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
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. 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.
mistrali's Favorites
Favorite Fanworks
A Momentary Pause in the Act of Death by grey_gazania
Fanwork Information
It wasn't supposed to end like this.
A short scene in Doriath.
| Major Characters: Curufin, Maglor |
| Major Relationships: No major characters listed |
| Genres: Experimental | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Creator Chooses Not to Rate | Warnings: Creator Chooses Not to Warn |
| Posted on 6 April 2011 | Updated on 10 June 2022 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
Even Quicker Than Doubt by Keiliss
Fanwork Information
Set in the weeks before Elros departs for Númenor, Doubt explores the reason the twins chose different paths, Elrond’s emotional coming of age, the evolving relationship between Gil-galad and Glorfindel, and the reborn Elf’s adjustment to his new life in Second Age Lindon.
MEFA nominee 2007, my thanks to Oshun
| Major Characters: Elrond, Elros, Erestor, Galadriel, Gil-galad, Glorfindel |
| Major Relationships: No major characters listed |
| Genres: Drama | Challenges: Akallabêth in August, All Good Beasts |
| Rating: Adult | Warnings: Sexual Content (Moderate) |
| Posted on 30 June 2008 | Updated on 13 October 2008 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
Flawed by Feta
Fanwork Information
AU. In earlier drafts, Tolkien had Morgoth send Maedhros back, but maimed. This is my take on that. Fingon is just as much in love as ever.
| Major Characters: Caranthir, Fingolfin, Fingon, Maedhros, Maglor, Turgon |
| Major Relationships: No major characters listed |
| Genres: Alternate Universe, Experimental, Romance, Slash/Femslash | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: Mature Themes |
| Posted on 23 May 2008 | Updated on 23 May 2008 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
For What I Wait by Dawn Felagund
Fanwork Information
For Hannah, an "AU in which Fëanor outlives all of his children." Fëanor and Maglor, together at the end. MEFA 2008 nominee.
| Major Characters: Fëanor, Maglor |
| Major Relationships: No major characters listed |
| Genres: Drama, General | Challenges: Gift of a Story |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Suicide, Character Death, Mature Themes |
| Posted on 1 December 2007 | Updated on 1 December 2007 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
Innocence by ford_of_bruinen
Fanwork Information
An elf awoken at Cuivienen looks back at a simpler way of life.
| Major Characters: No major characters listed |
| Major Relationships: No major characters listed |
| Genres: Fixed-Length Ficlet | Challenges: Anniversary Contest |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Posted on 29 September 2007 | Updated on 29 September 2007 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
Star's End by Keiliss
Fanwork Information
Maglor meets Arwen on the road to Lorien after Aragorn's death.
MEFA 2008 Races: Elves: House of Elrond: First Place
| Major Characters: Maglor |
| Major Relationships: No major characters listed |
| Genres: Drama | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Adult | Warnings: Character Death, Mature Themes |
| Posted on 14 June 2008 | Updated on 14 June 2008 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
The First Snow by Sirielle
Fanwork Information
Winter morning in Himring, the siedge of Angband time. Short look at the world with bright grey eyes. Vignette, Maedhros' POV.
| Major Characters: Maedhros, Maglor |
| Major Relationships: No major characters listed |
| Genres: General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Posted on 24 June 2007 | Updated on 18 May 2021 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
The Scented Pleasure Garden by whitewave
Fanwork Information
A very irreverent and heretical look at the Silmarillion Elves in terms of their "horticultural" potential. Has very strong sexual innuendo and adult language. You have been warned. *Complete!
***Some varieties were updated on Jan 1, 2009 to include my LJ friends' names in their particular muse's entry.
Chibis generated from this site: http://www.tektek.org/dream/
| Major Characters: Aegnor, Angrod, Aredhel, Argon, Beleg, Celeborn, Celebrimbor, Círdan, Daeron, Ecthelion of the Fountain, Egalmoth, Elenwë, Elu Thingol, Eärwen, Eöl, Fëanor, Finarfin, Fingolfin, Fingon, Finrod Felagund, Finwë, Galadriel, Galdor of the Tree, Glorfindel, Idril, Indis, Ingwë, Lúthien Tinúviel, Mablung, Maeglin, Míriel Serindë, Nerdanel, Orodreth, Oropher, Rog, Rúmil (Valinor), Saeros, Salgant, Sauron, Sons of Fëanor, Thranduil, Valar |
| Major Relationships: No major characters listed |
| Genres: Humor | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Adult | Warnings: Mature Themes, Sexual Content (Moderate) |
| Posted on 3 May 2008 | Updated on 18 January 2009 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
