New Year's Resolution

SWG Resolution challenge banner - a homemade 2024 planner with the month of January showing; text "Resolution: SWG Challenge 1 Jan - 15 Feb"

Happy New Year! To help you start 2024 off right, we’re giving you a chance to catch up on any challenges you missed in 2023. Our annual amnesty allows you to pick from any of the previous year’s challenges. Whether finishing that epic novel for the challenge that ran away or making a sketch or writing a drabble, the idea is to make something fannish with one of our challenges as inspiration!

You do not need to use a new prompt to be eligible for this challenge. Participants can choose to complete any of the previous year's challenges. Did you miss a challenge you wanted to complete? Do it now. Did you start a fanwork for a challenge but never completed it? Here is your chance to finish. If you didn't leave any unrealized or unfinished projects behind you (congratulations!) or if none of the unfinished challenges strike your fancy, choose from any of our past challenges. (For a summary of the 2023 challenges and direct links, see the Challenge Prompts section below!)

You will receive a stamp on your 2024 collection for any challenges that you complete now*, as well as a stamp for the New Year's Resolution challenge on your 2023 collection. When you post to the SWG archive, please make sure you select the 2023 challenge you're completing and the New Year's Resolution challenge.

*If you choose to complete a challenge older than 2023, we will not be giving out past stamps; you will, however, receive your January 2024 stamp.

To help the mods correctly process stamps for this challenge:

  • Inform the mods if you need commenting stamps for 2023 challenges prior to Experimental, and which stamps you need. (All challenges have commenter and 5 comment stamps; some challenges have stamps for 10 or higher numbers of comments.)
  • For August's Roaring Twenties challenge, please let us know if you need column, row, diagonal, or card blackout stamps.

This challenge opened in .

Prompts

Choose your prompt from the collection below.

View Prompts

February | Cheesy Corn Chips
Celebrate the corny and the cheesy, the sappy and sweet and schmaltzy and saccharine in popular culture by choosing from our collection of corny, sentimental, and heartstring-rending prompts.

March | Middle-earth Is Multitudes
Use our daily prompt calendar to populate your fanworks with a more diverse array of characters.

April | Rejects
Create a fanwork around one of Tolkien's rejected ideas from the legendarium. Choose a prompt at the link above.

May | Bestiary of Arda
Choose a prompt from our "bestiary" of music and images of animals found in Arda.

June | Secret Gate
A Matryoshka challenge where prompts are based on the common plot points and tropes from mystery novels. Message the mods for a prompt set. Specify if you would like two, three, five, or seven prompts. If you've never done this type of challenge, read our Matryoshka challenge FAQ.

July | Dip the Ladle
Tolkien had many tales, places, and artists who inspired his work. For this challenge, prompts invite creating a fanwork using one of Tolkien's influences. Select one of the unassigned prompts, available at the link above.

August | Roaring 20s
Use bingo prompts from 1920s-themed cards to create a fanwork.

September | Turgon's Rock Opera
On the anniversary of the publication of "The Silmarillion," we’re reflecting on the importance of music in Arda with prompts that come from rock songs. Choose from one of the unassigned prompts, available at the link above.

October | Experimental
Tolkien was an experimental writer, pushing the boundaries of literary and artistic convention. This month, we invite you to experiment with a new technique or approach to your fanworks. We’ve listed some prompts you can select from, but you’re also free to develop your own.

November/December | Understory
This month's challenge is a remix challenge, meaning that you will use another person's fanwork as your inspiration. You will choose a minor character, small detail, or minor plot point and develop it into its own fanwork. Make sure you review the schedule and expectations for using another fan's work in the challenge guidelines. The link above includes a list of SWG creators who are willing to give permission to use their work in this challenge.

Fanworks Tagged with New Year's Resolution

This is a Writing fanwork

Changes by Narya

Maglor gets a blast from the past.

Fanwork Information and Table of Contents

This is a Writing fanwork

Artifacts of Ice by Lferion

Fingon's new hröa did not cross the Ice.

Fanwork Information and Table of Contents

This is a Writing fanwork

The Shipwright and the Hobbit by daughterofshadows

Belladonna goes to the sea and understands something of importance.

Círdan is there for emotional support, even if he doesn't know it.

Fanwork Information and Table of Contents

This is a Writing fanwork

King of beech and oak and elm by polutropos

Thingol contemplates the carvings of Menegroth, remembering Lúthien. 

Fanwork Information and Table of Contents

This is a Writing fanwork

Light in a Ruined House by Himring

Celebrian asks Elrond about Maedhros and Maglor.

Elrond does not find it easy to talk to her about them, so he begins in a somewhat roundabout way...

Fanwork Information and Table of Contents

This is a Writing fanwork

SeaLight by Anérea

Born on the Great Journey, I never knew Cuiviénen, but ever since we departed the shores of Rhûn I have missed the sensation of silky saltwater against my skin.

A Telerin Elf's first experience of the waters of Belegaer, at the end of the Great Journey.

Fanwork Information and Table of Contents

This is a Writing fanwork

The Last Home at the End of the World by elennalore

After stepping into a chasm filled with fire, Maedhros finds himself in an eerily familiar house.

Fanwork Information and Table of Contents

This is a Writing fanwork

Adanel: never have I ever by Anérea

A young Adanel in two drabbles from the Holiday Party Instadrabbling event using the "Never have I ever" prompt.

Fanwork Information and Table of Contents

This is a Writing fanwork

Elendil! Elendil! by Himring

Fixed length-ficlets featuring Elendil the Tall, one set during this childhood in Numenor, the other after the Fall of Numenor.

 

Fanwork Information and Table of Contents

This is a Writing fanwork

Queen's Counsel by StarSpray

It was not Melian’s wont to speak against her husband in public. When she did she tried to do so gently. She would not undermine his authority before his people—she was not one of Bauglir’s creatures to bend others by force to her will.

But in the privacy of their chambers it was a different matter.

Fanwork Information and Table of Contents

This is a Writing fanwork

Whimsies by Grundy

Drabbles for the Words of Wit & Wisdom (or Whimsy) challenge.

Fanwork Information and Table of Contents

This is a Writing fanwork

Summoned to Council by Lindariel

A road trip in six drabbles.

Fanwork Information and Table of Contents

This is a Writing fanwork

A Return is Heralded by Lferion

Eönwë makes an announcement. Four drabbles.

Fanwork Information and Table of Contents

This is a Writing fanwork

Aurora: What Cold, Clear Air May Show by Lferion

Having traveled North and up a mountain in Aman, Fingon builds himself a house, and works on putting himself back together. A drabble sequence. Follows Aurora: Seeking the Northern Sky.

Fanwork Information and Table of Contents

This is a Writing fanwork

Cliffhanging by Grundy

Turukano gets a surprise visit. Written for the Soap Opera challenge.

Fanwork Information and Table of Contents

This is a Writing fanwork

Glimpses of a Life in Ennore by Lferion

Maentâl Sílorion appeared in chapter 7 of Pages from the Archives of Cîr Imladris. He insisted on having more of his story told. Each chapter is intended to be able to stand alone.

Fanwork Information and Table of Contents

This is a Writing fanwork

Adventures in Arda and Aman by Lferion

Ficlets of Valinor, Beleriand, Ennor, and Middle Earth through the Ages.

Fanwork Information and Table of Contents

This is a Writing fanwork

In the Light of the Trees and After by Lferion

Ficlets, drabbles, and other small pieces set primarily in early Valinor.

Fanwork Information and Table of Contents

This is a Writing fanwork

Reflection, Refraction, Release by Lferion

A view from two sides of a mirror, and what happens when those trapped are freed.

A Drabble sequence: 1,2,2,1.

Fanwork Information and Table of Contents

This is a Writing fanwork

Intimate Adventures in Arda and Aman by Lferion

Ficlets of an intimate nature set in various places and times, generally with minimal angst.

Fanwork Information and Table of Contents

This is a Writing fanwork

Superheroes by Lferion

Fulfilling a promise, Fingon and Celegorm discover they are remembered as Superheroes by the circus children.

A King Fingon's Menagerie quintuple drabble/ficlet.

Fanwork Information and Table of Contents

This is a Writing fanwork

Drabble Poems by Lferion

Poems that are drabbles, drabbles that are poems.

Fanwork Information and Table of Contents

This is a Writing fanwork

A New Day in Valinor by Lferion

Non-angsty ficlets set in Valinor (and one or two in Middle Earth), many featuring Feanor.

Fanwork Information and Table of Contents

This is a Writing fanwork

The Bitter Glass by Himring

Do not look in the bitter glass... 

A poem drawing on the account of the song battle of Finrod Felagund with Sauron in the First Age. 

A poem against pessimism and disillusionment, if you will. 

I also had the Mirror of Galadriel and Galadriel's advice to Sam in mind. 

Fanwork Information and Table of Contents

This is a Writing fanwork

Winds of Change by Lferion

Anairë, Nerdanel, and Faniel are visited by Ëonwë's sisters, the Winds of Sunset, Midnight, and Dawn.

Four drabbles.

Fanwork Information and Table of Contents