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.
SWG News
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.
Bingo Cards Wanted for Potluck Bingo
Our November-December challenge will be Potluck Bingo, featuring cards created by you! If you'd like to create cards or prompts for cards, we are taking submissions.
New & Updated Fanworks
[Writing] Collection of Potluck Drabbles by Artano
This is a collection of true drabbles completed for the 'Four Words' drabble bingo card.
[Writing] After the Festival by Himring
At Ivrin, during the aftermath of the Mereth Aderthad.
A brief vignette.
[Artwork] Long-tressed Wingildi by Anérea
"... the long-tressed Wingildi ... spirits of the foam and the surf of ocean."
~ a painted sketch for Scribbles and Drabbles 2024.
[Writing] Seeking Sunlight by StarSpray
It was winter, and the sunlight that came into the caves was cold and pale, but Rían still sought it out, bundled up in all of the furs and blankets that they could give her.
[Writing] Primordial Daydream by Anérea
The Queen of Faery takes a little light trip down memory lane.
[Writing] Silence Under Starlight by StarSpray
In Valmar, after the Darkening and the Flight of the Noldor, Indis receives a visitor.
[Writing] Where Memory Walks by StarSpray
Neldoreth was both like and unlike the forests of Dior’s childhood and youth.
Current Challenge
Tolkien Meta Week
Tolkien Meta Week is a week-long event to encourage fans to create nonfiction works related to Tolkien's world. Tolkien Meta Week will run from December 8-14, 2024 on Tumblr and here on the Silmarillion Writers' Guild archive. Read more ...
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
Plot Thickens
Create a fanwork that depicts characters in the act of plotting something. Read more ...
New in References
Mapping Arda, Part III: The Second Age by Anérea, Varda delle Stelle
A series of articles featuring fan-made maps of all the lands of Arda. Part III explores the island of Númenor and mainland Middle-earth during the Second Age.
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
[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.
[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.
Around the World and Web
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.
Hidden Paths 2025
Hidden Paths, an event dedicated to the celebration of smaller Tolkien canons, has released their early prompts for the 2025 event.
Teitho November/December Contest: Healing
The theme for Teitho's November/December contest is healing.
Lord of the Rings Secret Santa 2024
LotR SESA has been ongoing for twenty-one years and is running again this year as a prompt meme hosted on AO3 for all genres of Tolkien-based fanfiction.
MourningGlory's Favorites
Favorite Fanworks
A Long Time Falling by Himring
Fanwork Information
Maedhros and Maglor decide to surrender to Eonwe to be put on trial back in Valinor. And then, at the last moment, they don't. Framing Maglor's memories of the Nirnaeth Arnoediad and the attacks on Doriath and the Havens of Sirion (or rather, mostly, the discussions among the brothers that led up to those attacks).
Maedhros/Fingon slash (very mild here). Definitely not Maedhros/Maglor slash; however, the subject is raised and the (false) accusation made by others in the story, so if this worries you, please regard yourself as warned.
Also, Maedhros's suicide isn't explicitly told, but strongly hinted at, so has been marked.
This story has been nominated for the MEFAs 2010 by Lyra. Thank you very much!
| Major Characters: Caranthir, Celegorm, Fingon, Maedhros, Maglor |
| Major Relationships: No major characters listed |
| Genres: General, Slash/Femslash | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: Suicide, Character Death, Expletive Language, Mature Themes, Violence (Moderate) |
| Posted on 27 February 2010 | Updated on 27 February 2010 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
Another Man's Cage by Dawn Felagund
Fanwork Information
In the Time of the Trees, during the Bliss of Valinor, the young family of Fëanor experience the everyday triumphs and tragedies of life in paradise. But as Fëanor's genius blossoms and his sons grow into their roles in Tirion society, tensions build that will sunder the House of Finwë and drive the House of Fëanor to open rebellion.
Completed!
| Major Characters: Anairë, Caranthir, Celegorm, Eärwen, Fëanor, Finarfin, Fingolfin, Fingon, Finwë, Indis, Maedhros, Maglor, Nerdanel, Original Character(s), Valar |
| Major Relationships: No major characters listed |
| Genres: Drama, General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Adult | Warnings: Torture, Mature Themes, Sexual Content (Moderate), Violence (Moderate) |
| Posted on 25 September 2011 | Updated on 10 March 2013 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
I'll Be Yours If You'll Be Mine by NelyafinweFeanorion
Fanwork Information
Modern setting AU. Maedhros/Fingon. Maedhros owns a bookstore. Fingon is in grad school. Expect appearances from varied members of the House of Finwë. Except Finwë--he's already dead in this story. This is a modern take on how Maedhros and Fingon meet and develop a relationship. Brothers, sisters, family and roommates--the gang's all here!
Cover artwork of Fingon and Maedhros by the incomparable cinemairon. So grateful, humbled and awed to have this amazing art be part of this story of mine.
Check out the tumblr at http://cinemairon.tumblr.com
| Major Characters: Amras, Amrod, Aredhel, Argon, Azaghâl, Caranthir, Celegorm, Curufin, Fëanor, Fingon, Finrod Felagund, Maedhros, Maglor, Nerdanel |
| Major Relationships: No major characters listed |
| Genres: Alternate Universe | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: Sexual Content (Mild) |
| Posted on 1 March 2017 | Updated on 11 January 2019 |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
