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

Glimpse of the Hidden Past by StarSpray

While on vacation, a pair of young women decide to explore some ruins. One of them discovers something startling.

Fanwork Information and Table of Contents

This is a Writing fanwork

A Bridge to Tomorrow by Independence1776

Maglor rescues Celebrían before the orcs take her deep into their caves. Life in Imladris will never be the same.

Fanwork Information and Table of Contents

This is a Writing fanwork

The Tenth Ring by eris_of_imladris

Celebrimbor has a nagging suspicion that something is wrong while he works on the ninth ring to be given to Men.

Written for the Silmarillion Writers Guild B-Movie challenge.

Fanwork Information and Table of Contents

This is a Writing fanwork

Maegnas by HannaGoldworthy

A blade forged from star-metal by the hand of an Elf from Nan Elmoth proves to be capable of speech, thought, and being judgmental.  No, not that one, another one.

Or, in which Maeglin is justly killed with his own treachery, but somewhat differently than the old tales convey.

 

Inspired by the leaf decor dagger.

Fanwork Information and Table of Contents

This is a Writing fanwork

Olwë's Home for Wayward Elves by Morcondil

A series of misadventures has left Galadriel in disgrace; Finarfin thinks a summer with Olwë might help his daughter find her way. After all: nothing exciting ever happens in Alqualondë. A story of questionable fashion choices, growing up, and finding one's place.

Fanwork Information and Table of Contents

This is a Writing fanwork

Outsiders of Gondolin Mutual Defence League by Himring

In Gondolin, a fat elf attempts to befriend a sad elf. 
At first, things don't look very promising. 
But maybe the friendship will turn out deeper and more real for it, in the long run.

Now added: a prologue and six chapters.

Fanwork Information and Table of Contents

This is a Writing fanwork

Forgotten Stories Remembered in Other Lands by LadyBrooke

Elmar knows the stories of her people, and that her captor's people will not be free of Númenor forever.

Fanwork Information and Table of Contents

This is a Writing fanwork

Even the Greatest Art Cannot Survive Forever by LadyBrooke

In Doriath, Galadriel and Nimloth discuss the art of the Noldor and the art of the Sindar, and whether Lúthien is the equivalent of Nerdanel.

Fanwork Information and Table of Contents

This is a Writing fanwork

Walking in the Gardens by Raiyana

A Hero's Journey Matryoshka challenge story, featuring the head gardener of Indis' home in Vanyamar.

Set in Aman, post War of Wrath, when the arrival of Indis and Findis turn the lives of the household upside down - and leads one maiden to lose her heart to another.

Fanwork Information and Table of Contents

This is a Writing fanwork

Into The Woods by Grundy

Angrod, Aegnor, and Artanis have been sent to make contact with their great uncle Elwë. None of them really know what to expect.

Fanwork Information and Table of Contents

This is a Writing fanwork

Fourth Father by eris_of_imladris

One year after arriving in Gil-galad's camp, Elrond learns of the fates of Maedhros and Maglor.

Fanwork Information and Table of Contents

This is a Writing fanwork

Home is a Second Chance by eris_of_imladris

A young Gondorian guardswoman encounters an elf on a cliff and discovers a way they can both find home again. No romance here, just friendship. Will be writing more soon!

Fanwork Information and Table of Contents

This is a Writing fanwork

Up In Smoke by eris_of_imladris

Fëanor is the architect of his doom by making the Silmarils for all the wrong reasons.

Fanwork Information and Table of Contents

This is a Writing fanwork

Marilliën and the Fall of Doriath by Kaylee Arafinwiel

Marilliën has always been devoted to the Sindar, ever since her beloved kinswoman ensnared their King. But with Melyanna gone, she at least had tried to serve as a protection to Doriath, and to Melyanna's family.

The tale of one 'young' Maia OC as she gets caught up in the Second Kinslaying. For October's "Behind the Scenes" and January 2018 "New Year's Resolution".

Fanwork Information and Table of Contents

This is a Writing fanwork

Taking Readings II by Himring

Anthology for short pieces that don't fit anywhere else. 

Now added: "Something for Nothing" (Ecthelion, Egalmoth)

Fanwork Information and Table of Contents

This is a Writing fanwork

By Love or at Least Free Will by grey_gazania

Short scenes in the life of Fingon and Ianneth, his wife.

Fanwork Information and Table of Contents