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.
The fate of lovers has been sealed. After Aegnor pledges his love to Andreth, he seeks out council one last time from his wiser and more grounded eldest brother. However, his hopes that Finrod would join him in this newfound happiness are quickly dashed and it does not go well between the…
After the fall of Dorthonion, Edhellos (originally named in Quenya Eldalote), Angrod's wife, has chosen to move to Barad Nimras, the tower that Finrod built in the Falas on a headland west of Eglarest.
A series of half-drabbles using the one word prompts for the March/April 2025 Birthday Bash Challenge, looking at the perception of time through the eyes of Maiar (in general), Maedhros (specifically), and Aragorn and Arwen (specifically).
This is my new poetical attempt to add my own interpretation to Tolkien's Cosmology as to Eru's Creation and the Valar's minds and behind-the-scene providence reasons and mechanisms.. I often review Eä as part of our own world, just in another dimension, this is why I have always seriously…
Family Matters
Step inside of one of the families of "The Silmarillion" and tell their tale with a fanwork that illustrates the conflicts and relationships that occur within a family. Read more ...
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.
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.
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.
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…
Scribbles and Drabbles 2026
Scribbles & Drabbles is a fic and art exchange with a minimum word count of 100 words.
Russingon Week 2026
A Tumblr week event focusing on the relationship between Maedhros and Fingon.
Boromir Week 2026
If you are Boromir girlies/gents/stans/simps, then this event is for you! So, come join us, and bring your fanfiction, art, gifs, moodboards, and headcanons that highlight everything you love about our Captain of Gondor!
Silmarillion Epistolary Week 2026
Silmarillion Epistolary Week is a Tumblr challenge dedicated to creating fanworks to tell the story of the Silmarillion in the style of an epistolary novel.
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.
Okay this is... I don't know what to think XD This is amazing. What are they going to hatch into? Chicks? Elflings? Elflings that can transform into birds like Elwing can? I am fascinated.
Poor Earendil, that must have been quite the surprise to come home to. Well, I guess that's what you get for leaving all the time! (I am joking. Mostly.) Also now I am imagining shifted-peredhil-seagull chicks getting (well-meaningly!) kidnapped by the next friendly seagull couple out there... (It does happen! ...Though seagulls killing other gull's young in a competition for nesting space happens far more frequently... but this is Aman, surely there's no shortage of nesting space or food here, right?) ... Okay now I got distracted, I'll see myself out XD
This was a fun read, and as you see, has me very intrigued :D
Okay Lingwi fren, you are now giving me ideas. I am unsure whether this is a good thing or not. Haha. Please don't see yourself out! Hopefully the second chapter will answer some of your questions!
"genius"? omg thank you shadow fren that is lovely of you!
Well Elwing won't be alone all day much longer...XD
Hopefully chapter two answers some questions! Though the aging thing is a curious thought...hmmm...I doubt chapter two is going to be the end of this. You and Lingwi in particular have given me much to wonder about!
Oh my stars Eönwë. I confess I laughed out loud when he revealed himself. I guess I should have remembered your chapter notes, and I might have expected that XD I'm glad Eärendil is able to take things in stride, though, it's just one shock after the other for him... And for poor Elwing, too, actually. Two more kids than expected! And they are actually all shapeshifters now, that's amazing *bounces excitedly*
Also asdfghj that last sentence!! Is he referring to what (or rather, who) I think he is referring...? OoO
Aww, I love all of those names, and also the explanations given for why they were chosen. Beautiful!
Eönwë had become less 'present' as he made the effort to ask Ulmo, and 'returned' with an answer, thoroughly surprised. "He said "Yes, of course, where else?"
This bit made me laugh. And yes, of course they would choose Ulmo's place :3
Yes, more family is definitely good! I feel like all the royal elves in the Silm are related at least twice each to Earendil and Elwing, but I'm not entirely sure of that lol. Aunt and Uncle is definitely easier. Arafinwe (or Finarfin) is definitely going to reassure Earendil of that!
First shift in public!! Aaah, I'm glad everyone seems to be relatively calm about this, even though they weren't told beforehand - or at least I assume so, from Ingwion's question.
"Well, Atar and Amme need a little shaking up sometimes."
I like Ingwion already ;)
Also after the last part, I am curious - do the Reborn have a reputation of being more forward/less hung up on ceremony? I suppose that might make sense, seeing as in Beleriand, there probably often wasn't the time or resources (or, possibly, respect in some cases) to stand on ceremony...
(Weird, did my reply disappear or something? I could have sworn I sent it...)
Anyway, trying again, Lingwi :)
I think the rulers of the Eldar remained calm because they were in the same space as the Valar and the Valar were taking it calmly. Probably once they're out of Valmar the Kings and Queens will let themselves break down a bit lol. Besides, interacting with Reborn elves means they're used to surprises - Arafinwe and Earwen are, more than the others, anyway.
Reborn Elves are literally returned to innocence in Mandos. They forget everything, except their own names, and when they are released from Mandos and rehoused in new bodies - fair copies of their old ones, just free of any scars or injury - they have no memories of their old lives at first. The memories slowly return as they learn to use a body again while in the Gardens of the Reborn (still part of Mandos' demesne) and when they are physically capable enough to move on to the Gardens of Lorien, they may still not have all their memories intact, or at least not remember the emotional attachment to those memories. It's as if the memories belong to someone else.
Finrod has only been out of Lorien and back with his family for about fifty years. He's still not always emotionally mature, acting very much the elfling again at times, though the memories he has regained help him to do what is expected of him...when he feels like it.
Ingwion of course is not a Reborn, but he had his own crisis during the Darkening of Valinor and so sometimes also does the unexpected. The next chapter is up, I hope you'll be glad to see more of Ingwion and Finrod together!
Oooh, thank your for the explanation on the Reborn! Looking forward to seeing more of Ingwion and Finrod in the next chapter ^-^ *bounces over to read*
I have been reading your snippets on Discord but only just read your story (so far; hope you will continue). It is so inventive and funny, and a joy to read.
thank you so much wisteria53! I'm so glad to hear you've enjoyed it! I definitely mean to continue for as long as this wild seagull chase runs away with me...hope you continue to enjoy, and tell me what you like, and ask any questions you have!
O.O What is happening? Who is Ingil? *squints* Is this related to whatever is Ulmo up to, in sending them to Eldamar...? *is intirgued* (I am aware I'm most likely not meant to know the answers to any of these questions at this point in the story, lmao)
Loved the description of the chandler's shop, too, I wanna go there. It sounds so neat!
lingwi fren! well, for "who is Ingil", I highly recommend "In Darkness Bound" by Fiondil, the story of the Darkening of Valinor. Hopefully the next chapter will give you a little more info though!
Ulmo didn't really have any ulterior motive in sending them to Eldamas (note: -mas means "town", so this is Elf-town. Eldamar is the entire part of Aman inhabited by Elves). He just thought they might like to get out and explore...at least, as far as I know. The Valar are a devious bunch, as my atto indonyo Fiondil used to say often, and they don't always reveal their secrets even to their authors....
The chandler's shop does sound great, doesn't it? I'd like to visit it too!
Oh nooo, poor Ingwion T-T I'm assuming his brother died during the Darkening, then? Good thing Ingwion wasn't alone here, who knows what might have happened...
Comments on Unexpected Nesting
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.