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: Title Track Tolkien's titles range from epic to lyrical to metaphorical. This month's challenge selected 125 of them as prompts for fanworks.
Our Annual Amnesty Challenge: New Year's Resolution Start 2026 off with creativity! If you missed a challenge or didn't get to finish or post a challenge fanwork, complete any 2025 challenge before 15 February to receive the stamp.
He was going to die. The molten rocks would burn him just like the cursed gem in his palm did. Maybe less painfully but still being burnt hurt and Maedhros knew it. He intimately knew it from his time in Angband where Þauron burnt him often in frustration and to toy with him and his master…
“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…
Aldarion storms off towards Middle-earth. For the Title Track challenge.
Current Challenge
Title Track
Create a fanwork using our collection of 125 titles from Tolkien's books, chapters, essays, poems, and fragments as inspiration. Read more ...
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.
This presentation for Mereth Aderthad 2025 discusses the many similarities between Tolkien's three "twilight children," Tinúviel, Lómion, and Undómiel (Luthien, Maeglin, and Arwen) in terms of appearance, plot, and cultural background. Yet these three characters play very different roles in the text.
Presented at Mereth Aderthad 2025, this paper makes the case thata, although the term "aromantic" had not yet been coined in Tolkien's day, many of his characters can be read as aromantic. The paper takes a closer look at Aredhel, Bilbo, and Boromir as three examples of characters who can be read as aromantic.
“There’s a goblin hiding in the taters, Dad!” Pippin hefted the pan, which was much too big for him to carry, let alone wield.
Around the World and Web
March Challenge - Tolkien Short Fanworks
Tolkien Short Fanworks is running a challenge for the month of March to create a Back to Middle-earth Month themed challenge.
Tolkien Fashion Week 2026
This two-week-long Tumblr event is dedicated to honoring the world of fashion and textiles Tolkien wrote about in his books.
Celegorm and Curufin Week 2026
Celegorm and Curufin Week is a Tumblr week celebrating the relationship between Celegorm and Curufin Feanorion
Back to Middle-earth Month 2026
Back to Middle-earth Month is returning for it's 20th year with many prompts and archival efforts.
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.
This is very tender and beautiful. In it, you say everything there is to say. I wish you would write a longer Findekamo/Maitimo- a sequel to AMC where they start to realise what there is between them. My dream come true that would be.
I don't quite know how you do this- make such a short scene so utterly complete. So much in this; the refusal to allow them to make Feanor a martyr (and it never occured to me before that they would try! Curufinwe's hands- that focus on their grime, their depserate scrbbling to save dust, is terribly poignant- and the heavy heavy irony of Maitimo (still) is so weighted. Brilliant.
This creates a wonderful image of darkness and a voice speaking out of it- the Odon myth is really interesting here. (and of course, the Christ myth too) An ordeal that yields gifts, not only th story but the voice too. I like the idea that Pengolodh is outside the lamplight.
Oh, this is a grim and sorrowful tale- but I think it is how Tolkien saw things too. Maedhros is the most tragic of all his characters I think and then slow grinding of his spirit the worse thing Tolkien inflivts upon him. Fingon's death seems to finish him and only the Oath keeps him alove.
This reminds me of the scene in AMC where he sees the squirrel and is distratced by its distress - I like the analogy of the trees -the oaks taking u more than their share of the sky, like their father, and the willows that bow with supple grace.
Great sense of the storm in this- the sea, senses, feeling overwhlemed and in terrible danger. I think back to him as he was in ANC- I have never bothered to find out anything about him before but just looked him up -power of your writing, Dawn.
There is a terrible bitterness and fury and grief in this one line:Curufinwë—hands ash-grimed from trying to gather their father into a box.
And of course the irony, although I am sure he knew this only too well when he choose to go and sortie with Morgoth, that maitimo went too - his choice, his price, his loss. He was willing to pay.
Comments on They Went in Haste
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.