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!
A Sense of History: Thálatta! Thálatta! While he never climbs the stairs of this Elf-tower, in Lothlórien Frodo Baggins descends a flight of steps to look into Galadriel’s Mirror, wherein he first sees the sea. This post examines the view.
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New Challenge: Tengwar Each day for thirty-six days, we feature a randomly chosen letter from the Tengwar as a prompt.
While he never climbs the stairs of this Elf-tower, in Lothlórien Frodo Baggins descends a flight of steps to look into Galadriel’s Mirror, wherein he first sees the sea. This post examines the view.
With Gildor Inglorion we finally climb the stairs of Elostirion and look on the view, and what we see appears to reveal a hidden thread in the story of Frodo Baggins. This post reads two annotated translations of two Elvish songs to step through a crossroads in the narrative to arrive at the tower on the margin of the story, wherein is a stone that is a window onto Valinor.
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.
Bilbo recounts, in verse, the attempt of Gandalf, Beorn, and him to cross the Forest River after the Battle of Five Armies. Written for the Hungarian Tolkien Society's 2024 Mailing Competition.
Teitho May/June Challenge: Joker
For the May/June Teitho challenge, you can pick ANY of our past challenges that stir your imagination and write a story or create art for it.
Monstrous May 2024
Monstrous May is a Tumblr event where, for each day of the month of May, there is a prompt involving and invoking the monstrous.
Fellowship of the Fics: Modern AU May
During May, Fellowship of the Fics offers modern AU prompt lists for setting, character occupation, and dialogue on Tumblr.
May challenge at tolkienshortfanworks
The May challenge has been posted to the tolkienshortfanworks community on Dreamwidth. Thematic challenge: name; formal challenge: acrostic. As usual, these can be filled independently and freely combined with other prompts such as the SWG challenges. New participants welcome!
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.
Beautiful Bard, like * Hearts Like The Sea * this is another very early time frame which is wonderfully written. I do like the end, very foreboding with the first thunder of doom.
Thanks Fanari. I wrote this for a "First Impressions" challenge and I liked the idea of Varda seeing the Elves she'd worked so hard for. I thought she must have been sad when she saw the Silmarils and knew the Elves had surpassed what she had seen for them.
Very nicely done! I can only imagine the first reaction of the Valar to creatures so small and seemingly weak and "constrained to one aspect"; now you've got the bunnies nibbling me! (Bad bunnies! ;) And those last lines are wonderful; I great conclusion to the piece.
I gave *you* a plot bunny? Wow! I'm speechless! Thanks so much for the kind words, Dawn, especially about the last lines. I knew what I wanted to project but had a hard time getting it to come out right. I appreciate your comments.
I'll take 'Well done', Moreth. Definitely! I was interested in the part of the Sil where it said that even though the Valar had seen what was to come when they were actually faced with it, it was like a new unforseen thing to them. I tried to imagine what it might be like from Varda's pov. I'm glad you liked this one. Thanks so much for commenting.
I'm struck by Varda's sense of the familiar ("their strength a reflection of that of my kinsmen") and then we see the alien nature of the Valar - "forms confined to one aspect" and Varda hoping that her form will put them at ease. With those words, you convey a great sense of The Other when considering the Valar.
Those last two sentences capture Varda's grief oh, so well. One can see how much she cares for the Elder Children of Iluvatar, but can she - The Other - truly understand them?
Thanks, Pandemonium! The Valar could envision the Elves but they could not know them, even after calling them to Valinor. I like to think this desire to know them and seek to understand them is what caused the Valar to want the Elves near them, and not just for selfish purposes. Then I talk to Oshun and change my mind again. lol Thanks for reading and commenting. I'm glad you enjoyed this little piece.
Beautifully wirtten. Lovely language. I completely agree this is how Varda could veiw the elves. However, if you wanna argue about the Valar, I'm up for it! However, I don't expect they see themselves as interfering and condescending! Nor would I see them as ever being intentionally ill-willed, just think there is another side of the story! (Did I mention how I love it when you write a Silm fic?)
Thanks, Oshun! I know how you love to argue about the Valar. lol I learn so much talking to you. And I'm glad you like my Silm fics. I didn't use to even consider trying to write them but thanks to you I'm getting bolder.
I wanted to leave a different note/review than I just wrote for the MEFA's, but I just read this piece twice over to take this beautiful piece in oh so slowly on a lazy Sunday afternoon. I am glad that I was able to review it on time for the MEFA's, but truly... what genre can you not write! Every time I am amazed by your skill and talents, and thanks so much for sharing this wonderful piece with us at the SWG. In a way this story woke up my muse regarding a novel set prior to the arrival of the elves (my current Nano-novel) and I really like your take on Varda, it kind of reminds me how I initially loved this Valie, but I think Vána has some dire competition now thanks to this piece. Adding this one to my fav's, oh yes!
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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.