Cultus Dispatches: Six Demographic Takeaways from the 2025 Tolkien Fanfiction Survey
Ten years of demographic data from the Tolkien Fanfiction Survey show consistencies in who reads and writes fanfiction, as well as a few key demographic shifts.
SWG News
New Challenge: Epic 80s
This month's challenge features hundreds of fresh prompts from the bodacious decade of the 1980s.
Cultus Dispatches: Communities Do Comment
Comment data from the SWG underscores community as an essential component to a robust commenting culture.
Instadrabbling Sessions for July, August, and September
Instadrabbling continues on the first Saturday of each month on our Discord server.
New & Updated Fanworks
[Writing] Shepherd Princess by Himring
A princess and her sheepdog.
Drabble featuring a young Ancalime.
[Writing] From That Rubble by StarSpray
Fëanor shrugged, studying the contents of his wine glass. “Something must be done about that house. It will fall down eventually.”
“It does not follow that it must be you that tears it down single-handedly. Are you sure you do not want help?”
“It’s not as though I…
[Writing] A Song Amidst His Torment by Elrond's Library
Of course it was a trap.
Maitimo has to survive. He must. But what price is too high to pay for survival?
[Writing] Nasyalossë by Lovimmy3365
Erestor lay up against a tree, brown washed to black in the wet of the snow. The black disc of the new moon sailed across the dark sky. Erestor wished it were gone. He had no need to look into dark eyes any longer.
He was dying.
(AKA Erestor unwittingly travels back in time to the…
[Playlist] Yacht Rock Silmarillion by Dawn Felagund
Have you ever wondered what would happen if the characters in The Silmarillion were smoooooth like they were sippin' a Sex on the Beach on a party barge in the harbor at Alqualondë? The "Yacht Rock Silmarillion" retells The Silmarillion as though the characters all had perms…
[Writing] and let's be winners by mistake by atlantablack
"Move farther north," Caranthir says to her a month after the attack, gaze steady on her even as his hands continue briskly gutting fish. "There is plenty of land closer to my fortress, and my people can help protect yours if there is another attack."
Haleth looks up from her…
[Writing] Changing Styles by StarSpray
“What did you do to your hair?”
Current Challenge
Epic 80s
Create a fanwork using on of our righteous prompts based on popular culture from the 1980s. Read more ...
Random Challenge
Kings & Kink
Throughout history, wherever there is writing, there is erotica. This challenge pulls its prompts from "vintage" works of romance and erotica. (Nonromantic and nonsexual options are also available.) Read more ...
New in References
Six Demographic Takeaways from the 2025 Tolkien Fanfiction Survey by Dawn Walls-Thumma
Data from the 2025 Tolkien Fanfiction Survey shows demographic changes in participant gender, age, and education and new revelations about neurodiversity.
Communities Do Comment: Expanding the 3C's of Commenting with SWG Data by Dawn Walls-Thumma
Expanding on my 2018 article "Why People Don't Comment," comment data from the SWG underscores community as an essential component to a robust commenting culture.
Fandom Draws the Line: Fanworks, AI, and Resistance by Dawn Felagund, Grundy
By definition, fanworks fandom does not draw a lot of boundaries, but community archives and events have taken a strong stance against AI-generated fanworks due to ethical considerations and member input.
Featured Themed Collection
Beyond the Silmarillion
[Writing] Down the Long Years by Isilme_among_the_stars
Bilbo, the strange old hobbit with the wandering feet, senses something special in young Frodo the first time he sees the lad; as they become close, they find in each other a cameraderie not well understood by other hobbits. Five poignant moments between Bilbo and Frodo Baggins over the course…
[Artwork] The Mirror of Galadriel by skywardstruck
Smoke rises from the Mirror, where the Lady of Lothlórien awaits to share its visions.
[Writing] Bar-en-Eladar by Gabriel
Out of the shadow, light is born anew.
A Chieftain is dead. And whilst the events surrounding his death are unclear, a son tries to come to terms with his loss.
Around the World and Web
Celedriel Week 2026
A Tumblr event week focusing on the relationship between Celeborn and Galadriel.
Esoteric Tolkien Week 2026
A fandom event dedicated to the strange, otherworldly, and inexplicable in Middle-earth and beyond.
Tolkien Gen Week 2026
Tolkien Gen Week will run from July 6-12, 2026 to appreciate all of the incredible characters and relationships within Tolkien’s legendarium that fall under the broad category of “gen.”
Tolkien Disability Pride 2026
This Tumblr event focuses on ALL creative works focusing on disability in Tolkien's universe.
Scribbles and Drabbles 2026
Scribbles & Drabbles is a fic and art exchange with a minimum word count of 100 words.
Truly All Fanworks
This page includes all fanworks from the main SWG archive and the Beyond the Silmarillion section.
One Hundred Words About Maedhros by Himring
Drabbles in my 'Doom' series. Not necessarily gloomy!
100 words according to Word.
Last added: Deadlier.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Elrond, Fingon, Maedhros |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Fixed-Length Ficlet, General, Romance, Slash/Femslash | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 9 | Word Count: 1, 016 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (24) |
Who would come for you in the end but your best friend? by Himring
Huan finds Celegorm in Mandos.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Celegorm, Huan |
| Major Relationships: Celegorm & Huan |
| Genres: General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Check Notes for Warnings |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 147 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (4) |
A New Battle by LadyBrooke
Gil-galad found that battles in Valinor were not that different from battles anywhere else, even if they used words instead of swords. It was still a fight against despair and loss, with reminders of the cost of failure lurking behind every corner.
Elrond was no longer by his side to help, but Finarfin and Ingwë were. If there had to be a battle of words to get the rest of their family from the Halls - well, Gil-galad would not shy from planning that battle.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Finarfin, Gil-galad, Ingwë |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Family, General | Challenges: Gnome Tome |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 074 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (7) |
A New Leaf on the Tree by chrissystriped
Luiloth has exciting news for Thranduil.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Unnamed Female Canon Character(s), Thranduil |
| Major Relationships: Thranduil/Unnamed Canon Character |
| Genres: Ficlet, General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 716 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (2) |
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: No major characters listed |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Fixed-Length Ficlet | Challenges: Gnome Tome |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 103 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (3) |
Entwives by hennethgalad
prompt: "Why do the Elves of Lórien live in trees"
the song of the Mallorn
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Celeborn, Fimbrethil, Galadriel |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: General | Challenges: Gnome Tome |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 547 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (4) |
KayleeArafinwiel's Nano Flash Fiction Prompts (Nancy Stohlman) 2021 by Kaylee Arafinwiel
Stories written (or begun) for Nancy Stohlman's flash fiction prompts in November 2021, National Novel Writing Month.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: No major characters listed |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Warnings: No warnings apply | |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (0) |
On The Edge of Angobel by Kaylee Arafinwiel
for Day 4 of Nancy Stohlman's November 2021, "On the edge of the mining town..."
Thranduil's friend, Tulusson, is an OC of mine and AfricanDaisy's, originally from a mining family in the mountains of Greenwood/Mirkwood.
Sometime after Thranduil sails to Tol Eressea, becoming a prince of Doriath 'Wain, he visits the nearby mining town of Angobel...
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: No major characters listed |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 217 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
From Tirion to the West-Gate by Kaylee Arafinwiel
Write about something wrong that turns out to be right. (for day 3 of Nancy Stohlman's November 2021 challenge)
'The past is a foreign country. They do things differently there.' -L.P. Hartley, 'The Go-Between'
Lalwen Finwiel reflects on market-days throughout her life, and how the more things change, the more they stay the same. Or do they?
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Galadriel, Lalwen |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 453 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Beren and the Cats by Kaylee Arafinwiel
So November 2's prompt from Nancy Stohlman was "Write about a man who has at least three cats." I can think of several of my Elves who I headcanon as having cats, but while 'man' could just mean 'male', I took it to mean Man, and weirdly the first one that came into my head as possibly having many cats was...Beren. I don't have any reason for this, except that Huan loves him so it would be funny for him to also be a cat person
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Beren |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Character Death |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 333 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Beyond The Doors of Night by Kaylee Arafinwiel
So Nancy Stohlman's first prompt for November was "Write a story that takes place in darkness"... Don't know that it gets much darker than the Void. Post-LOTR, let's see how Morgoth, Sauron, and Saruman are doing...
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Melkor, Saruman, Sauron |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Humor | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 211 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
The Roads Not taken by Idrils Scribe
A collection of outtakes and deleted scenes written for the Under Strange Stars series. Are you wondering how Elrohir's long journey came to be, or which alternative universes didn't make the cut? Want to read more about the characters? Take a look over here, at what might have been ...
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Elrohir |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Family | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 5 | Word Count: 7, 523 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (2) |
Unsummoned and unlooked for by chrissystriped
Rog has heard about the Union of Maedhros and confronts Turgon about not telling them.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Rog, Turgon |
| Major Relationships: Rog & Turgon |
| Genres: General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 787 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Pinching Time by Anérea
Varda experiments with undoing just a wee bit of history...
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Valar, Varda |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: General | Challenges: Gnome Tome |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 32 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (14) |
Constellation of the North by heget
Loosely all the fics featuring or staring Fingolfin, Gil-galad, or Gil-galad's mother, Meril. Geographical focus on Hithlum and northeastern Beleriand. Also will be the Hadorian counterpart to the Bëorian collection.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Fingolfin, Fingon, Gil-galad, Hador, House of Hador, Meril, Morwë, Noldor, Sindar |
| Major Relationships: Fingon/Unnamed Canon Character |
| Genres: General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Warnings: No warnings apply | |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (0) |
Meril and Mornacu by heget
The Lady of the Mithrim and the spokesperson of the Tatyar Avari in the early days after the Mereth Aderthad.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Original Character(s), Meril |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 977 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (2) |
Seaside Sojourn by StarSpray
The summer before her marriage, Belladonna goes in search of the Sea, and meets an elf.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Maglor |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Fluff, General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 3, 223 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
The Hound of Morwë by heget
The story of the leader of the Tatyar Avari in Beleriand and a reunion on the battlefield.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Original Character(s), Avari, Morwë, Orcs |
| Major Relationships: Original Character/Original Character |
| Genres: General, Horror | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: Violence (Mild) |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 293 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Maudits silmarils, livre 1 by Dilly
A Gondolin, Turgon déprime... Une parodie crack du Silmarillion façon Kaamelott et Sacré Graal. Livre terminé !
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Original Character(s), Ecthelion of the Fountain, Egalmoth, Elenwë, Elves, Enerdhil, Fingolfin, Fingon, Glorfindel, Idril, Maedhros, Maglor, Meleth (Elf), Men, Noldor, Orodreth, Penlod, Rog, Salgant, Sindar, Sons of Fëanor, Turgon |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Het, Humor, Slash/Femslash | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 52 | Word Count: 99, 448 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (7) |
Maudits silmarils - Series by Dilly
Le Silmarillion version crack.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: No major characters listed |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Humor | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Warnings: No warnings apply | |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (0) |
Bloody Silmarils - Series by Dilly
In Gondolin, Turgon is depressed...
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Original Character(s), Original Female Character(s), Original Male Character(s), Aredhel, Caranthir, Celegorm, Curufin, Daeron, Ecthelion of the Fountain, Egalmoth, Elemmakil, Elenwë, Elu Thingol, Elves, Enerdhil, Erestor, Fëanor, Fingolfin, Fingon, Galadriel, Huan, Idril, Lúthien Tinúviel, Maedhros, Maglor, Meleth (Elf), Men, Meril, Nerdanel, Noldor, Orodreth, Penlod, Rog, Saeros, Salgant, Sindar, Sons of Fëanor, Teleri, Tevildo, Thorondor, Turgon, Vanyar, Voronwë |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Adventure, Drama, General, Het, Humor, Romance, Slash/Femslash | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Warnings: No warnings apply | |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (0) |
Radiance by elennalore
What if Varda was the fallen Vala instead of Melkor?
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Manwë, Melkor, Sauron, Varda |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Alternate Universe, Ficlet | Challenges: Gnome Tome |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 669 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (10) |
Tangled Up In Time by Anérea
Tolkien. Mathematics.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: J.R.R. Tolkien |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Humor | Challenges: Gnome Tome |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 11 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (6) |
A Beautiful Poison by Idrils Scribe
The Great Plague sweeps Middle-earth, devastating Gondor. As his kingdom crumbles around him, dying King Telemnar summons the best healer in Middle-earth to his stricken son's mansion. The disease is dreadful, but Elrond soon finds that an even greater danger threatens the Crown Prince.
An Edgar Allan Poe-inspired spooky season special. I'll post a chapter a day until Halloween.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Elrond |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Horror | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Adult | Warnings: Creator Chooses Not to Warn |
| Chapters: 5 | Word Count: 6, 970 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (4) |
And we met love along the way by daughterofshadows
Celebrían & Elrond at the beginning of their journey.
It is not love yet, but there are roots for it to grow, and perhaps in time, it will be.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Celebrían, Elrond |
| Major Relationships: Celebrían & Elrond, Celebrían/Elrond |
| Genres: Ficlet, Fluff, General | Challenges: Gnome Tome |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 569 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (10) |
