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.
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…
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.
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.
“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…
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.
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.
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.
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?
…
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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
The Silmarillion Writers' Guild is more than just an archive--we are a community! If you enjoy a fanwork or enjoy a creator's work, please consider letting them know in a comment.
I love it. It is fabulous. I really wish I could draw! I would illustrate it. What fun that would be. Although, actually, it might be funnier to imagine the illustrations that to actually see them.
I adore Finrod and his geekishness anyway. This sounds like him in my head.
Actually, I just remembered that Pandemonium has an illustration in my biography of Finrod here that almost fits one of the possible illustrations: http://www.silmarillionwritersguild.org/reference/characterofthemonth/finrod.php Scroll down until you get to the cartoon.
This was just fantastic! Your Finrod is both unintentionally hilarious and charming! His awkwardness (and complete obliviousness to said awkwardness) makes it even more endearing. I am imagining all of his sketches. And giggling.
I like to think that Finrod is wise enough to be aware of some of the awkwardness. But then, he is writing this to impress his girlfriend, so he would never admit to it. He is a gentleman explorer, comfortable everywhere!
Recapping from the SV site, but it bears repeating... :^)
Sketches from Beleriand is hilarious, but I would expect no less from you, tehta. Each of Finrod's parenthetical asides on his enclosed sketches (or list) are increasingly hootworthy, and you've captured his scholarly (and patronizing - although a well-intentioned kind of patronizing) voice perfectly. A great andvery entertaining read!
And this...
"Imagine the scene: off in the distance, the mountains rolled towards me, softened by the distance and shaded an impossible indigo. Meanwhile, beside me, every blade of grass, every flower-petal, every leaf on every tree stood out in the still, glowing air, sharp and separate, as if masterfully wrought from a ductile metal. (Not from stone, though: even if I found some in the right blue-green shade, I could never carve it so finely.)
(I confess I am quite pleased with the descriptive powers displayed above, but in case they have failed me, I am enclosing a few watercolours. I believe the third is the best.)"
AH HAHAHAHA! That was the first bit that sent me well and truly over the edge.
And you're right: Finrod's sketch would have been FAR more anatomically correct than my badly drawn cartoon. :^D
This is so wonderful! I love eager, slightly clueless Finrod and his inquisitiveness. I like to imagine his letters somehow survived the fall of Nargothrond and found their way to Amarie eventually… I can see her much later showing the sketches around at family gatherings like other people do with baby photographs, a blushing Finrod in the corner trying to ignore them all ;-)
Comments on Sketches from Beleriand
The Silmarillion Writers' Guild is more than just an archive--we are a community! If you enjoy a fanwork or enjoy a creator's work, please consider letting them know in a comment.