Welcome to the Silmarillion Writers' Guild

Interview with Dawn Felagund by Shadow - Featured author for By Guile Committed: Comparing Tolkien’s Thieves to Beowulf - Silmarillion Writers' Guild - Mereth Aderthad 2025 - July 19, 2025 - Burlington, VT, and online - a celebration of creativity and scholarship inspired by the works of J.R.R. Tolkien
Mereth Aderthad Interview: Interview with Dawn Felagund by Shadow. In our series of interviews of creators for Mereth Aderthad, Shadow spoke with Dawn about her story, written for Savannah Horrell's "By Guile Committed: Comparing Tolkien’s Thieves to Beowulf" presentation, the balance of planning an event and creating for it at the same time, and the intersection of Tolkien and Beowulf.
Interview with Cindy Gates by Grundy - Tolkien, Lunatic Physicists, and Abnegation - Silmarillion Writers' Guild - Mereth Aderthad 2025 - July 19, 2025 - Burlington, VT, and online - a celebration of creativity and scholarship inspired by the works of J.R.R. Tolkien
Mereth Aderthad Interview: Interview with Cindy Gates by Grundy. Cindy Gates' upcoming Mereth Aderthad 2025 presentation "Tolkien, Lunatic Physicists, and Abnegation" considers the ethics of science in the legendarium. Grundy spoke with Cindy about her research, her own experience as a professional scientist, and her long-running fascination with the Manhattan Project.
So You Want to Present at a Tolkien Conference? Session 3: Actually Presenting! June 14, 1:00 PM ET, silmarillionwritersguild.org
So You Want to Present at a Tolkien Conference? Actually Presenting!. Part of our ongoing series to support fans who want to present at Mereth Aderthad and other Tolkien conferences, this session will share strategies for delivering a presentation at a conference.
Interview with Azh, Admirable Monster by Shadow - featured author for "Tolkien, Lunatic Physicists, and Abnegation" - Silmarillion Writers' Guild - Mereth Aderthad 2025 - July 19, 2025 - Burlington, VT, and online - a celebration of creativity and scholarship inspired by the works of J.R.R. Tolkien
Mereth Aderthad Interview: Interview with Azh, Admirable Monster by Shadow. As a physicist themself, Azh confronts the issues around the ethical use of science in both the professional and creative realms. Shadow spoke with Azh about their story "Lightborn," written to accompany Cindy Gates' Mereth Aderthad 2025 presentation “Tolkien, Lunatic Physicists, and Abnegation,” its real-life inspirations, and the importance of fallibility in Tolkien's world.
Interview with bunn by Shadow - Featured artist for By Guile Committed: Comparing Tolkien’s Thieves to Beowulf and featured author for The Design of Dragons and the Doom of Dwarves - Silmarillion Writers' Guild - Mereth Aderthad 2025 - July 19, 2025 - Burlington, VT, and online - a celebration of creativity and scholarship inspired by the works of J.R.R. Tolkien
Mereth Aderthad Interview: Interview with bunn by Shadow. Bunn's work is beloved in the Tolkien fandom, where they are both an author and an artist. Along those lines, they will be creating both a story for Mereth Aderthad 2025 and a work of art for a different presentation. Shadow spoke with bunn about their Mereth Aderthad works, the appeal of Dwarves, and the many fruitful connections between Beowulf and Tolkien's own work.
Interview with Silmalope by Dawn - Featured author for The Aromantic in Tolkien - Silmarillion Writers' Guild - Mereth Aderthad 2025 - July 19, 2025 - Burlington, VT, and online - a celebration of creativity and scholarship inspired by the works of J.R.R. Tolkien
Mereth Aderthad Interview: Interview with chrissystriped by Dawn. In our series of interviews of creators for Mereth Aderthad, Dawn spoke with chrissystriped about her story, written for Shadow's "The Aromantic in Tolkien" presentation, her process as a writer, and the importance of representing aro-ace characters in fanfiction.
SWG Challenge - Period Drama - 15 May through 15 June 2025
New Challenge: Period Drama. A Matryoskha challenge with prompts inspired by common tropes in period dramas and historical fiction.
The Silmarillion Writers' Guild Presents Mereth Aderthad 2025 - July 19, 2025, Burlington, VT and online - A celebration of creativity and scholarship inspired by the works of J.R.R. Tolkien. Registration is open!
Mereth Aderthad 2025: Program Posted. Check out our schedule of presentations and fanworks, as well as featured artists for Mereth Aderthad 2025! Registration for in-person and virtual attendance is now open.
Instadrabbling, April 5, May 3, and June 7, 18:00/6PM UTC, SWG Discord, #instadrabbling
Instadrabbling Sessions for April, May, and June. The first Saturday of each month, we will be hosting instadrabbling on our Discord server.
Character of the Month: Vidumavi of the Northmen by Secondborn
Character of the Month: Vidumavi of the Northmen. A seemingly minor character, Vidumavi's story illustrates the themes of fellowship, the fading of faerie, and the dangers of racial hierarchy.
Tolkien Fanartics - Mapping Arda, Part III: The Second Age
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.

Latest News

Registration for Mereth Aderthad 2025 is open! Register here!

Mereth Aderthad Interview: Interview with Dawn Felagund by Shadow
In our series of interviews of creators for Mereth Aderthad, Shadow spoke with Dawn about her story, written for Savannah Horrell's "By Guile Committed: Comparing Tolkien’s Thieves to Beowulf" presentation, the balance of planning an event and creating for it at the same time, and the intersection of Tolkien and Beowulf.

Mereth Aderthad Interview: Interview with Cindy Gates by Grundy
Cindy Gates' upcoming Mereth Aderthad 2025 presentation "Tolkien, Lunatic Physicists, and Abnegation" considers the ethics of science in the legendarium. Grundy spoke with Cindy about her research, her own experience as a professional scientist, and her long-running fascination with the Manhattan Project.

So You Want to Present at a Tolkien Conference? Actually Presenting!
Part of our ongoing series to support fans who want to present at Mereth Aderthad and other Tolkien conferences, this session will share strategies for delivering a presentation at a conference.

Newest Fanworks

Interview with reese by Dawn by halethleia, Dawn Felagund

Reese is the featured author for polutropos's presentation "'Kidnap Fam' and the Living Legendarium" at Mereth Aderthad 2025. Dawn spoke with reese about the silences storytellers leave, mythology, and the appeal of alternate universe fanfiction.

One In the Fires of the Heart of the World by Isilme_among_the_stars

Maedhros finds that regret and pain do not end with death. But it does at last bring release from the oath and he can at last embark upon the long, hard road toward redemption. 

A Bedu Hobbit tent-hole by Anérea

A Hobbit home in the desert of Harad

High in the Clean Blue Air by StarSpray

They passed out of Lhûn and the wider coastline of Middle-earth opened up before his eyes. He had wandered those shores for centuries, and even now he felt the pull of that same wanderlust, and knew he would miss them for the rest of his life. Their wildness, the untamed waves, the rocky shores and the cliffs and the sandy beaches.

The Root of Light by Anérea

In the years before Arien bore the fruit of Laurelin aloft, just how did Yavanna's olvar grow?

New in References

Interview with reese by Dawn by halethleia, Dawn Felagund

Reese is the featured author for polutropos's presentation "'Kidnap Fam' and the Living Legendarium" at Mereth Aderthad 2025. Dawn spoke with reese about the silences storytellers leave, mythology, and the appeal of alternate universe fanfiction.

Interview with Kai by Shadow by Kai, daughterofshadows

Kai is the featured artist for Maglor's Mereth Aderthad 2025 presentation, "Gil-galad was an Elven King: Kingship and Personhood in the last High King of the Noldor." Shadow spoke with Kai about his wide range of interests and inspirations in the legendarium and why Maglor's presentation so intrigued him that he finished the art for it the first night.

Interview with Cynthia Gates, a.k.a. pandemonium_213 by Grundy by pandemonium_213, Grundy

Cindy Gates' presentation for Mereth Aderthad 2025, "Tolkien, Lunatic Physicists, and Abnegation," explores the ethics of refusal in the (mis)use of science and technology. A retired scientist herself, Cindy spoke to Grundy about her upcoming presentation and its inspiration in Cindy's fascination with the Manhattan Project…

Newest Artwork

A Bedu Hobbit tent-hole by Anérea
Painted illustration of a desert sunset view through a round opening in a hobbit beduin tent

A Hobbit home in the desert of Harad

Rating: General
Warnings: No warnings listed

Eärendil in the Bay of Eldamar by Varda delle Stelle
Earendill on Vingilote arrives in the Bay of Eldamar during the sunset

Eärendil on Vingilótë arrives in the Bay of Eldamar; in the bottom right corner it says: "Vingilótë" and "Aiya Eärendil Elenion Ancalima!" 

Rating: General
Warnings: No warnings listed

Varda delle Stelle by Varda delle Stelle
Portrait of Varda Elentari

Portrait of Varda Elentari

Rating: General
Warnings: No warnings listed

Around the World and Web

Celebrimbor Week 2025
A Tumblr event celebrating Celebrimbor as he is depicted in all books and media.

June challenge at tolkienshortfanworks on Dreamwidth
The June challenge has been posted to the tolkienshortfanworks community on Dreamwidth: thematic prompt: reward - regard; formal challenge: alliteration. As always, these prompts can be filled separately or combined freely with other challenges that allow it.

Joyful June 2025
Joyful June is a fanworks event on Tumblr and AO3 where the goal is to let our favourite characters be happy.