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…
Haleth leaves to find her brother, even though her father does not permit her to.
Current Challenge
Everyman
Create a fanwork about an ordinary character in the legendarium using a quote about an unnamed character as inspiration. Read more ...
Random Challenge
Akallabêth in August
Every August, we focus on one of the most tumultuous times in Arda's history: the Second Age and the rise and fall of Númenor. Any story that is or might conceivably be part of the Akallabêth is acceptable for this challenge. Read more ...
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.
The snow globe is a stunning image, but still a horribly sad one--I want one of those! But, the wound might be a little fresh for her to appreciate the gift without feeling even sadder! (Although, it is his kindness and her feeling welcomed and cared for which is most important) I'm just getting over being really sick! Might be that I am the one that is feeling fragile and projecting it onto Finduilas who is also one of those horribly tragic characters. And then you end with Khim! Now there is a happy story (not!). You certainly did engage me. And there is no denying that beautiful as Nargothond was and as much as I would like to imagine exploring it, Finduilas must have been pretty shattered when she arrived there.
It a good story and definitely elicited a lot of feelings from me--that's what one wants, right?
*I see you did warn! No matter, since you wrote, I would have read it with even a stronger warning!
Thank you very much for engaging with the story and for your comments, Oshun!
I agree that the gift of the globe is something of a risk, when the pain is still so fresh (Orodreth is clearly taking a different approach). That is why I wanted to bring out that it comes out of a shared grief, in part, and that Finrod has also lost Tol Sirion, although he did not feel about it in quite the same way. I'm glad you feel he is being kind and caring, despite your reservations about his timing! (I do think Elves would make the best snow globes ever, if they went in for them!)
Yes, I think Finduilas would have been shattered when she arrived, especially if she experienced the siege. (I have dodged the question, so far, of whether she has lost her mother and, if so, how recently, but she doesn't seem to be around.)
Khim's fate in canon is not at all a happy one. But I do like the fanon of Finduilas (or anyone else from Nargothrond, really) finding out more about Petty Dwarves and not just being oblivious about them and that does not, I think, have to be an unhappy story in itself.
Aw, Finrod is a good uncle. Poor Finduilas. And poor Finrod, realizing that she is unhappy but that he has no good way to do anything about it, given what she truly wants.
This is quite sweet even though it's sad-- I always like Finrod and Finduilas when they're written well, and you've written them well. But of course there are always shadows creeping around the edges of the light. But of course I should really expect that sort of thing when I go to read Silmfic. All this to say, I liked this a lot!
Comments on A Memory in Hand
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.