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.
This was a very moving story from the poem in the beginning to the fate of the last Fëanorian in the end. I usually prefer stories with a happier ending, but this is just beautiful. And you manage to instill a sense of every character, their feelings, wishes and regrets in such a short space. Thank you for sharing these.
Oh, this chapter is chilling. I love the formatting of it: the jewels are always there no matter what, their voices triggering Feanor to commit terrible crimes.
The way this is laid out raises the interesting question of responsibility, and of how the light of Varda is such a corrupting force. Is the light of the Trees too strong a thing for an elf to handle? That's a question that could spark plotbunnies for *me*! :D
Through each piece I can see that madness and obsession inspired the the jewels, leading to the House of Feanor's downfall.
Some of the sons of Feanor were tricked by the seductive voices of the Silmarils, which play right into their pride and belief that they can restore the House's glory if only they strike the right blow... How far from humanity they have fallen, to believe that the Silmarils are worth more than the lives of their kin and the people who were loyal to them.
And then there were the sons who realized their mistakes, and (at the same time, horribly) realize that they cannot atone for them. I can't figure out which mindset is more tragic.
Nerdanel's piece was a lovely inclusion. She has always been one of my favorites, and this captures her tragedy and helplessness very well.
Thanks so much for your review. This was my chance to show the Feanorians as not evil but completely misguided and lost themselves. In my mind, the Silmarils were like cocaine and they were addicts. And like drug addicts, they don't care about what damage they do to themselves or others, they just want to get their next fix or the ultimate high. It doesn't really make them evil - it makes them flawed which despite some people's opinions, Elves are flawed.
This was a very moving story from the poem in the beginning to the fate of the last Fëanorian in the end. I usually prefer stories with a happier ending, but this is just beautiful. And you manage to instill a sense of every character, their feelings, wishes and regrets in such a short space. Thank you for sharing these.
Thanks so much for your comments. This story was so special to me because I wanted to show the Feanorians as something more than 'monsters' and kinslayers.
Oh, this chapter is chilling. I love the formatting of it: the jewels are always there no matter what, their voices triggering Feanor to commit terrible crimes.
The way this is laid out raises the interesting question of responsibility, and of how the light of Varda is such a corrupting force. Is the light of the Trees too strong a thing for an elf to handle? That's a question that could spark plotbunnies for *me*! :D
Through each piece I can see that madness and obsession inspired the the jewels, leading to the House of Feanor's downfall.
Some of the sons of Feanor were tricked by the seductive voices of the Silmarils, which play right into their pride and belief that they can restore the House's glory if only they strike the right blow... How far from humanity they have fallen, to believe that the Silmarils are worth more than the lives of their kin and the people who were loyal to them.
And then there were the sons who realized their mistakes, and (at the same time, horribly) realize that they cannot atone for them. I can't figure out which mindset is more tragic.
Nerdanel's piece was a lovely inclusion. She has always been one of my favorites, and this captures her tragedy and helplessness very well.
Thanks so much for your review. This was my chance to show the Feanorians as not evil but completely misguided and lost themselves. In my mind, the Silmarils were like cocaine and they were addicts. And like drug addicts, they don't care about what damage they do to themselves or others, they just want to get their next fix or the ultimate high. It doesn't really make them evil - it makes them flawed which despite some people's opinions, Elves are flawed.
Comments on Fëanorian Fates Series
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.