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: Building Middle-earth Let global architecture be your inspiration in this challenge, where you will work with a prompts that are architectural styles, locations in Arda, or both.
He’d ventured into the little fishing village in search of food and maybe a dry place to sleep for a night of rain and wind—he hadn’t expected this, to be bullied into a hot meal and a healer’s attention.
Tuor and Elwing’s recreational sailing excursion goes terribly awry when a carnivorous siren casts her gaze upon their vessel. With her song, she enchants the mariners and boards with evil intent. She kills and eats their crewman, she demands Tuor’s hand in marriage, and for dessert…
Rescued from a brutal Angband hunt, an ex-thrall with a strange and powerful artifact embedded in his spine is brought to Himring, for it is one of the only places in Beleriand which welcomes such folk. Though he has no memories of his life before, Anniavas slowly becomes accustomed to his new…
Fëanor shrugged, studying the contents of his wine glass. “Something must be done about that house. It will fall down eventually.” “It does not follow that it must be you that tears it down single-handedly. Are you sure you do not want help?” “It’s not as though I…
As beautiful as he is dangerous, Aegnor, an elven prince, stands against the looming shadows of Angband. Brother to Galadriel, he commands the siege with a fierce intensity, a duty that exacts a heavy toll on him. But beneath the iron walls he has built lies a broken soul, haunted by a…
The Lord of the Rings and Hobbit film trilogies mark perhaps the most influential events in the history of the Tolkien fanfiction fandom. As the Rings of Power show approaches its third season, data from the Tolkien Fanfiction Survey shows that it is not even close to…
The Lord of the Rings and Hobbit film trilogies mark perhaps the most influential events in the history of the Tolkien fanfiction fandom. As the Rings of Power show approaches its third season, data from the Tolkien Fanfiction Survey shows that it is not even close to matching the impact of the films ... yet.
Data from the 2025 Tolkien Fanfiction Survey shows demographic changes in participant gender, age, and education and new revelations about neurodiversity.
Expanding on my 2018 article "Why People Don't Comment," comment data from the SWG underscores community as an essential component to a robust commenting culture.
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…
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.
It was a treat to read about Erestor's new "cultural discoveries" and his reaction to them. Gwirith's lines had me giggling and it's easy to imagine the look on Erestor's face! The ending gesture between them was just a nice touch, especially how it affected Elrond.
Thank you, Whitewave - I'm so glad you enjoyed this little story!
It was inspired by a discussion about The Laws & Customs and whether Elves actually feel desire. I still have no idea, but had a great time imagining what they might have believed themselves.
I'm terribly sorry to be so slow to reply; RL has been rather hectic recently.
This made me laugh! Cultural clashes are always fun. I enjoyed the humour very much, but there are a couple of points of real pathos too, especially the signs of Gwirith's ageing. The punchline (silencing Elrond) is very funny.
Thank you, Clodia - I'm glad you enjoyed the story! It was supposed to stay very light-hearted all the way through, but Erestor stubbornly refused to co-operate.
(Oh, and I've finally figured out how to respond to reviews. Better late than never. )
Ehehehe! I really like this, Lissa. Stories that arise from provocative discussions are more often tha not funny, original and thoughtful, and this delivers on all accounts!
Erestor's discomfort/prudishness was fun to read, and you did a splendid job of getting us 'into his head'. And as other reviewers have noted, despite the light humour, there are some very deft moments of thoughtfulness - Gwirith's awestruck - innocent, even if she doesn't quite act on it so innocently ;) - admiration of Erestor, and in turn his reminder of her mortality in the small details.
That last bit is just the icing on the cake. :D And it's so nice to see a story taking place in Minas Tirith during this time, too!
Thank you so much for your lovely review, Klose! I do apologize for not replying sooner - I haven't logged in lately and therefore did not notice your post.
It's wonderful to hear that you liked this wacky story and I'm particularly pleased that you appreciated the two main characters. Isn't it weird how protective one becomes of these imaginary people? *g*
As to Minas Tirith, I imagine the story to have taken place shortly before the war broke out; the city must have been at the height of its glory at this time.
You know, before I registered on this site, I had been book-marking stories from authors here for ages. Some stories, in particular, stuck with me, even though I could not remember the pen-names of the authors.
This is one of those absolute favourites. I love the banter between Elrond and Erestor, and the witty barbs they share with one another. Erestor has this reputation for severity, and it is so funny seeing him consciously subverting it in order to wrong-foot his friends. The scene at the end with Elrond coming over all prudish always makes me snort with laughter.
For all the laughs, though, there is a note of realism there, a note of sadness in the form of Gwirith, who is an excellent OC. She's sharp, bold and very funny, but you've got to wonder what became of her, what events led her to take up her line of work. She must've had her fair share of troubles in her life, and I'm glad Erestor put aside his 'Most Proper Elf' status to give her esteem a little boost. She probably needed it.
It's always wonderful to hear that people enjoyed my story and liked the characters. For some reason, Erestor is often portrayed as either a very sexually active Elf (to say the least) or a bit of a bore, so I thought it might be fun to turn things on the head. I also very much appreciate your kind words about Gwirith; I'm sure Erestor's farewell secured her reputation and increased her earnings for the next couple of years.
Comments on A Matter of Cultural Differences
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.