Mereth Aderthad Interview: Interview with Silmalope by Dawn
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.
SWG News
New Challenge: Period Drama
A Matryoskha challenge with prompts inspired by common tropes in period dramas and historical fiction.
Mereth Aderthad Interview: Interview with JazTheBard by Maglor
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.
Mereth Aderthad Interview: Interview with Savannah Horrell by 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."
New & Updated Fanworks
[Reference] 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 …
[Writing] 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…
[Writing] She Hath My Love (Drabbles about Women) by Elrond's Library
A collection of drabbles about women in Tolkien's Legendarium.
[Writing] 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.
[Artwork] Finarfin Moodboard by Artano
Moodboard focused on Finarfin before and near the beginning of the War of Wrath
[Writing] History has its eyes on you by daughterofshadows
Gil-galad, Hamilton lyrics and three poignant events in his life.
[Reference] 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.
Current Challenge
Period Drama
A Matryoshka challenge where prompts are inspired by common tropes found in period dramas and historical fiction. Read more ...
Random Challenge
Analysing Arda
Create a work of nonfiction. All nonfiction is welcome, from headcanons to essays to multimedia responses. Read more ...
New in References
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.
Featured Themed Collection
Part of our Themed Collection series for our newsletter, this collection features fiction, artwork, and essays that transcend the idea of Orcs as the enemy, instead considering their humanity.
Alliterative Verse for Arda by Rhunedhel
Part of our Themed Collection series for our newsletter, this collection features alliterative poems about Middle-earth.
Beyond the Silmarillion
[Writing] Saying Goodbye by StarSpray
Frodo spent his last summer in the Shire much as he had the one before he’d gone on his journey.
[Multimedia] Rosemary for Remembrance by Himring
Three years after Arathorn's death, Gilraen receives a letter.
It contains a short poem and a sprig of rosemary.
Around the World and Web
Monster Fucker May 2025
This is an 18+ Tumblr and AO3 event for smutty fanworks involving monsters from the legendarium, put on by the Tolkien Pinup Calendar.
Tolkien100 Drabble Community
Tolkien100 is a long-running drabble community that originated on LiveJournal and is currently maintained on both LiveJournal and Dreamwidth. The community focusses on fixed length-drabbles (100 words). There are also regular prompts. New participants welcome.
May Challenge at tolkienshortfanworks on Dreamwidth
The May challenge has been posted at the tolkienshortfanwork community on Dreamwidth. This month it is a number of prompts containing "may", including "May It Be", by Enya.
Teitho May/June Challenge: Weddings
The theme for Teitho's May/June contest is "weddings."
Gondolin Week 2025
Gondolin Week is a Tumblr event for celebrating characters who called Gondolin their home.
New and Updated Link Collections
Tolkien Connections by SWG Newsletter Staff
If you love The New York Times' game Connections, this collection includes Tolkien-themed Connections games featured in our newsletter.
| Major Characters: No major characters listed |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Fanwork Collection | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: |
| Posted on 8 January 2025 | Updated on 28 February 2025 |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| | |
Bedtime Stories by Anérea
Just a few of my favourite podfics that I've found soothing for bedtime (or middle of the night, or any time really) listening.
| Major Characters: Celebrimbor, Narvi, Belladonna Took Baggins, Gandalf, Bungo Baggins, Original Character(s), Original Female Character(s), Elwing, Eärendil, Olwë, Númenóreans, Dúnedain, Elrond, Celebrían, Maglor, Maedhros, Celegorm, Caranthir, Mandos, Frodo, Samwise Gamgee, Narvi, Aulë, Ilmarë, Thuringwethil, Fox, River-woman |
| Major Relationships: Celebrimbor/Narvi, Celebrían/Elrond, Ilmarë/Thuringwethil, Daeron/Maglor, Eärendil/Elwing, Caranthir/Original Character |
| Genres: Fanwork Collection, Recommendation List | Challenges: In Rare Form, Jubilee |
| Rating: Creator Chooses Not to Rate | Warnings: Check Notes for Warnings |
| Posted on 11 January 2025 | Updated on 12 January 2025 |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| | |
The Fics that Hooked Me: a rec list by Anérea
These are the first fanfics I ever read, and they are all truly fabulous and absolutely timeless and 100% recommended!
| Major Characters: Maedhros, Fingon, Sauron, Celebrimbor, Aragorn, Legolas Greenleaf, Fëanor, Sons of Fëanor, Nerdanel, Galadriel, Celeborn, Original Female Character(s), Original Male Character(s), Maglor, Halbarad |
| Major Relationships: Fingon/Maedhros, Celebrimbor/Sauron, Celeborn/Galadriel, Fëanor/Nerdanel, Maglor/Halbarad, Aragorn & Legolas |
| Genres: Recommendation List | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: Creator Chooses Not to Warn |
| Posted on 17 December 2024 | Updated on 19 December 2024 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| | |
Tolkien's "Collected Poems": A Link Collection by Himring
A collection of links to material publicly available online on the The Collected Poems of J.R.R. Tolkien, the edition by Christina Scull and Wayne G. Hammond, published in September 2024.
| Major Characters: No major characters listed |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Reference Collection | Challenges: Tolkien Meta Week |
| Rating: General | Warnings: |
| Posted on 8 December 2024 | Updated on 8 December 2024 |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| | |
Orcs Are People by cuarthol
Part of our Themed Collection series for our newsletter, this collection features fiction, artwork, and essays that transcend the idea of Orcs as the enemy, instead considering their humanity.
| Major Characters: Orcs |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Fanwork Collection | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: |
| Posted on 4 October 2024 | Updated on 5 October 2024 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| | |
Alliterative Verse for Arda by Rhunedhel
Part of our Themed Collection series for our newsletter, this collection features alliterative poems about Middle-earth.
| Major Characters: No major characters listed |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Fanwork Collection | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: |
| Posted on 27 September 2024 | Updated on 30 September 2024 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| | |
The Ruling Queens of Númenor by Himring
Part of our Themed Collection series for our newsletter, this collection features fanworks about the three ruling queens of Númenor: Tar-Ancalimë, Tar-Telperiën, and Tar-Vanimeldë.
| Major Characters: Tar-Ancalimë, Tar-Telperiën, Tar-Vanimeldë |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Fanwork Collection | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: |
| Posted on 30 August 2024 | Updated on 27 September 2024 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| | |
Horrifying October: A Retrospective (Link Collection) by Himring
In 2016, the Library of Moria community on LiveJournal ran a Horrifying October challenge, with 31 prompts, one for each day of the month.
The challenge asked for both new works and recs.
The link collection offers a selection from the submissions back in 2016.
Besides being selective, this is also a WIP.
However, you can find links to all the round-ups on LiveJournal (and so indirectly to all submissions) in the Collection Notes.
For more background on the Library of Moria and its community see the current Cultus Dispatches post: A Tribute to the Library of Moria
| Major Characters: No major characters listed |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Fanwork Collection | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Creator Chooses Not to Rate | Warnings: Creator Chooses Not to Warn |
| Posted on 29 July 2022 | Updated on 30 July 2022 |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| | |
Everything In Order by Grundy
I've said many times that nearly everything I write is in the same continuity. So here's an attempt at collecting it all in order. (Still a work in progress at this point...trying out link collections to see if this is the way to go, or if it would make more sense to just start a new story and plunk it all there.)
| Major Characters: No major characters listed |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Creator Chooses Not to Rate | Warnings: |
| Posted on 13 July 2022 | Updated on 13 July 2022 |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| | |
Tolkien Fanworks Scholarship Bibliography by Dawn Felagund
This collection includes links to online open-access scholarship about Tolkien-based fanworks.
| Major Characters: No major characters listed |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Reference Collection | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Creator Chooses Not to Rate | Warnings: Creator Chooses Not to Warn |
| Posted on 11 June 2022 | Updated on 6 July 2022 |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| | |
