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: Title Track Tolkien's titles range from epic to lyrical to metaphorical. This month's challenge selected 125 of them as prompts for fanworks.
Our Annual Amnesty Challenge: New Year's Resolution Start 2026 off with creativity! If you missed a challenge or didn't get to finish or post a challenge fanwork, complete any 2025 challenge before 15 February to receive the stamp.
He was going to die. The molten rocks would burn him just like the cursed gem in his palm did. Maybe less painfully but still being burnt hurt and Maedhros knew it. He intimately knew it from his time in Angband where Þauron burnt him often in frustration and to toy with him and his master…
“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…
Aldarion storms off towards Middle-earth. For the Title Track challenge.
Current Challenge
Title Track
Create a fanwork using our collection of 125 titles from Tolkien's books, chapters, essays, poems, and fragments as inspiration. Read more ...
Random Challenge
Revolution
Create a fanwork using a quotation, artwork, speech, or song concerned with protest and revolution as your inspiration. Read more ...
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.
This presentation for Mereth Aderthad 2025 discusses the many similarities between Tolkien's three "twilight children," Tinúviel, Lómion, and Undómiel (Luthien, Maeglin, and Arwen) in terms of appearance, plot, and cultural background. Yet these three characters play very different roles in the text.
Presented at Mereth Aderthad 2025, this paper makes the case thata, although the term "aromantic" had not yet been coined in Tolkien's day, many of his characters can be read as aromantic. The paper takes a closer look at Aredhel, Bilbo, and Boromir as three examples of characters who can be read as aromantic.
“There’s a goblin hiding in the taters, Dad!” Pippin hefted the pan, which was much too big for him to carry, let alone wield.
Around the World and Web
March Challenge - Tolkien Short Fanworks
Tolkien Short Fanworks is running a challenge for the month of March to create a Back to Middle-earth Month themed challenge.
Tolkien Fashion Week 2026
This two-week-long Tumblr event is dedicated to honoring the world of fashion and textiles Tolkien wrote about in his books.
Celegorm and Curufin Week 2026
Celegorm and Curufin Week is a Tumblr week celebrating the relationship between Celegorm and Curufin Feanorion
Back to Middle-earth Month 2026
Back to Middle-earth Month is returning for it's 20th year with many prompts and archival efforts.
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.
"Now, your pride is reserved for just these three jewels, and I had to stand by helplessly to watch how your sons no longer held this station in your heart."
This line is incredibly sad. And the last thing Nerdanel says to the jewels is perfect, and sad also, since we know that they do ultimately destroy Fëanor.
I just strongly felt that if Nerdanel felt wronged by those creations that stole her husband's heart, she deserved a chance to speak her mind and gain release. I hardly write her but this bunny demanded to be written! Thanks for your comments!
This was wonderful. Such tragic foreshadowing… “Do not destroy him!” But of course, they do destroy him. And Nerdanel seems just the type of character to foresee it. Nice work.
Thanks! :c) She can of course wish all the best for her greatest love, perhaps with a deeper desire that he will grow tired of them and return back to her. Who knows....
Thank you Oshun!!! I saw your mefa review a few days ago, but I didn't had time yet to reply... It was so tempting to end this short work on a positive note and who knows, at the end of Arda they will be reunited again (in my mind they are, but love can also break your heart and letting go (whether for your own sake or for your lover) can be the greatest act of love as well. In my humble opinion of course! Thanks for reading and making it to the end!
I've always considered the estrangement of Feanor and Nerdanel very tragic and sad and reading your story emphasized this for me. How different things could have turned out if this had not happened, or if she joined him in Middle Earth. It's also a treat to see the spotlight more on Ambarussa here than on the other Feanorions.
I think this also gives a good glimpse of what could have been going through Nerdanel's mind and how she must have felt after being supplanted by the jewels in her husband's regard, truly, they could qualify as "mistresses". Nerdanel's question of why the Valar released Morgoth and how it affected her family is my favorite line. The most heart breaking scene is the part where she actually holds them and addresses them like they were living beings and how even after she denies any more love for him, she still does not want him destroyed. The hopeless romantic in me thinks that if anything, that is still an indication that she loves him.
Yes, she still does love Fëanor, but at what cost? What I tried to bring across was that she had to let go, surrender her love to the other that captured his heart, or be torn asunder herself. We know from canon that her love for the Ambarussa is strong, and for them she has to survive, imho of course. And yes, it is nice to see her youngest being with Nerdanel, it felt natural to me Thank you so much for reading and leaving such a thoughtful review!
Wow, this was a powerful story, very emotionally raw. Her iteration of all that she was leaving to the jewels--the good, the bad, the domestic--was just perfect for me and really showed a life lived through all the ups and downs and many trivialities that marriage brings. Her reaction to the stones made me think: Is she getting an inkling of what he experiences from them, why they have so commanded his attention? Or, if he truly put his heart into them, as he says in the Silm, is she seeing the purity of his goodness before he was corrupted? Definitely thought-provoking.
I loved the glimpse of the twins too, characters not seen often on their own.
Comments on The Last Words
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.