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.
[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…
[Writing] Changing Styles by StarSpray
“What did you do to your hair?”
[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] 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] Star of Hope by Fuin
A new star shines in the sky. They claim it brings hope.
Epic 80s
Create a fanwork using on of our righteous prompts based on popular culture from the 1980s. Read more ...
Teen Spirit
In honor of the SWG becoming a teenager, create a fanwork about an adolescent character or adolescence using our prompt generator. 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 Gen Week 2026
Tolkien Gen Week will run from July 6-12, 2026 to appreciate all of the incredible characters and relationships within Tolkien’s legendarium that fall under the broad category of “gen.”
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.
Intriguing!
I like that you chose Fingolfin's point of view.
And also Lalwende's involvement.
Thank you, I'm glad it interests you :) Fingolfin just started talking to me about this strange idea, so it had to be his POV (plus I don't really want to be inside Feanor's head!) Hope you continue to enjoy the story.
What an ending!
You've packed in plenty of intriguing twists and resisted the temptation of tidying-up the loose ends too neatly.
Thank you :) Yes, I was trying to avoid, y'know, rewriting the entire Silmarillion as an AU where Feanor lives, so I thought an open ending was most fitting. Possibly it asked more questions than it answered, though. Thank you for reviewing and glad you enjoyed reading!
Oh, this is original! I really, really like. I love the details--the repeated “You are an arsehole" exchange is perfect and totally believable.
I love all of the family interactions. The ring very true, or perhaps more one of few possible interpretations that could feel true to me. So many small details delight me. I love you included Lalwen--ten years and nearly 100 stories later I wish had when I was plotting my backstory of these same characters, too many words under the bridge for me to go back and re-work that now. I love that others beside just Fingon are trying to find him.
Curufin, ha! That made me giggle. Afraid he is not the favorite anymore.
Of course, I love most of all that Feanor survives and a chance to look at how that might have changed the story. I love seeing him begin to let go and listen to others. Maedhros may have been tempered by his suffering, but then so has Feanor.
The flip in who had the most internal difficulties in keeping their flock in order is really interesting to read. The fanon favorite is that Maedhros would have problems with the Feanorians when he hands the crown over to Fingolfin. Here Fingolfin's willingness to deal with Feanor makes problems for him among his followers. I really like the considerations that your storyline manifests when you change an outcome like this big one--Feanor lives--so many little things must change as well.
Obviously, I really enjoyed it! Thanks so very much for sharing.
I like where and the way it ends. But you know how fanfic readers are--we always want more of good thing--putting all literary or artistic considerations aside.
Extremely entertaining AU.
Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry for not responding to this before! The email must have gone into my spam or something.
Thank you so much for such a fantastic review! Writing Feanor was a first for me - I'd always been slightly intimidated by him before, but I actually found that I really enjoyed him. And there was so very much that needed considering, because Feanor's survival had the power to completely derail all the events in the Silmarillion. This was just one take, but there were many others I considered so I'm glad to hear that it worked.
(Of course, I wasn't actually brave - or stupid? - enough to write the outcome of the Nirnaeth. That could have been a whole can of worms! And I'm still not sure what happened! Nonetheless, the temptation to continue with the storyline was very strong; I just don't think it would have done the story any favours.)
Again, thank you for reviewing, this was wonderful to read :) And I'm off to check my email spam filters!
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