New Challenge: Title Track
Tolkien's titles range from epic to lyrical to metaphorical. This month's challenge selected 125 of them as prompts for fanworks.
SWG News
Our Annual Amnesty Challenge: New Year's Resolution
Start 2026 off with creativity! If you missed a challenge or didn't get to finish or post a challenge fanwork, complete any 2025 challenge before 15 February to receive the stamp.
"The Fëanorian Zine" Available to Read and Download
We are pleased to be able to offer "The Fëanorian Zine" to read and download on the SWG for free.
Call for Artists for the 2026 Challenge Stamps
We are soliciting help from artists who want to help create the stamps we award to challenge participants.
New & Updated Fanworks
[Writing] Who Will Hear Me? by XirinOfArvada
A lonely elf finds a flute half buried beneath the sand and wonders if its owner will hear him when he calls.
[Writing] Loyal, Faithful by Himring
Late in the Second Age, one of the Faithful reflects critically on past developments. (Free verse.)
[Writing] A Hundred Miles Through the Desert by StarSpray
“Come on.” Maedhros grabbed his hand and pulled him along down the path, both of them quickening their pace now, until the trees opened up into a wide meadow filled with flowers, bright yellow celandine and dandelions and sweet-scented pale chamomile mingling with cornflowers and irises. On…
[Writing] East Away! by Flora-lass
Aldarion storms off towards Middle-earth. For the Title Track challenge.
[Writing] Don't You Ever Look Away by Elrond's Library
“They can’t just assume we’ll let them leave us behind.”
“But they are, and they will. Our fathers are the Heads of their Houses. Fëanáro is king. Defiance would be treason, beloved.”
“I am his firstborn.”
“You are his only daughter.”
“I have…
[Writing] Break Me by Elrond's Library
“You’re not going to break me,” Russo huffed, finally cracking open his eyes, which were bright with amusement. “They could not, what makes you think you could?”
For Scribbles and Drabbles 2025 SFW Slide 33
[Writing] Three Black Islands by Idrils Scribe
When Celebrimbor's attempts at forging the Rings of Power fail yet again, Annatar knows where to find the missing know-how.
For all the wrong reasons, Celebrimbor agrees to an expedition to the ruins of Angband to search Morgoth's own laboratory, deep in the icy Northern Wastes.
What…
Current Challenge
Title Track
Create a fanwork using our collection of 125 titles from Tolkien's books, chapters, essays, poems, and fragments as inspiration. Read more ...
Random Challenge
Orctober
A mysterious map points to locations used by escaped Orcs who seek to live in freedom. For this month's challenge, use elements from that map and those quests to create your fanwork, with a bonus puzzle to solve for those who dare attempt the ultimate escape. Read more ...
New in References
Tolkien, Lunatic Physicists, and Abnegation by Cynthia (Cindy) Gates
This presentation for Mereth Aderthad 2025 discusses the parallels between the concept of abnegation in the scientific work surrounding the atomic bomb and in The Silmarillion. The relinquishment of self-interest in favor of the interests of others, abnegation was identified by Tolkien as a powerful act of spirit and reason. The legendarium has many examples of the complexities of abnegation, which parallel similar discussions held by physicists during and after World War II.
Twilight, Child Of: Comparisons Between Tinúviel, Lómion, and Undómiel by JazTheBard
This presentation for Mereth Aderthad 2025 discusses the many similarities between Tolkien's three "twilight children," Tinúviel, Lómion, and Undómiel (Luthien, Maeglin, and Arwen) in terms of appearance, plot, and cultural background. Yet these three characters play very different roles in the text.
The Aromantic in Tolkien by daughterofshadows
Presented at Mereth Aderthad 2025, this paper makes the case thata, although the term "aromantic" had not yet been coined in Tolkien's day, many of his characters can be read as aromantic. The paper takes a closer look at Aredhel, Bilbo, and Boromir as three examples of characters who can be read as aromantic.
Featured Themed Collection
Beyond the Silmarillion
[Writing] here you will dwell, bound to your grief by Elrond's Library
Arwen grieves, and loves.
[Writing] Faramir's Verse by losselen
“Come, Faramir. Let us not stand in ceremony. I think words are due between you and I, and not only those between a King and his Steward.”
Faramir has speech with Gandalf and his King.
[Writing] In a Hole in the Ground... by StarSpray
“There’s a goblin hiding in the taters, Dad!” Pippin hefted the pan, which was much too big for him to carry, let alone wield.
Around the World and Web
March Challenge - Tolkien Short Fanworks
Tolkien Short Fanworks is running a challenge for the month of March to create a Back to Middle-earth Month themed challenge.
Tolkien Fashion Week 2026
This two-week-long Tumblr event is dedicated to honoring the world of fashion and textiles Tolkien wrote about in his books.
Celegorm and Curufin Week 2026
Celegorm and Curufin Week is a Tumblr week celebrating the relationship between Celegorm and Curufin Feanorion
Back to Middle-earth Month 2026
Back to Middle-earth Month is returning for it's 20th year with many prompts and archival efforts.
Fanworks Tagged with Mereth Aderthad
Interview with Zdenka by Himring by Zdenka, Himring
Zdenka is a fan writer, poet, and musician who will be performing both a song and an alliterative poem at Mereth Aderthad 2025. Zdenka spoke with Himring about about her love of music and her evolving understanding of what it means to be a Jewish Tolkien fan.
Interview with sesame by Dawn by sesamenom, Dawn Felagund
Sesame is the featured artist for Jaz's Mereth Aderthad 2025 presentation "Twilight, Child Of: Comparisons Between Tinúviel, Lómion, and Undómiel" and spoke with Dawn about their artwork and the evolution from a kid who loved The Hobbit to taking notes on the fall of Gondolin.
Interview with Idrils Scribe by Shadow by Idrils Scribe, daughterofshadows
Idrils Scribe is the featured author for Stella Getreuer-Kostrouch's Mereth Aderthad 2025 presentation, "Cherished antagonist, despised protagonist - a defence of Elu Thingol." Shadow spoke with Idril about her story for the event, about the disproportionate criticism Thingol tends to receive in the fandom, the endless layers of the legendarium, and the arc of fandom history that makes inclusive communities essential for creators to thrive.
Interview with Flora-lass by Anérea by Flora-lass, Anérea
Flora-lass will be presenting a poem inspired by Stella Getreuer-Kostrouch's presentation, "Cherished antagonist, despised protagonist - a defence of Elu Thingol" at Mereth Aderthad 2025. Anérea spoke with Flora-lass about her poetry, getting involved with fandom later in life, and the appeal of Thingol as a subject of fanworks.
Interview with Anérea and Shadow by Anérea, daughterofshadows
Anérea and Shadow are the respective featured artist and featured author for Zhie's Mereth Aderthad 2025 presentation, "How To Make a Star From a Tree: The Science of Telperion and Laurelin," and they are both interviewers for Mereth Aderthad as well. They spoke to each other about their projects for Zhie's presentation, the symbolism and physics of light, and the magic of Tolkien and fandom.
Interview with Tang Wen Xi by Dawn by SWG Newsletter Staff, Dawn Felagund
The featured artist for polutropos' Mereth Aderthad 2025 presentation "'Kidnap Fam' and the Living Legendarium," Tang Wen Xi creates artwork, including martial scenes, with a bold, vibrant style that often seems to leap and move within the page. Dawn recently spoke to Tang Wen Xi about his inspirations within the legendarium and how he creates his one-of-a-kind art.
Interview with fish by Shadow by fish, daughterofshadows
Fish is the featured artist for Stella's Mereth Aderthad 2025 presentation "Cherished antagonist, despised protagonist - a defence of Elu Thingol." Shadow spoke with fish about his creative process, the importance of both tragedy and eucatastrophe to Tolkien's works, and the appeal of "greyness" in Silmarillion characters like Elu Thingol.
Interview with Varda delle Stelle by Shadow by Varda delle Stelle, daughterofshadows
As the featured artist for cloudyhymn's Mereth Aderthad 2025 presentation "The Design of Dragons and the Doom of the Dwarves," Varda delle Stelle describes her idea for this presentation as springing fully formed as Athena from Zeus's head. Varda chatted with Shadow about what drew her to this presentation, her approach to painting, and her hopes for her Mereth Aderthad work.
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 Janik by Shadow by Kai Janik, 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.
Interview with Grundy by Shadow by Grundy, daughterofshadows
Long fascinated with the Manhattan Project, Grundy was naturally drawn to Cindy Gates' Mereth Aderthad 2025 presentation “Tolkien, Lunatic Physicists, and Abnegation" and is making a work of glass art to accompany it. Shadow spoke to Grundy about her inspiration on the project and long love of Tolkien.
Interview with Azh, Admirable Monster by Shadow by AdmirableMonster, daughterofshadows
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 Dawn Felagund by Shadow by Dawn Felagund, daughterofshadows
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 bunn by Shadow by bunn, daughterofshadows
Bunn is the featured author for for cloudyhymn's presentation "The Design of Dragons and the Doom of Dwarves" and the featured artist for Savannah Horrell's presentation "By Guile Committed: Comparing Tolkien’s Thieves to Beowulf." Shadow spoke with bunn about the mystery of dragons, the appeal of Dwarves, and the many ways Tolkien's work connects to Beowulf.
Interview with chrissystriped by Dawn by chrissystriped, Dawn Felagund
Chrissystriped is the featured author for Shadow's Mereth Aderthad 2025 presentation, "The Aromantic in Tolkien." Dawn spoke with chrissystriped about her story for Mereth Aderthad, her process as a writer, and the importance of representing aro-ace characters in fanfiction.
Interview with Dr. Zara Ashkenazi-Khan by Saelind by SWG Newsletter Staff, Saelind
In her upcoming paper for Mereth Aderthad 2025, "Exile, Ruin and Resistance: Beleriand as Postcolonial Palimpsest," Dr. Zara Ashkenazi-Khan considers why the third kinslaying stands apart in a book filled with violence. Saelind recently spoke with Zara about her paper, postcolonialism and The Silmarillion, and how fanfiction and scholarship each contribute in important ways to our understanding of Tolkien.
Interview with Silmalope by Dawn by silmalope
Silmalope is the featured artist for Shadow's Mereth Aderthad 2025 presentation, "The Aromantic in Tolkien." Dawn spoke with Silmalope about their approach to making art, what inspires their work, and the importance of diverse representation in fanworks.
Interview with JazTheBard by Maglor by JazTheBard
Lúthien, Maeglin, and Arwen all share a reference to "twilight" in their names. In our latest interview for Mereth Aderthad 2025, Maglor spoke with JazTheBard about her paper "Twilight, Child Of: Comparisons Between Tinúviel, Lómion, and Undómiel," the role of gender in the legendarium, and setting parts of her presentation to music.
Interview with Savannah Horrell by Anérea by SWG Newsletter Staff, Anérea
Although he considered Germanic literature some of his key inspirations, Tolkien's work deviated in its tendency to prefer the perspective of the humble over the privileged. Anérea spoke with Savannah Horrell about her upcoming Mereth Aderthad presentation "By Guile Committed: Comparing Tolkien’s Thieves to Beowulf" and how Tolkien's depictions of thieves differ from the Anglo-Saxon poem "Beowulf."
Interview with Zhie by Shadow by SWG Newsletter Staff, daughterofshadows
There are rewards in considering the scientific roots of aspects of the legendarium typically considered mythic or folkloric. Shadow spoke with Zhie about the challenges of investigating such a topic as a non-scientist for Zhie's upcoming Mereth Aderthad paper "How to Make a Star from a Tree: The Science of Telperion and Laurelin."
Interview with Paul D. Deane by Himring by Rhunedhel
Himring spoke to Paul about his upcoming Mereth Aderthad presentation "Love, Grief, and Alliterative Verse in Tolkien’s Legendarium," his deep study of alliterative verse, and how that entwines with his understanding of Tolkien and creation of his own Tolkien-based alliterative poems.
Interview with cloudyhymns by Shadow by cloudyhymns, daughterofshadows
Shadow spoke with cloudyhymns about his upcoming presentation for Mereth Aderthad 2025, "The Design of Dragons and the Doom of the Dwarves," where he shares his theory about how Dwarves and dragons are connected in the legendarium, a topic full of implications for fanworks.
Interview with polutropos by Dawn by polutropos, Dawn Felagund
Dawn spoke with polutropos about her upcoming presentation for Mereth Aderthad, “'Kidnap Fam' and the Living Legendarium," including the appeal of kidnap fam, the appeal of Maglor's character, and how The Silmarillion as an incomplete, complex word makes it ripe for both fanworks and scholarship.
Interview with Maglor by Shadow by maglor-my-beloved, daughterofshadows
Maglor spoke with Shadow about his upcoming presentation for Mereth Aderthad, "Gil-galad was an Elven King: Kingship and Personhood in the Last High King of the Noldor," and what makes Gil-galad such an intriguing—and mysterious—character.
