New Challenge: Scavenger Hunt
In this Matryoshka-with-a-twist, you will solve clues that point you to the challenge prompts.
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.
[Writing] How Tolkien Presents Ordinary People in "The Silmarillion" by Dawn Felagund
Inspired by collecting the prompts for the Everyman challenge, this essay considers how ordinary people are subsumed and silenced in The Silmarillion, which begins a three-book arc that ends with the rise of the humble and ordinary.
[Writing] A Very Fire by Deborah Judge
Feanor and Fingolfin, from their youth to their fall.
"I will do this gladly," Fingolfin said, whispering into Feanor's mouth, grasping for reasons and sense. "Gladly, if it will bring peace between us. If it will end the madness."
"The madness will not end," Feanor…
[Writing] After the Kinslaying by Deborah Judge
A Teleri fishing boat captain turns to farming on abandoned Noldor lands after her ship is stolen. A Noldor farmer returns with Finarfin to find that his land belongs to the Teleri now.
[Writing] Add Another Stone by StarSpray
The thing about forgiveness, he thought, was that it was so much easier when the object of it was far away—or dead. It was so much easier to let it all go when those responsible were far away and unable to do any more harm.
[Writing] Blessed are the Leave-takers by Isilme_among_the_stars
As prince Curufinwë Fëanáro makes an historical speech from the high court of the King upon Túna, those at the back of the crowd strain to hear.
A silly little scene inspired by Monty Python's "Blessed are the Cheesemakers" scene from The Life of Brian, written for …
[Writing] I Sit and Think of Times There Were Before by Erdariel
In his old age, Isildur's former esquire Ruinamacil, known to later histories only as Ohtar, writes his own account of his escape from the ambush at Gladden Fields and journey to Imladris, and the history of his friend whom Isildur ordered to flee with him.
[Writing] Until the Stars are All Alight by Dagstjarna
Reembodied in Aman, Celebrimbor decides to return to Middle earth to help heal the darkness and hurt wrought by the ring.
Scavenger Hunt
Solves clues to find your prompts for this Matryoshka challenge. 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.
[Writing] Down the Long Years by Isilme_among_the_stars
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…
[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.
Week of Kiliel
A Tumblr event dedicated to the relationship between Kili and Tauriel.
Aspec Arda Week 2026
This week-long event celebrates asexual and aromantic spectrum interpretations and headcanons of Tolkien’s Legendarium.
April/May Teitho Challenge
Teithio is running a prompt challenge around the theme of "heartbreak."
Tolkien Reverse Summer Bang 2026
The Tolkien Reverse Summer Bang is back for another summer of collaboration between artists and writers!
What an original take of the difference between Elves and Man, and so intriguing too! Finrod's explanation makes sense, and I remembered of your poem about Eruhini that the Elves envy Men their wings.It's funny too how the elves are puzzled about fictional works. and the funniest thing is... I imagine if they happen to read our fanfics about them. Why, I believe they will be very very mad indeed. It's good that they cannot return to Middle Earth, eh?
But if they are incapable of creating fictional work, for they cannot imagine what isn't, then how about telling lies? Isnt lies at their core is fictional stories?
Anyway, on to the 2nd chapter.
That's for the review, Naltariel! I'm glad you enjoyed the story.
Yes, lies are a type of fiction - but a pretty minor one. My Elves in this story have some imagination - they can tell lies, and visualize things like "What if Feanor had had red hair?" - but their ability to really stretch their imaginations beyond the most obvious 'alternate realities' is extremely limited. Creating the United Federation of Planets or Spider-Man is a stretch too far for them - those things are just too 'unreal' for them to imagine on their own. Every meet someone who wants to be a writer very badly but just doesn't seem to have any interesting ideas to write about? That's my Finrod at the end. And Melenbrethil (who is a more typical Elf than Finrod) has his parallel in the sort of person who sees no point in fiction and only reads nonfiction books 'because they're true'.
So you think about ff.net as well! :D
Sure do! I look at that endless sea of bad Mary-Sue stories with a lot more respect now. ;-)
Seriously, one thing I did want to do in this story was to give our kind a 'strange gift' that is actually worth having. The ones we actually see in Tolkien (a body that falls apart in all sorts of nasty ways, and death) - well, if those are gifts, i want to know where the Returns Department is. True creativity, on the other hand, and the ability to take great pleasure in the making and viewing of imaginary realities - to me, at least, that's a true and meaningful gift, not a booby prize.
What a wonderful idea! But Clark Kent at those times?
Okay, in fact, you may have different views of the world, if you are supposed to join it, really, forever, and there is no place to where you can fly from it.
You would not only try to change it, make it better, while you are young, but all the time, and probably fail the same way, but could not leave it this way.
Yes, I often deny elves from ever being young, do not suffer of deseases or old age problems, but if I want to face everlasting battle against entropie, I do not know...
Yes, you recognize, I spent lots of thinking about, I did, indeed!
Oh my God I found it again! A casual comment on tumblr made me remember your story from when I read it ages ago, and absolutely loved it (I was to shy to comment back then). Your take on the differences between men and elves makes just so much sense to me, and has since been firmly lodged in my personal headcanon. Kudos to you, and thank you for sharing this story!
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