New Challenge: Potluck Bingo
Sit down to a delicious selection of prompts served on bingo boards, created by the SWG community.
SWG News
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.
Tolkien Meta Week, December 8-14
We will be hosting a Tolkien Meta Week in December, here on the archive and on our Tumblr, for nonfiction fanworks about Tolkien.
New Challenge: Orctober
Orcs on a quest for freedom seek a place sheltered and safe from the Dark Lord. Fulfill prompts to gather the clues needed to bring them to freedom.
New & Updated Fanworks
[Reference] 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.
[Writing] Collection of Potluck Drabbles by Artano
This is a collection of true drabbles completed for the 'Four Words' drabble bingo card.
[Artwork] 2024 Potluck Doodles by silmalope
Assorted prompt fills for the 2024 Potluck bingo boards, to varying degrees of completion! :)
[Artwork] A Collection of Maps Exhibiting the Changing Political Landscape in Beleriand by Artano
Created for the 'Geography/Maps/Places' prompt on the "Tolkien meta" bingo board, this is a collection of maps marked with the various people groups showing how they arrived and moved about Beleriand. This collection focuses specifically on the time from the arrival of the Teleri, Vanyar, and…
[Writing] On the Nature of the Sindar’s Hunting the Petty-dwarves by Artano
This is an analysis on whether the Sindar ate the Petty-dwarves during the years they hunted them, completed for the 'Literary Analysis' prompt on the "Tolkien Meta" bingo card.
[Writing] Indeed the Everlasting Darkness shall be our lot by Erdariel
Maglor sings. He wanders. Slowly, a shadow comes over his sight and mind, deepening little by little
[Artwork] Valier & colours by daughterofshadows
Semi-abstract arts representing the queens of the Valar.
Current Challenge
Potluck Bingo
Help yourself to a collection of prompts on bingo boards designed by members and friends of the SWG. Read more ...
Random Challenge
Strength and Beauty
Create a fanwork using the Melville quote about the relationship between strength and beauty. Read more ...
New in References
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.
Death, Grief, and the Other in the "Quenta Silmarillion" by Dawn Walls-Thumma
The narrator of the Quenta Silmarillion uses death, grief, and mourning rituals to generate sympathy for or dehumanize groups of characters considered the Other.
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
[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] 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
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.
Kiliel Week 2024
Kiliel Week is a Tumblr event for fanworks about the Kili/Tauriel pairing.
November challenge at tolkienshortfanworks
The challenge for November has been posted to the tolkienshortfanworks community on Dreamwidth. Thematic prompt: refuge. Formal challenge: include imitation of a sound. As always, these can be filled independently and also freely combined with SWG and other challenges. New participants welcome!
November 2024 Call for Papers and Proposals
Calls for papers and proposals for conferences and publications that are open during the month of November 2024.
Aipilosse's Favorites
Favorite Fanworks
On Behalf of the Band by lonelyvisitor
An extremely amusing encounter between Tolkien and our favorite Elf in history.
Fanwork Information
There’s an Elf climbing through the garage window.
Worse than an Elf: a Mod.
(a Maglor-in-History)
| Major Characters: Historical Character(s), Maglor |
| Major Relationships: No major characters listed |
| Genres: Crackfic, General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Posted on 8 May 2021 | Updated on 8 May 2021 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
This Shadow will not Endure by Rocky41_7
Fanwork Information
For the first time since Finrod’s rebirth in Aman, he and Amarie are intimate.
| Major Characters: Amarië, Finrod Felagund |
| Major Relationships: Amarië/Finrod |
| Genres: Het, Hurt/Comfort, Romance | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Adult | Warnings: Sexual Content (Graphic) |
| Posted on 6 May 2023 | Updated on 6 May 2023 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
Till Fire Purge All Things New by pandemonium_213
Short but powerful. All of the horror and wonder of the Ring in less than 500 words. Sauron's uncertainty depicted here makes the decision to forge the One not just evil, but tragic as well.
Fanwork Information
Sauron has a moment of doubt in the Sammath Naur.
For B2MeM 2009: Day 15 -- The Ides of March: "Do I dare disturb the universe?"
MEFA 2009: First Place in Genres: Ficlets: General
Update! Illustration by the fabulous Robinka now added to the story!
| Major Characters: Sauron |
| Major Relationships: No major characters listed |
| Genres: General | Challenges: B2MeM 2009 |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Posted on 15 March 2009 | Updated on 15 March 2009 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
