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: Scavenger Hunt In this Matryoshka-with-a-twist, you will solve clues that point you to the challenge prompts.
Sign-Up to Hand Out Scavenger Hunt Prompts Our May challenge will be a Matryoshka built around a scavenger hunt. If you'd like to hand out prompts (and receive comments on your work for doing so!), you can sign up to do so.
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.
The fate of lovers has been sealed. After Aegnor pledges his love to Andreth, he seeks out council one last time from his wiser and more grounded eldest brother. However, his hopes that Finrod would join him in this newfound happiness are quickly dashed and it does not go well between the…
After the fall of Dorthonion, Edhellos (originally named in Quenya Eldalote), Angrod's wife, has chosen to move to Barad Nimras, the tower that Finrod built in the Falas on a headland west of Eglarest.
A series of half-drabbles using the one word prompts for the March/April 2025 Birthday Bash Challenge, looking at the perception of time through the eyes of Maiar (in general), Maedhros (specifically), and Aragorn and Arwen (specifically).
This is my new poetical attempt to add my own interpretation to Tolkien's Cosmology as to Eru's Creation and the Valar's minds and behind-the-scene providence reasons and mechanisms.. I often review Eä as part of our own world, just in another dimension, this is why I have always seriously…
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.
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…
Scribbles and Drabbles 2026
Scribbles & Drabbles is a fic and art exchange with a minimum word count of 100 words.
Russingon Week 2026
A Tumblr week event focusing on the relationship between Maedhros and Fingon.
Boromir Week 2026
If you are Boromir girlies/gents/stans/simps, then this event is for you! So, come join us, and bring your fanfiction, art, gifs, moodboards, and headcanons that highlight everything you love about our Captain of Gondor!
Silmarillion Epistolary Week 2026
Silmarillion Epistolary Week is a Tumblr challenge dedicated to creating fanworks to tell the story of the Silmarillion in the style of an epistolary novel.
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 like how you brought out the parallels between the first age and the third through the eyes of one of the few who had seen both. I can see a lot of thought went into this and I'm a reader who appreciates that. Well done and I'll be looking forward to seeing more of your work.
When it came to the section for Aragorn before the Morannon I was completely absorbed in movieverse, despite the set up you had given the reader, I could not have been farther in my mind from the First Age, and then you hit me with the comparison to Fingolfin calling out Morgoth. Nor had I ever seen the comparison to the War of Wrath when the eagles arrived. Very nice work.
Lovely! It is so good to see you here, Compa_Mighty! There are a few places where the wording stumbles, but the overall effect is magnificent - this is history writ large, a perspective that no one else could have. Seldom do we see the Valar active in the events of the Third Age, but through Gandalf's eyes, that seems clear. I loved how you compared Theoden to Oromë - straight off the pages of the original, but now in a new light! Good job, and I hope to see more from you.
Hello MithLuin, it was great to see you participate in the contest as well. I am sorry for not answering sooner to your post, but I have been really busy. I would very much appreciate for you to tell me where the wording stumbles. Any feedback is always good.
First of all let me say that I found this well written and very interesting. It was a new take on something very familiar and it was cleverly done, however I am afraid that for me personally this is still a Lotr story rather than a Silmarillion story, whcih of course doesn;t make it any less, just for me personally made it feel a bit misplaced. Still very nice work. :)
This story has a lovely touch of AU, I mean Oromë on Pellenor! That would have been so awesome, it would feel like him to ignore Manwé’s will for a good fight, then again I can see Tulkas doing this even more so! As I was reading this and all the allusions you wove into the retelling of the Siege of Minas Tirith and the final battle against Sauron, I suddenly started to miss Túrin in all of this, as much as I like Beren, Túrin stature as a warrior was greater and there were moments where the mentioning of Beren felt a bit off, imho. Anyway, this was a nice peace that paid tribute to all of Tolkien’s works – including the Hobbit.
Let me thank you for all these good comments, I really appreciate them! I also appreciate your feedback, as it will, no doubt, allow me to improve my style and adequate storytelling, with everything that implies.
Thanks again to everyone who reviewed my story. It was a real pleasure sharing with you and participating in the contest.
I am writing this review to say I edited the story for a few "where" that were actually "were" and slipped past the first revision. I hope it is better now, and I would appreciate you telling me any other mistakes you might find.
A much belated review here and one that comes from a circuitous route at that!
This is a great view from "30,000 feet" for all that ties to the War of the Ring. And how better to achieve this than having Olórin as narrator? That is a very effective device. As a dedicated Silm-geek (and also one who relishes the very weirdest bits of the History of Middle-earth), I loved the way you brought in all the past events into the light.
With regard to fan fiction or even a more orthodox reading of the trilogy, my opinion is that the better stories written in the Lord of the Rings milieu are informed by those who have read (and even re-read) The Silmarillion et al. since this is the foundation mythos for the trilogy. Your story is a perfect illustration of why this is so.
Very nice, and seeing as how this is your lone offering, I hope that you will consider writing more and posting your work here.
Comments on Echoes from the past, reflections of yesterday
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.