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.
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!
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.
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.
[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.
[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…
Epic 80s
Create a fanwork using on of our righteous prompts based on popular culture from the 1980s. Read more ...
Season of Change
Create a fanwork about seasons in Tolkien's world. Read more ...
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.
[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.
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 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.
What a sad story... The house of Húrin got the short end of the stick where fate was concerned.
I laughed so hard at your description of Tuor's decision! I reread that part and you're right XD But I always assumed he'd gone to ask for help too.
Thank you very much for reading and commenting! Hurin certainly makes you think about the reward for heroism. In his case, it can't even be argued that he brought it on himself in any way, as you might for his son. But as far as this story is concerned, I think perhaps the saddest part is that by the standards of the time Sador's niece isn't all that unlucky and she knows it. For every escaped thrall that reached the Havens, there must have been many that were caught and made an example of or died in the wilderness or were captured by orcs. But she managed to get her brother there in one piece--and the people of the Havens did the best they could for her
I'm glad you put that bit on Tuor's midlife crisis into the end notes - that made me laugh. I was on the verge of sniffling before that. Which is not a bad thing, really, because it means that the story got to me - but it's always so embarrassing to cry over a story.
Anyway! Despite the sniffling, I enjoyed this story - thanks for writing and sharing!
Thank you! I'm afraid this story reads almost as if I were trying to earn my Boxes of Tissues, although, as I wrote in the summary, the original idea for the plot antedates the Birthday Celebrations. I'm glad you enjoyed it in spite of that!
I like this story. It's very bleak, but also very well-written.
The fate of the people of Dor-lómin after Túrin's chaotic visit is one of the many tragedies of the Silmarillion that Tolkien implies more than describes, and it isn't something I've seen explored a lot in fanfic. I like how this story brings one of those people to life, in the person of the unnamed narrator. I also think it's fair to consider, as this story does by implication, what responsibility the Elves and the Valar have for their situation.
It's deeply sad and moving to me how the narrator and her mother still have faith in King Fingon and dream of him coming to save them -- but then, they have so little hope otherwise. I like this description of Idril visiting the hospital: "Lady Idril never forgets to smile at everyone before she goes in. She never remembers to smile at anyone when she leaves." It underlines what the narrator is realizing, that the Elves can't fend off death and tragedy either. And this is beautiful and evocative: "I hope my lady Idril is going home, back to the country where the light comes from, the place where she was born and that King Fingon also hailed from, they say." I like the description of her half-admitted love as "a last late gift of life." The poor narrator has had so little good in her life, so I'm glad for whatever bits of hope or comfort she can find at the end.
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Comments on Sea Wing
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