New Challenge: Everyman
Create a fanwork about an ordinary character in the legendarium using a quote about an unnamed character as inspiration.
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.
Instadrabbling Sessions for April, May, and June
Instadrabbling continues on the first Saturday of each month on our Discord server.
New Challenge: Famous Last Words
For our March challenge, our moderators will assign you a famous last line to use as a prompt.
[Writing] a life freely given, a favor returned by skywardstruck
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…
[Writing] dye me, nocturne by skywardstruck
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.
[Writing] Til We're on the Other Side by StarSpray
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.
In the dark…
[Writing] A Hundred Miles Through the Desert by StarSpray
“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…
[Writing] Hill and Water Under Sky by StarSpray
a collection of drabbles and mini ficlets in the meanwhile the world goes on 'verse that aren't long enough to stand on their own
[Writing] The Long Arm of the Law by Elrond's Library
Turgon cannot be above the law.
[Writing] Despair and Shadows by octopus_fool
Haleth leaves to find her brother, even though her father does not permit her to.
Everyman
Create a fanwork about an ordinary character in the legendarium using a quote about an unnamed character as inspiration. Read more ...
Kings & Queens
Create a fanwork about a king or queen from the legendarium. Read more ...
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.
Grief, Grieving, and Permission to Mourn in the "Quenta Silmarillion" by Dawn Walls-Thumma
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.
Tolkien, Lunatic Physicists, and Abnegation by Cynthia (Cindy) Gates
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.
[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.
[Writing] Why did Éowyn ask Faramir if he'd rather have a "woman of the race of Númenor"? by Quente
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?
…
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
April/May Teitho Challenge
Teithio is running a prompt challenge around the theme of "heartbreak."
April Challenge Tolkien Short Fanworks
Tolkien Short Fanworks is running a challenge around the theme of "fools," "foolishness," or "being fooled."
Extremely interesting choice of subject matter. It kept me hooked throughout.
I do have a question, if you don't mind.
He turned to Círdan. "I am Falmarin, as is my family. Fëanor and his sons forced us to sail our own ships East, only to burn them in Losgar. We allied ourselves to Turgon in Nevrast, whence we had fled after the burning of the ships."
Círdan nodded grimly. He'd already noticed the Tree-light in Tîrpethron's eyes, but knew better than to ask about it.
I was not sure what was intended by these lines. I had never heard of the Feanorians kidnapping sailors from Alqualonde, although it might have made practical sense. I am wondering by Cirdan is nodding grimly--because he does not believe the sailor, or because it would have been such an awful things to have done?
The Feänorians 'kidnapping sailors from Alqualondë', as you name it, is a personal headcanon of mine. The workings of a ship are intricate, and you do need someone skilled to sail it, especially with the storms Ossë was making at the time. I doubt there were enough Noldor who could sail that many ships through Ossë's storms without some ending up on the sea-bottom, and just letting them dumb Teleri sail them would just be practicality.
As for those lines, Tîrpethron and his family have been receiving strange stares for four-hundred and seventy-two years at the least, because they did nothing when the Fëanorians took their ships at Alqualondë but still grieves over their lost ships. Nobody understood them, not the Sindar of Nevrast ("Why would you just go with them? You could've fought back!), nor the Noldor of Gondolin (They are just ships, what would it bother you?"). He speaks to Círdan about it because he knows Círdan will understand what a ship means to a sailor, and that you'd rather go under with it than see it in the wrong hands. Círdan nods in acknowledgement of the story, and grimly because, well, Alqualondë. That'd make any elf grim.
Thanks for the comment!
If they were abducted Falmari, it makes their fate seem the harsher, that they were drowned by Osse before reaching Valinor!
Or is it your intention to suggest that, although they did not return, they did not drown?
Thanks for the comment!
It is said in the Silmarillion, chapter 12, Of the sun and moon and the hiding of Valinor, of the Enchanted Isles that "Hardly might any vessel pass between them" and "and of the many messengers that in after days sailed into the West, none came ever to Valinor - save one only: the mightiest mariner of song."
But Valinor is defined as the region beyond the Pelóri, and it does not include Tol Eressëa or Alqualondë. Plothole found! They could stay there, if their vessel could pass between the Isles. And so, in my special place of fanon, I grant these valiant mariners mercy (after all, this is fanfiction).
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