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 Witch-king of Angmar
Like his Father in Valour by chrissystriped
Eärnur fights the Witch-king and is offered a choice.
Drabbles and one-shots by firstamazon
Drabbles and one-shots written for instadrabbling sessions on the SWG Discord server.
not love, but worship. by esquitor
he inspires in others what he feels within himself.
admiration. respect. love. worship. (for melkor.)
fear. regret. despair. (for the valar.)
betrayal. (his own.)
a collection of writings on mairon, and how he becomes what he will become.
(a fancy way of saying how i explore headcanon for the gazillion years of mairon\'s life until the end of the world)
In the Glow of the Mountain by Hoglorfen
\r\n
\"Mordorian romantic drama at its finest.\" ~ Times of Khand
\"Tragic yet titillating.\" ~ Númenor News Network
\"That shit\'s nasty!\" ~ PlayDwarf
\"Who the fuck nicked my lube?!\" ~Lurtz
\"*noisy retching*\" ~ RivendailyThis is a not-so-classic tale of \"Orc boy meets Elf girl\", which proves once and for all that having the Dark Lord as your third bed-partner is NOT a good idea. One does not simply walk into Mordor... or anywhere near it. This is a very dark tale, as tales set under the Eye are wont to be. For Darkness taints all it touches, but without it the little glimmers of Light would not be as powerful.
\r\n
This series started out as smut and I never intended to write any more than the first part. But then I got hit by an irresistible load of \"WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?!\" and kept writing. Let\'s see where this takes us! PS. It\'s still smut, but now it\'s smut with a story. I hope. DS.
\r\n
Witch-King of Angmar by hennethgalad
Angmar is given a ring by Annatar...
Sofa City by Uvatha the Horseman
After losing Isengard, Saruman has to sleep on a relative's couch.
Bringing Trouble to Barad-dur by Aiwen
In the Halls of Mandos, Celebrimbor and Gil-galad receive a unique assignment: go as ghosts to Barad-dur and distract Sauron from his war against the free peoples of Middle-earth. MEFA 2010 Humor Incomplete 3rd place winner.
Nightfall in the West by Corsair_Caruso
Sauron assassinates Ar-Pharazôn before the Great Armament can be sent against Valinor, and takes power as Steward, turning the military might of Numenor and Mordor against the Eldar and Faithful; the history of Arda is altered forever.
The Swan and the Tree: Civil War in Gondor by Corsair_Caruso
The Steward Boromir, son of Denethor I, ruled Gondor at the end of the Watchful Peace, centuries before the War of the Ring. He fought and repelled the Witch-king's forces in Osgiliath, but received a wound from a Morgul-blade doing so. Though his life was saved by his healers, he was crippled and died nine years later.
This story explores a different path for the life of the Steward...
