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've always loved the Athrabeth! I really liked this study of the languages and nuances of linguistics that your fic focused on and how each of them views these issues. Finrod just becomes more fascinating with each interpretation.
i am always feel sad when I think of Andreth. Even if it was only for a brief time she could have had some joy in her life with Aegnor. It strikes me as monstrously unfair that Aragorn, Tuor and Beren got to marry their true loves but Andreth did not.
There is a bit of a linguistic angle to the Athrabeth itself, in particular to Finrod's explanation of amdir and estel. But it seemed to me that even more could be said about that side of it, perhaps. I'm glad you enjoyed this attempt to do so!
Yes, it's sad about those two. Maybe Aegnor would have willingly chosen mortality to be with Andreth, if that option had been on the table.
of all the complex shapes in the universe, the shapes of thought are easily the most elaborate, and elusive.
this is a good discussion about one of the trickiest topics in philosophy; the indeterminacy of translation is still generating tons of tomes. but i like the way you ended with a slop bucket, philosophers say 'remember the table'.
language is impossible, obviously, but you know what i mean...
i like your 'devastatingly sincere' Finrod. reminds me of Professor Kirke from Narnia, as though you have channeled 🙈 C.S.Lewis. of course, i havent read the Athrabeth.
I'm glad that this makes sense to a reader who hasn't read the Athrabeth! (The summary I linked is a good one, if you haven't got access to the text, but of course it isn't in the Professor's voice.)
I feel I've only touched on the topic, almost, really.
Tantalising! I wish they could have discussed this at greater length, although I definitely understand Andreth's discomfort at trying to explain this to Finrod (not just because she might pick it to pieces, but simply because it is hard to put into words what she means, especially without the linguistic terms to start with!). And the ending was heartbreaking. Andreeeth. ;_;
I'm really glad that someone undertook it. I wish I could remember their name--I saw it in that Tumblr post I mentioned, but couldn't remember exactly what I'd read, afterwards.
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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.