Founded in 2005, the Silmarillion Writers' Guild exists for discussions of and creative fanworks based on J.R.R. Tolkien's The Silmarillion and related texts. We are a positive-focused and open-minded space that welcomes fans from all over the world and with all levels of experience with Tolkien's works. Whether you are picking up Tolkien's books for the first time or have been a fan for decades, we welcome you to join us!
Choose a Name for Our New Column! Our temporarily titled "location bio" will focus on the landscapes and locations of Middle-earth. We need your help naming it!
New Challenge: Tengwar Each day for thirty-six days, we feature a randomly chosen letter from the Tengwar as a prompt.
A Sense of History: Crossroads In the ongoing series on towers in Tolkien's work, a thread runs through "The Lord of the Rings," revealing the divine assistance of Varda in the travails of the Fellowship.
While he never climbs the stairs of this Elf-tower, in Lothlórien Frodo Baggins descends a flight of steps to look into Galadriel’s Mirror, wherein he first sees the sea. This post examines the view.
A horrid cacophony of cries erupts ahead of them, as orcs appear—up the cliff on hidden ledges, on the path, with bows and swords. And behind them rises a figure of darkness and flame. The heat rolls down the path over them, bringing the smell of burning flesh and bitter fear with it. Someone…
While he never climbs the stairs of this Elf-tower, in Lothlórien Frodo Baggins descends a flight of steps to look into Galadriel’s Mirror, wherein he first sees the sea. This post examines the view.
With Gildor Inglorion we finally climb the stairs of Elostirion and look on the view, and what we see appears to reveal a hidden thread in the story of Frodo Baggins. This post reads two annotated translations of two Elvish songs to step through a crossroads in the narrative to arrive at the tower on the margin of the story, wherein is a stone that is a window onto Valinor.
In a book as full of death as the Quenta Silmarillion, grief and mourning are surprisingly absent. The characters who receive grief and mourning—and those who don't—appear to do so due to narrative bias. Grief and mourning (or a lack of them) serve to draw attention toward and away from objectionable actions committed by characters.
Bilbo recounts, in verse, the attempt of Gandalf, Beorn, and him to cross the Forest River after the Battle of Five Armies. Written for the Hungarian Tolkien Society's 2024 Mailing Competition.
Around the World and Web
Monstrous May 2024
Monstrous May is a Tumblr event where, for each day of the month of May, there is a prompt involving and invoking the monstrous.
Fellowship of the Fics: Modern AU May
During May, Fellowship of the Fics offers modern AU prompt lists for setting, character occupation, and dialogue on Tumblr.
May challenge at tolkienshortfanworks
The May challenge has been posted to the tolkienshortfanworks community on Dreamwidth. Thematic challenge: name; formal challenge: acrostic. As usual, these can be filled independently and freely combined with other prompts such as the SWG challenges. New participants welcome!
The Silmarillion Writers' Guild is more than just an archive--we are a community! If you enjoy a fanwork or enjoy a creator's work, please consider letting them know in a comment.
The snowball siege engine was too much fun to plan and draw! I am not necessarily skilled at drawing but do love the more mechanical/geometric stuff, so I was glad to contribute my one little art piece to the endeavor.
I love your snowball throwing machine!! Fingon doesn't stand a chance *eheheh* And I adore how the snow clings to the largest letters. Beautiful all around <3
Thank you! The mechanical aspects (really the only thing I can draw reliably ...) was a lot of fun to research, plan, and do. I would love another pass with the correct materials. (I only had calligraphy markers and so was very limited in what I could do and am not fully happy with the calligraphy ... maybe some day I'll try it again with proper pens!)
Oh my gosh!!! This is utterly delightful! Your calligraphy has such a unique whimsical nature of its own, and I just love the dynamics and engineering of the snowball fight!
Thank you! You're very kind! I do fancy myself (I think you know?) a calligrapher, but in this particular case, I had only markers on hand. (I think my pens and nibs survived my house fire but, in any case, couldn't find them when I needed them.) So I want another go at this piece but, overall, did enjoy it and want to share it.
Aha! See, improvising with the "wrong" tools leads to unexpected magic. (Ok, not always, but in this case, I think that's what has lent your lettering the delightful vibe that particularly appeals to me.) In any case, I think you also know by now that I like things that are a bit off the conventional path.
I can't see what you had in mind, but I've sometimes found I can't "see" what I've created for what it is because it doesn't look like what I had in mind. Which is just to say, I really like this, with its quirky combination of technical precision and naive art.
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The Silmarillion Writers' Guild is more than just an archive--we are a community! If you enjoy a fanwork or enjoy a creator's work, please consider letting them know in a comment.