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.
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.
Cultus Dispatches: Six Demographic Takeaways from the 2025 Tolkien Fanfiction Survey
Ten years of demographic data from the Tolkien Fanfiction Survey show consistencies in who reads and writes fanfiction, as well as a few key demographic shifts.
New Challenge: Epic 80s
This month's challenge features hundreds of fresh prompts from the bodacious decade of the 1980s.
Cultus Dispatches: Communities Do Comment
Comment data from the SWG underscores community as an essential component to a robust commenting culture.
[Writing] From That Rubble by StarSpray
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…
[Writing] Dibbly Fresh, an Elfling-Sitters Club Story by annarobots
Need an elfling-sitter? Save time! Call The Elfling-Sitters Club and reach seven six experienced sitters.
Fingon, President
Daeron, Vice-President
Pengolodh, Secretary
Finrod, Treasurer
Maglor…
[Writing] The Orphan Princess and the BFG by octopus_fool
Elwing is fleeing towards the Havens of Sirion when she spots a nightly visitor.
During a visit to Círdan, Finrod discovers a new hobby involving tying ropes around various objects. Now, he's ready to take it to the next level, but there is a small kink in the plan - he wants a spotter to make sure everything goes well. Fortunately, Edrahil is available.
[Writing] Shepherd Princess by Himring
A princess and her sheepdog. (Drabble featuring a young Ancalime.)
[Writing] A Thousand Winds that Blow by StarSpray
When uneasy dreams bring him back into Beleriand, Daeron finds a pair of twins who have lost their home, and an enemy who has lost himself. The Shadow's reach is growing ever longer, and if they are to survive, they must do it together.
[Writing] A Song Amidst His Torment by Elrond's Library
Of course it was a trap.
Maitimo has to survive. He must. But what price is too high to pay for survival?
Building Middle-earth
Receive a prompt of an architectural style or a location on Arda—or both!—to inspire your fanworks. Read more ...
Season of Change
Create a fanwork about seasons in Tolkien's world. Read more ...
Six Demographic Takeaways from the 2025 Tolkien Fanfiction Survey by Dawn Walls-Thumma
Data from the 2025 Tolkien Fanfiction Survey shows demographic changes in participant gender, age, and education and new revelations about neurodiversity.
Communities Do Comment: Expanding the 3C's of Commenting with SWG Data by Dawn Walls-Thumma
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.
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.
[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.
Celedriel Week 2026
A Tumblr event week focusing on the relationship between Celeborn and Galadriel.
Esoteric Tolkien Week 2026
A fandom event dedicated to the strange, otherworldly, and inexplicable in Middle-earth and beyond.
Tolkien Disability Pride 2026
This Tumblr event focuses on ALL creative works focusing on disability in Tolkien's universe.
Scribbles and Drabbles 2026
Scribbles & Drabbles is a fic and art exchange with a minimum word count of 100 words.
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Comment by Himring for Lúthien Tinúviel, Part 1
Great to see the first part of your bio on Luthien!
Well done! I like the points you are making here and the quotations you picked.
Re: Comment by Himring for Lúthien Tinúviel, Part 1
Thanks so much for reading and letting me know, Himring! I hope the next part is satisfying. This one has been harder than I ever expected!
Comment by Lilith for Lúthien Tinúviel, Part 1
Terrific worK on a very challenging topic.
Re: Comment by Lilith for Lúthien Tinúviel, Part 1
Oh. ooops! I forgot that I am not getting notifications of comments these days! Sorry I did not thank you. It took a lot out of me. I was pretty much warming up to the topic and no longer being totally neurotic about it by the time I got part one done. Now I have to get back in saddle and see where I find myself within part 2! Thanks so much for the support!
Comment by Himring for Lúthien Tinúviel, Part 2
I like this bio and your thoughts on Luthien's character!
And that extended trailer is fun.
(Such hard work, a three-parter like this--thank you for doing it and sharing it!)
Re: Comment by Himring for Lúthien Tinúviel, Part 2
Thank you so much for reading it. You are so kind. Despite all my drama, I have enjoyed every minute of it! (Great story!)
Comment by IgnobleBard for Lúthien Tinúviel (1)
You really outdid yourself on this one. This story is so fragmented and complicated it's s difficult to detail But you managed it beautifully. Ive always loved Huan with his talking and prophesies and wolf killing. But, of course, Luthien is the star of the tale. I regret that Tolkien pulled back from the magical, fairytale elements in his published writings. I like that aspect.
I always enjoy the sources you pull for these bios and the various elements of the story you give me new perspectives on.
Re: Comment by IgnobleBard for Lúthien Tinúviel (1)
Thank you so much! I am so glad you enjoyed it. Thank you also for copy checking various drafts. The length of it seemed overwhelming at times.
<i>I regret that Tolkien pulled back from the magical, fairytale elements in his published writings. I like that aspect.</i>
Those are unique. I would have liked a little more internal point of view and perhaps more dialogue. But honestly, if he'd have written it in my favorite style it would have been an epic novel. It's a great story and the more I read its component parts, the more character depth one sees in it. Even in our favorite dog! I am really happy I had the chance to write it.
Are you there for me if I decide to write Beren? Then I would have full set. Already have Thingol and Melian.
Comment by IgnobleBard for Lúthien Tinúviel (2)
Am I there for you? Always! I can't wait to read about Beren and the haunted forest.
And isn't the Beren and Luthien story an epic novel now? Christopher Tolkien published it fairly recently, right?
Re: Comment by IgnobleBard for Lúthien Tinúviel (2)
I wonder if anyone has written fanfic with that!
Beren and Luthien is like a History of Middle-earth book except it covers only one subject and is not definitive in that case--very partial. Cherry picks items to include. It is required reading for me, but I would not highly recommend it for others--too watered-down for hardcore geeks and too nit-picky to be a popular read. And never by any stretch of the imagination is it novelistic. It is not organized like Children of Hurin, which does more or less read like a novel. I liked the Beren and Luthien book because it was fun to follow Christopher Tolkien's lead and see what he might include and where. I have been told the illustrations are good but I cannot see them. Too faded and desaturated for my failing eyesight. (I did not like that style when I was fully sighted! Give me some color and definition, please!)
Comment by IgnobleBard for Lúthien Tinúviel (3)
Beren and Luthien would have been the story to novelise, what a missed opportunity.
If you ever run across a Beren in the haunted forest fanfic please let me know. I'd love to read it.
i love book illustrations that look like they were done in the old days (which goes back a ways at my age), but I don't like when they look faded. I'm a fan of color too.
Re: Comment by IgnobleBard for Lúthien Tinúviel (3)
You would be a good person to write one!
Comment by Lilith for Lúthien Tinúviel, Part 3
I'm commenting on this one, though I might comment on any number of others. I remember being very grateful because of what I had been writing at the time that you were completing this particular bio. I think, for that story, I read this one, Celebrimbor's, Thingol's, Galadriel, Huan, and more, simply to be sure I was on the right track to my own apostacy. If I have a grasp on any of those characters, it is due in part to you. If I don't, which I may not, I may have veered closer to the correct direction as a result.
These are informative, amazingly well researched, entertaining and very clearly written. They are definitely a labor of love and I appreciate them and you greatly.
Re: Comment by Lilith for Lúthien Tinúviel, Part 3
That is very, very kind of you. That's exactly how we originally conceptualized that they might be used. To enable writers to do their creative stuff! Apostacy is more fun when it has some seeds in canon! Right?