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] Changing Styles by StarSpray
“What did you do to your hair?”
[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] 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] Star of Hope by Fuin
A new star shines in the sky. They claim it brings hope.
[Writing] The Message by Flora-lass
Borondir carries Steward Cirion's urgent request to Eorl the Young, with the help of his horse but at great personal cost.
[Writing] A Thousand Winds that Blow by StarSpray
When uneasy dreams bring him back into Beleriand, Daeron finds a pair of twins who have lost their home, and an enemy who has lost himself. The Shadow's reach is growing ever longer, and if they are to survive, they must do it together.
Current Challenge
Epic 80s
Create a fanwork using on of our righteous prompts based on popular culture from the 1980s. Read more ...
Random Challenge
Arda on Ice
Design your own figure skating program from a collection of prompts. 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.
New and Updated Fanworks
Include Beyond the Silmarillion Fanworks
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.
The Endless Years by Elrond's Library
Elwing reckons with the passage of time.
| Major Characters: Elwing |
| Major Relationships: Eärendil/Elwing |
| Genres: Fixed-Length Ficlet, General, Hurt/Comfort | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 151 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Whatever You Say, Ace by Isilme_among_the_stars
Everyone, including the Valar, are convinced that Fingon and Maedhros are romantically involved no matter how many times they explain that they very much are not. When will they get it through their thick skulls that there are other ways to love? Apparently not soon enough. When the Valar decide to involve Maedhros and Fingon in their meddling, it leads to some interesting circumstances.
A queerplatonic take on Maedhros and Fingon's relationship for Russingon Week, with some Gil-Galad parentage exploration for fun.
| Major Characters: Maedhros, Fingon, Valar |
| Major Relationships: Fingon & Maedhros, Fingon/Original Character |
| Genres: General, Humor | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Check Notes for Warnings, Expletive Language, In-Universe Intolerance, Mature Themes |
| Chapters: 13 | Word Count: 12, 841 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
a life freely given, a favor returned by skywardstruck
Finrod and Bëor stop for a while on the road to Nargothrond to rest. The bodies of the Secondborn often grow weary, and Finrod laments, massaging Bëor's back and renewing his beloved's vigor with the work of his hands. But Finrod has other burdens of his own, Bëor soon discovers, returning Finrod's favor in the best way he knows how.
| Major Characters: Finrod Felagund, Bëor |
| Major Relationships: Bëor/Finrod |
| Genres: Romance, Slash | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Adult | Warnings: Sexual Content (Graphic) |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 4, 063 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
dye me, nocturne by skywardstruck
Maglor without Maedhros, Daeron without Lúthien. Alone, they are nothing, but together, they can be something more.
Where do you turn, when you have no one else left?
Written for Tolkien Reverse Summer Bang 2023, featuring artwork by athlai.
| Major Characters: Maglor, Daeron |
| Major Relationships: Daeron/Maglor |
| Genres: Romance, Slash | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Suicide |
| Chapters: 5 | Word Count: 12, 311 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Song of Lake Linaewen by Zdenka
Brief scenes of the love between a Sindarin Elf of Nevrast and a Noldo follower of Turgon: meeting and parting in the midst of loss, betrayal, and war. (A double drabble poem, a prose-poem, and four ficlets.)
| Major Characters: Original Female Character(s) |
| Major Relationships: Original Character/Original Character |
| Genres: Femslash, Fixed-Length Ficlet, Poetry, Romance | Challenges: B2MeM 2019 |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Sexual Content (Mild), Violence (Moderate) |
| Chapters: 5 | Word Count: 3, 436 |
| 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 (4) |
At the Havens of Sirion by Zdenka
Scenes from the Third Kinslaying, from different points of view.
| Major Characters: Elrond, Elros, Elwing, Maglor, Original Female Character(s) |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Drama, General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Warnings: No warnings apply | |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (0) |
The Arrow For Its Swiftness: Misadventures of a Fëanorian by Zdenka
This series contains scenes from the life of Feredwen, an original character who served the House of Fëanor. I reorder the series when I add something new to keep the sequence approximately chronological, but individual parts skip around in time so that isn't always possible.
Like any character I write, Feredwen is not a stand-in for my own views. She only represents herself.
| Major Characters: Original Character(s), Original Female Character(s) |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Fixed-Length Ficlet, General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Warnings: No warnings apply | |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (0) |
The Long Arm of the Law by Elrond's Library
Turgon cannot be above the law.
| Major Characters: Turgon, Maeglin |
| Major Relationships: Maeglin & Turgon |
| Genres: | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Character Death, Mature Themes, Violence (Moderate) |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 104 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (2) |
Despair and Shadows by octopus_fool
Haleth leaves to find her brother, even though her father does not permit her to.
| Major Characters: Haleth |
| Major Relationships: Haldar & Haleth |
| Genres: Family, General, Horror | Challenges: Famous Last Words |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 464 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (2) |
In Continuance of Me... by Ellie
King Finwë of the Noldor was not the only one who died that day.
| Major Characters: Ungoliant |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Horror | Challenges: Famous Last Words |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Torture, Violence (Mild) |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 428 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (2) |
More than Memory by StarSpray
"In sorrow we must go, but not in despair. Behold! we are not bound for ever to the circles of the world, and beyond them is more than memory." - The Return of the King
Stitched for the Famous Last Words challenge for the prompt: "And with that, they stepped into the gateway, together." - Shigidi and the Brass Head of Obalufon, Wole Talabi
| Major Characters: Beren, Lúthien Tinúviel |
| Major Relationships: Beren/Luthien |
| Artwork Type: Fiber/Textile Art |
| Genres: | Challenges: Famous Last Words |
| Rating: General | Warnings: Character Death |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (4) |
The Magnolia Tree by Gabriel
Celegorm is on his way to do something that only his closest and trusted has knowledge of.
| Major Characters: Celegorm, Maglor |
| Major Relationships: Celegorm & Maglor |
| Genres: General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 533 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (2) |
| Major Characters: Maeglin |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Ficlet, General | Challenges: Famous Last Words |
| Rating: Creator Chooses Not to Rate | Warnings: Check Notes for Warnings |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 137 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (10) |
Seven Devils by Artano
A glimpse of Maedhros' and Dior's thoughts during the Second Kinslaying
| Major Characters: Dior, Maedhros |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Ficlet, General | Challenges: Famous Last Words |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 419 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (4) |
The Last Night: An Elros and Elrond Tale by ninerosepetal
As Elros awaits the coming of night, when he will set sail for Elenna, he and his brother Elrond speak about their earliest memories, what happened to their foster family, and how they learned the truth of their father and mother’s fate.
| Major Characters: Elros, Elrond |
| Major Relationships: Elrond & Elros, Círdan & Eärendil |
| Genres: Family | Challenges: Famous Last Words |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Check Notes for Warnings |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 534 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (5) |
One in the Deep Waters by Isilme_among_the_stars
Maglor finds himself alone with only sorrow and song for companions. But lamentation can neither undo the sorrows of which it tells, nor turn new hardships aside.
| Major Characters: Maglor, Elrond, Elros |
| Major Relationships: Elrond & Elros & Maglor |
| Genres: General, Hurt/Comfort | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Adult | Warnings: Expletive Language, Mature Themes, Suicide, Violence (Mild) |
| Chapters: 6 | Word Count: 22, 046 |
| 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) |
He chanted a song of wizardry by elennalore
Sauron defeats Finrod in their song battle.
| Major Characters: Sauron |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Artwork Type: Character/Portrait |
| Genres: | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (3) |
Heroes and Monsters (Season One Now Streaming) by AdmirableMonster
Miranda Otto, lead writer on the docudrama Heroes and Monsters, has major writers' block. A chance encounter at her local coffee shop might be just the thing she needs to pen her Season Two opener.
| Major Characters: Éowyn, Original Female Character(s), Mouth of Sauron, Tar-Míriel, Witch-king of Angmar, Original Character(s) |
| Major Relationships: Original Character/Original Character, Éowyn & Tar-Míriel |
| Genres: Alternate Universe | Challenges: Famous Last Words |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Creator Chooses Not to Warn |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 056 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (4) |
Ancient friendship by wisteria53
Maedhros and Fingon from the Years of the Trees to re-embodiment, across five pieces of Maedhros' calligraphy (hand-lettered, with decorative elements) [artworks for the Tolkien Reverse Summer Bang (TRSB) 2025]
| Major Characters: Maedhros, Fingon, Azaghâl, Elwing |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Artwork Type: Calligraphy, Graphic/Banner/Icon |
| Genres: General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (4) |
The Valar by wisteria53
The Valar - paper-cutting, markers, pens, coloured pencils
| Major Characters: Valar |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Artwork Type: Calligraphy, Craft, Illustration |
| Genres: General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (2) |
The House of Finwë wives go shopping by wisteria53
The House of Finwë wives - paper-cutting, markers, pens, coloured pencils
| Major Characters: Anairë, Eärwen, Nerdanel |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Artwork Type: Calligraphy, Craft, Illustration |
| Genres: Family | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (3) |
Celebrimbor by wisteria53
Celebrimbor - paper-cutting, markers, pens, coloured pencils
| Major Characters: Celebrimbor |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Artwork Type: Calligraphy, Craft, Illustration |
| Genres: General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (2) |
House of Fëanor star by wisteria53
House of Fëanor star - paper-cutting, markers, pens, coloured pencils
| Major Characters: Fëanor, Sons of Fëanor, Maedhros, Maglor, Celegorm, Caranthir, Curufin, Amras, Amrod |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Artwork Type: Calligraphy, Craft, Illustration |
| Genres: Family | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: Creator Chooses Not to Warn |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (1) |
Sea Birth by Isilme_among_the_stars
The sea has called to Elwing all her life, and beside its waters is where she wishes her sons to be born. It is not an easy birth. The sea takes, and the sea gives.
Thank you to AnnaRobots for beta-ing!
| Major Characters: Elwing, Eärendil, Original Female Character(s) |
| Major Relationships: Eärendil/Elwing |
| Genres: General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Adult | Warnings: Character Death, Check Notes for Warnings, Mature Themes |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 4, 077 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
