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
Soundtrack
While usually the scenes are filmed first and the soundtrack is composed later, this month we want to challenge you to create (or continue) a story after listening to one of our musical prompts. The prompts will be pieces of classical and instrumental music. 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.
[podfic] Together the Dawn by Chestnut_pod
Indis and Míriel and the first sunrise. A podfic of LiveOakWithMoss's story.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Indis, Míriel Serindë |
| Major Relationships: Indis/Míriel |
| Genres: Podfic | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (0) |
Turning Point by elennalore
The Valar have spoken. Arafinwë knows he has to make a big decision, but he's too tired to think clearly. His brother and sister are there for him, even at the moment of parting.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Finarfin, Fingolfin, Lalwen |
| Major Relationships: Finarfin & Fingolfin, Finarfin & Lalwen |
| Genres: Drama | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Violence (Mild) |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 2, 289 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Freedom by firstamazon
Túrin and Morwen talk.
100 words drabble written for the instadrabbling session on the SWG Discord server with the prompts: mother, drunk, evil, turn.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Morwen, Túrin |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Family, General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: Creator Chooses Not to Warn |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 104 |
| 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) |
Threat by firstamazon
Double-drabble written for the instadrabbling session on the SWG Discord server with the prompts: children, unlikely, discovering, weird.
This counts 200 words in Word.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Elladan, Elrohir, Elrond, Erestor, Glorfindel |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Drama, General, Mystery | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: Creator Chooses Not to Warn |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 202 |
| 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) |
[podfic] kâtha batîna lôkhî by Chestnut_pod
Podfic of Vardasvapors' story.
For even after the ruin the hearts of the Dúnedain were still set westwards; and though they knew indeed that the world was changed, they said: 'Avallónë is vanished from the Earth and the Land of Aman is taken away, and in the world of this present darkness they cannot be found. Yet once they were, and therefore they still are, in true being and in the whole shape of the world as at first it was devised.'
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Original Male Character(s) |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Podfic | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: Check Notes for Warnings |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (0) |
Tsenerlingn Sher by Chestnut_pod
Maglor flirts with anti-establishment views and fails miserably at flirting with anything else. Elemmírë just wants him to work on his melisma.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Elemmírë, Maglor |
| Major Relationships: Elemmírë & Maglor |
| Genres: General, Humor | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 272 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
The First Snow by Sirielle
Winter morning in Himring, the siedge of Angband time. Short look at the world with bright grey eyes. Vignette, Maedhros' POV.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Maedhros, Maglor |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 693 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (10) |
Noise Making by jamcake_muses
Macalaurë cares for Tyelpë, with some interesting results.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Celebrimbor, Maglor |
| Major Relationships: Celebrimbor & Maglor |
| Genres: Family, Fluff, General | Challenges: Book by Its Cover |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 549 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (6) |
When Blossoms Bloomed by Himring
The refugees from Dorthonion arrive in Dor-lomin.
Rian attempts to embrace their new environment, while her cousin Morwen mourns.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Morwen, Rían |
| Major Relationships: Morwen & Rían |
| Genres: Fixed-Length Ficlet, Poetry | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Check Notes for Warnings |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 103 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Merry Little Christmas by Himring
Maglor, still wandering, and a song originally sung by Judy Garland.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Maglor |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Fixed-Length Ficlet | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 100 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Sweet Mead in Lofty Halls by Himring
Celeborn arrives in Valinor and finds himself in Varda's halls as a guest for the first time.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Celeborn, Galadriel |
| Major Relationships: Celeborn/Galadriel |
| Genres: Fixed-Length Ficlet, Humor | Challenges: B2MeM 2019 |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 102 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Laughing Water by Himring
A glimpse of Rian after Lalaith, the little daughter of her cousin Morwen, died from a plague sent by the Enemy.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Rían |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Family, General | Challenges: B2MeM 2019 |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Check Notes for Warnings |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 420 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
In crafts of making he had less skill by Himring
Two lessons for Turin: one with Sador, and one with Beleg.
He learns not as much as he might.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Beleg, Sador Labadal, Túrin |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Fixed-Length Ficlet | Challenges: B2MeM 2019 |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Creator Chooses Not to Warn |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 202 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (4) |
For who, finding themselves imprisoned, would not wish to escape? by Himring
Miriel and a book.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Tar-Míriel |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Creator Chooses Not to Warn |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 203 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Only Half-Related by chrissystriped
He should have seen it coming, Nolofinwe thought while Maitimo’s lips descended on his, hot and demanding. His nephew had stolen away to talk with him almost every time he visited Findekáno and it hadn’t escaped Nolofinwe how he looked at him – and he couldn’t deny that Maitimo was proving a hard trial for his self-control.
After Maitimo recognises Nolofinwe at a place for people of special tastes, they share a common secret. But is this a chance to have this kind of relationship with someone they care about or should they forget about it because of their close kinship?
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Fingolfin, Maedhros |
| Major Relationships: Fingolfin/Maedhros |
| Genres: Erotica, Slash | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Adult | Warnings: Incest, Sexual Content (Graphic) |
| Chapters: 2 | Word Count: 6, 438 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
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Piecing our Lives back together by chrissystriped
Findekáno brings Maitimo home, but nothing is like it was between Nolofinwe and Maedhros after his imprisonment in Angband. Maedhros feels tainted and unworthy, but Nolofinwe is not going to give up on him.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Fingolfin, Maedhros |
| Major Relationships: Fingolfin/Maedhros |
| Genres: Erotica, Hurt/Comfort, Slash | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Adult | Warnings: Incest, Sexual Content (Graphic), Torture |
| Chapters: 8 | Word Count: 17, 463 |
| 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) |
Golden Flower by Raiyana
What is left behind to linger in time.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Legendary/Mythical Character(s) |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Ficlet | Challenges: Queens of the Quill |
| Rating: General | Warnings: Character Death |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 295 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (5) |
We were never meant to survive by lightofthetrees
An eagle arrives in Gondolin, bearing news of a great battle to come. Maeglin and Rog discuss their decision to march to war alongside the King.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Maeglin, Rog |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Ficlet | Challenges: Queens of the Quill |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 2, 065 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (4) |
Five Things That Never Happened to Sauron by Russandol
Five short scenes with a twist, in five different locations. Each of them harder to write than the previous one!
1st Place, Ficlet: Elder Days & Smaug's Treasure, MEFA 2011
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Ar-Pharazôn, Celebrimbor, Eönwë, Sauron, Thranduil |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Alternate Universe, Experimental | Challenges: Fifth Birthday Celebration |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Character Death, Sexual Content (Mild) |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 674 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (10) |
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Arwen, Celeborn, Celebrían |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: | Challenges: Queens of the Quill |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 704 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (8) |
Rain Washes Off All the Other Colors by Tethys Resort
“He has led us in here against our fears, but he will lead us out again, at whatever cost to himself. He is surer to find his home in a blind night than the cats of Berúthiel.” Aragorn, Moria.
The story of a woman and her cats.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Berúthiel |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Drama | Challenges: Queens of the Quill |
| Rating: Adult | Warnings: Creator Chooses Not to Warn |
| Chapters: 3 | Word Count: 7, 108 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (6) |
To Drain a Lake by Himring
Who would dream to drain a lake?
An attempt to answer this question, posed by my prompt, for Middle-earth.
A few short reflections.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: No major characters listed |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Poetry | Challenges: Queens of the Quill |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 236 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (8) |
Ashes by Anne Wolfe
A box of ashes, and its journey back to the beginning. Featuring ithildin, Smaug, and a surprising number of dwarves.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Celebrimbor, Dwarves, Fëanor, Gimli, Legolas Greenleaf |
| Major Relationships: Gimli & Legolas |
| Genres: Crackfic, General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 2, 344 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (2) |
Jail-Crow by lonelyvisitor
Fëanor tells Melkor to get off his lawn. An imagined passage from the Noldolantë of Maglor.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Fëanor, Maglor, Melkor |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Experimental, General, Poetry | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 351 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (9) |
On Behalf of the Band by lonelyvisitor
There’s an Elf climbing through the garage window.
Worse than an Elf: a Mod.
(a Maglor-in-History)
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Historical Character(s), Maglor |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Crackfic, General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 813 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (1) |
