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!
Character of the Month: Marach There are few details in the texts about Marach, but he is noteworthy for his allegiances and his descendants, who would become pivotal to the history of Middle-earth and the eventual defeat of Morgoth and Sauron.
New Challenge: Allusive Literature and art constantly refer back to each other using allusions, and this month's prompts are inspired by allusions to literature, myth, art, and history.
New Challenge: Building Middle-earth Let global architecture be your inspiration in this challenge, where you will work with a prompts that are architectural styles, locations in Arda, or both.
Rescued from a brutal Angband hunt, an ex-thrall with a strange and powerful artifact embedded in his spine is brought to Himring, for it is one of the only places in Beleriand which welcomes such folk. Though he has no memories of his life before, Anniavas slowly becomes accustomed to his new…
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…
Of course, she knew that in the Blessed Land, true harm was unlikely to come to him. The Valar watched over them all, and the lesser spirits were everywhere. It was a great hound of Oromë who had found him happily splashing in the creek, in fact. But anyone could drown in mere…
Across three surveys and ten years, the Tolkien Fanfiction Survey has document when authors began writing. These data reveal trends in how film promotions, the films themselves, the books, and other historical contexts have influenced not only who writes but how long they stay.
He has perhaps made a great mistake, but it's too late now.
Current Challenge
Allusive
Choose from our list of allusions to history, literature, mythology, and art to create a fanwork. Read more ...
Random Challenge
Arda Underground
Take the dark back streets of one of Arda's cities, explore an unsigned tavern or hovel, and meet the people too insignificant or unsavory to make it into the history books. Read more ...
Across three surveys and ten years, the Tolkien Fanfiction Survey has document when authors began writing. These data reveal trends in how film promotions, the films themselves, the books, and other historical contexts have influenced not only who writes but how long they stay.
There are few details in the texts about Marach, but he is noteworthy for his allegiances and his descendants, who would become pivotal to the history of Middle-earth and the eventual defeat of Morgoth and Sauron.
A dissenting voice in Marach's alliance with the Elves of Beleriand, Amlach experiences a change of mind after a mysterious twist in the story reorients his priorities toward enmity with Morgoth.
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…
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 this interpretation of the significance behind the name Maitimo! One of my favorite things to read/write/think about is the significance behind names, and this was an interpretation I had not seen before, and one I think fits remarkably well in canon. It really shows Nerdanel's love, and adds a new dimension both to her character and to Maitimo's. Well done!
Thank you so much! This ficlet was actually my inspiration for the challenge as a whole and I'm really glad you liked the way it turned out. Have you ever written some of your name interpretations?
Thank you for the kind review! And I think the world needs more Celegorm fluff, and Huan is very very fluffy (at least in my headcanons) - and I like the "dog ate my homework" interpretation, I hadn't even thought of that! :)
Even though it would be an awful thing, if only this moment got Feanor to see himself as a kinslayer (weren't the Teleri sailors people's sons, parents, brothers and sisters?), this really packs a punch.
And the idea of fearing for the smaller twin as an infant, only to see fate come for him as a man, out of his father's actions . . .
It is definitely an awful moment, but I feel like Feanor's ideas of family are very warped and he wouldn't necessarily think of the Teleri as being people's family, but things can hit home for him when it's one of his own sons. This is one of my favorite angsty headcanons and I'm glad you were engaged with the way I wrote it :)
Yes! I absolutely love supportive!Maglor helping guide his sons down their paths, knowing they will each need support of a different kind. Thanks for writing in :)
I just noticed your reply now! Sorry about that...
I have written one story which speaks to the significance of names, specifically the cultural name of Eldar. It needs some editing, both in the format on the site(it was the first thing I posted and I was a bit confused) as well as in the writing. But if you're interested it's called People of the Stars. Some time soon I'll get around to fixing the formatting and editing/finalizing the text.
But mostly I just think about names and their meanings. I guess names fascinate me because so much of our identitys seem tied to them. Maybe it's just me, but under a different name, it's seems there is a different "feeling" to me entirely. And yet I've learned that names,words, and thus everything, can be much more fluid than our personal realities would have us believe. I am still working on putting my thoughts on the matter into words, so forgive me if I don't explain myself quite right.
Ni Nienna! I may have been late in writing the replies so please don't feel bad :) I will definitely look into that story when I get home from work! I have a friend at work who absolutely loves getting into lengthy discussions about names, so I have heard a good amount of naming theories, but I also love to dive into characters' names and why they're named that. For this, I had read a fic where the name Maitimo seemed cruel after Maedhros' time in Angband, and for some reason my muse got happy instead of angsty and wondered what it might be like if the name was a comfort instead.
Comments on Fëanorians in 600 Words or Less
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.