been posted. This month's challenge allows you to pick a sequence of words from Tolkien prompts that you have to use in the same order. New participants welcome.
Potluck Bingo
As the year draws to a close, we gather with friends and share memories and gifts and, of course, a good meal. And there’s nothing like a potluck to make sure there’s something for everyone!
For our last challenge of 2024, we’re offering Potluck Bingo. We hope to have a smorgasbord of bingo cards made by you prompting a delectable spread of fanworks, with something to suit all tastes. (The mods will contribute a few boards to get things started. But as with any potluck, the more, the merrier!)
Board Making & Submission (Begins November 1)
Templates are available to make it as simple as possible to create a board:
You may submit as many boards as you choose, and there is no deadline aside from the challenge deadline of January 15. There is no restriction on board themes.
If you don’t have time to make a board, we also have a form open from November 1 - 8 to submit prompts that someone else can turn into a board. Form submissions are limited to 1 per person. (You are also free to team up and collaborate with other SWG members directly.) The window to submit prompts through the form isn’t very long, but that’s to give the boardmakers sufficient time to work their magic.
Prompt sets submitted through the form will be available for potential boardmakers to view and pick from. If you are interested, let the mods know and we will share the link where you can view the form submissions and claim a prompt set to make a board for.
Boardmakers, we ask that you do the following:
- If you choose to make a board from scratch rather than use the templates, please keep the dimensions roughly 575 x 865 pixels, with a portrait orientation.
- Please submit a plain text list of the prompts along with your board - we provide a text-only version for every board for accessibility. (There is a text-only prompt list template also. Please note that links, hexadecimal color codes, etc can be given as part of the text!)
- If submitting a NSFW board, please let the mods know so we can mark it appropriately.
- Finished boards should be submitted to moderator@silmarillionwritersguild.org
Bingo
Play begins November 15, when all boards received up to that date will be available on the challenge page. After November 15, we will continue to add boards as they are submitted. You are free to play any board—you are not required to play your own. You may also play as many boards as you want. And of course, you’re free to combine prompts from different boards.
We will not be pulling numbers—there is no daily prompt. Pick your board, and see what prompt(s) on the board spark something.
Commenters, you’re not left out of the bingo fun. There will be a few comment challenge boards to play. (Possibly more than a few if our boardmakers decide to run with it …)
As there will be many different boards in play, both creators and commenters will need to notify the mods when stamps are needed for bingo (horizontal, vertical, diagonal, or card blackout). You can reach us on Tumblr, DW, Discord, or using the contact form. We will have a special stamp for anyone who plays multiple boards. There will NOT be a stamp for playing all boards, as past experience suggests there could be quite a few.
This challenge opened in .
Fanworks Tagged with Potluck Bingo
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