New Challenge: Everyman
Create a fanwork about an ordinary character in the legendarium using a quote about an unnamed character as inspiration.
Founded in 2005, the Silmarillion Writers' Guild exists for discussions of and creative fanworks based on J.R.R. Tolkien's The Silmarillion and related texts. We are a positive-focused and open-minded space that welcomes fans from all over the world and with all levels of experience with Tolkien's works. Whether you are picking up Tolkien's books for the first time or have been a fan for decades, we welcome you to join us!
New Challenge: Everyman
Create a fanwork about an ordinary character in the legendarium using a quote about an unnamed character as inspiration.
Cultus Dispatches: Fanworks, AI, and Resistance by Dawn and Grundy
The fan studies column Cultus Dispatches returns with a history of how Tolkien fanworks fandom has reacted and resisted generative AI by drawing strong boundaries in a way that is not typical for the fandom.
Instadrabbling Sessions for April, May, and June
Instadrabbling continues on the first Saturday of each month on our Discord server.
New Challenge: Famous Last Words
For our March challenge, our moderators will assign you a famous last line to use as a prompt.
[Writing] 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…
[Writing] 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.
[Writing] Til We're on the Other Side by StarSpray
It was only the second time Finwë had come out foraging with them, and of course this would happen—of course the Hunter would come, the Dark Rider on his steed with its terrible, heavy footfalls, and the deep-throated laughter that held no mirth, only malice.
In the dark…
[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] Hill and Water Under Sky by StarSpray
a collection of drabbles and mini ficlets in the meanwhile the world goes on 'verse that aren't long enough to stand on their own
[Writing] The Long Arm of the Law by Elrond's Library
Turgon cannot be above the law.
[Writing] Despair and Shadows by octopus_fool
Haleth leaves to find her brother, even though her father does not permit her to.
Everyman
Create a fanwork about an ordinary character in the legendarium using a quote about an unnamed character as inspiration. Read more ...
Crackuary
"This idea is completely unworkable, but I bet I can make it work." With that philosophy in mind (if so dignified a word can be used here), create a fanwork using a bingo card with the most bizarre, silly, and crackiest prompts we could conjure. Read more ...
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.
Grief, Grieving, and Permission to Mourn in the "Quenta Silmarillion" by Dawn Walls-Thumma
In a book as full of death as the Quenta Silmarillion, grief and mourning are surprisingly absent. The characters who receive grief and mourning—and those who don't—appear to do so due to narrative bias. Grief and mourning (or a lack of them) serve to draw attention toward and away from objectionable actions committed by characters.
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.
[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.
[Writing] Why did Éowyn ask Faramir if he'd rather have a "woman of the race of Númenor"? by Quente
For most of my life, when reading Lord of the Rings, I read it through the perspective of Gandalf's words about Éowyn, that she'd spent years trapped as a caregiver, watching the realm she love fall from honor into disgrace.
But what if Éowyn was also a student of history?
…
Angbang Week 2026
Angbang Week is a tumblr event focusing on the relationship between Morgoth and Sauron, running from May 5-11, 2026
Gondor Week 2026
A Tumblr week event focusing on the history of the realm of Gondor.
Crablor Day
A day dedicated to everyone's favourite warcriminal crustacean - April 26, 2026
April/May Teitho Challenge
Teithio is running a prompt challenge around the theme of "heartbreak."
April Challenge Tolkien Short Fanworks
Tolkien Short Fanworks is running a challenge around the theme of "fools," "foolishness," or "being fooled."
Oh, this was so beautiful! Not only that, so utterly romantic as well. Itare just brief touches upon her life and yet they tell so much. Even though this piece mainly breathes Haleth and her decisions, I love the way how Caranthir show through here as well:
Writing a letter to his brother that contained all that he wanted to say, then rewriting the letter with what he was permitted to say and burning the first.
or
Neither looked at the other: He gazed at the stars and she upon his black-clad shoulder.
No longer did anything stand between them and the stars.
Okay, I shall stop here, I loved this a lot! Btw, the ë's in Fëanorians are not displayed correctly, just fyi.
Hi, Rhapsy!
Thank you, thank you! I\'m glad that it worked. It was an eensy bit experimental, going backward in the story, but I do like ficlet series; they\'re fun to write and usually seem to work for me. Of course, what works in my head could seem completely crazy to someone else. ;)
I\'m glad that you noted those lines; they were some of my favorites as I was writing this, but it often seems that what I like best in stories, no one else does! :)
On the umlauts ... I\'m at work and working through a circumventor (since Websense has out site blocked as ... web hosting? >_<) and special characters sometimes don\'t display correctly through the circumventor. But the umlauts are showing up fine in your review, and I checked Doc Bushwell\'s story, and they\'re working there too. Do you recall where particularly you noticed the problem?
Anyway, enough business talk! Thank you again for the review. *hugs*
I like your idea very much. It most certainly works, and I like the way you've brought the series full circle as the first and the last one present a young girl and an old, wise woman. This way, I think, you've given the story more significance.
I like Caranthir here too. He speaks when it's necessary, and as many words as he thinks are needed, and I'm yet again contemplating the fate of the Eldar and Edain. Ah well... :)
Thank you for sharing. Lovely series.
You ripped my heart out with this one. The moving backwards certainly did work. When I got to the end and read the line, "Those are not our sort, girl," you had really finished the job. You made me fall in love with Caranthir too. I agree with Rhapsody's remark that one of the best lines is about Caranthir writing a letter and burning it. Hooray, for fanfic! I loved your segment that included Maedhros (of course, he isn't cursed to me, only doomed or fated, but that is my craziness and has nothing to do with Haleth's opinion or this story).
In two of those odd coincidences that seem to happen to me in relationship to youi, I was reading about Haleth for my upcoming bio, when I took a break to read this, and only a short while earlier had written a segment in my Maitimo/Findekano saga, in which Maitimo asks Findekano, "Am I cursed?"
Wonderful story. I enjoyed it so much.
I'm a horrible person. I actually read this as soon as you posted it, but didn't so much as leave a *squee* or a thank you. But you can believe me, I did squee. When I found it, and several time while reading through it. This story works soo well on soo many levels. I especially love the "circular" structure because that's something I particularly enjoy, be it in writing or in movies (I just recently realized that the Fiery Chasm scene with Sam and Frodo in LotR is edited in the very same way as the one with Elrond and Isildur - that made me squee, too - yes, I'm strange). Also, the idea to tell the story backwards is GREAT!
But I'm telling you, this right here...
Sleeping in his vast bed, naked under furs
... is highly unfair. I'm supposed to write 100 pages of scientific work here and you tempt me with naked Noldor! I'm not so sure if I want to be friends with you anymore. ;-P
Also, I've especially liked drabble IV. It's funny, but I've written quite a similar scene (a conversation of Maedros with Haleth) that was planned as some kind of AU to WRU. I've thought of putting it into the revised version, but then WRU is characterised by the fact that somehow no one talks to each other, so I will have to think about that... (damn, I wish I had the time to write fanfic right now... I miss that).
This is truly wonderful. This story made my day and will make many more yet, I guess. I simply love those two. Thank you soo much!
P.S.: "I would love a pony," Haha, this is so Haleth! :)
I've always preferred elf-to-elf pairings in the stories I read but Caranthir and Haleth's had always been too interesting for me to pass up. I especially liked how you describe the Feanorions, thanks to AMC I've always pictured Caranthir/Carnistir as a cherubic, pink-faced baby who bounced on his family member's knees--a picture of innocence. But here I'm treated to a very different Caranthir/Carnistir--a grown-up and utterly irresistable image of physical attractivness and power.
In my opinion, he is the most mysterious and probably the least developed Feanorion and having him fall in love with one of the Second-born adds to his "appeal". I liked how you compared the color of his eyes to the setting sun--I thought it was romantic. The first and last scenes served their purpose well; I think they "united" the whole story. I wish I could give more technical comments but I'm afraid I'm only limited to writing about how your story moved me. I'm hoping to read a few more stories about Haleth and Carnistir/Caranthir from you in the future, maybe lighter, happier ones too. Thanks for sharing this.
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Comments on Light of the Westering Sun
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