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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!

Join SWG

SWG News

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.

Instadrabbling Sessions for July, August, and September
Instadrabbling continues on the first Saturday of each month on our Discord server.

Known Site Issues

New & Updated Fanworks

[Writing] Changing Styles by StarSpray

“What did you do to your hair?”

[Writing] Contempt by Fuin

The crown on Melkor's head is slanted without the stolen Silmaril, and the only thing Sauron feels is contempt.

[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?

[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] Star of Hope by Fuin

A new star shines in the sky. They claim it brings hope.

[Writing] The Message by Flora-lass

Borondir carries Steward Cirion's urgent request to Eorl the Young, with the help of his horse but at great personal cost.

[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.

Current Challenge

Epic 80s
Create a fanwork using on of our righteous prompts based on popular culture from the 1980s. Read more ...

Random Challenge

All Good Beasts
Create a fanwork featuring an animal. Show how important a beloved animal is to a character or tell a story through the eyes of an animal. Read more ...

New in References

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.

Featured Themed Collection

Beyond the Silmarillion

[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.

Around the World and Web

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 Gen Week 2026
Tolkien Gen Week will run from July 6-12, 2026 to appreciate all of the incredible characters and relationships within Tolkien’s legendarium that fall under the broad category of “gen.”

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.

View all Around the World and Web announcements.

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Horrifying October: A Retrospective (Link Collection) by Himring  

| | |

Fanwork Notes

The prompt list:

Day 1: Werewolves

Day 2: Depths of Moria

Day 3: Written in blood

Day 4: Balrog

Day 5: Mordor

Day 6: Sauron

Day 7: Creepy Music/Circus

Day 8: Berúthiel

Day 9: Abandoned/Haunted Area

Day 10: Mirkwood

Day 11: Glaurung

Day 12: Spiders

Day 13: Witch-king of Angmar

Day 14: The Temple of Melkor

Day 15: Gollum

Day 16: Corpse Land

Day 17: Thuringwethil

Day 18: Orcs

Day 19: Shelob

Day 20: Morgoth

Day 21: Ungoliant

Day 22: Gríma Wormtongue

Day 23: Deadly doctor

Day 24: Lorgan

Day 25: Under a Spell

Day 26: Smaug

Day 27: Ëol

Day 28: Warg

Day 29: Beast With Human Face

Day 30: Creepy Basement

Day 31: Dol-Guldur

 

For a complete list of submitted works and recs see the five round-up posts at the Library of Moria community on LiveJournal:

First Roundup

Second Roundup

Third Roundup

Fourth Roundup

Fifth Roundup

 

Fanwork Information

Summary:

In 2016, the Library of Moria community on LiveJournal ran a Horrifying October challenge, with 31 prompts, one for each day of the month.

The challenge asked for both new works and recs. 

The link collection offers a selection from the submissions back in 2016.

Besides being selective, this is also a WIP.

However, you can find links to all the round-ups on LiveJournal (and so indirectly to all submissions) in the Collection Notes.

For more background on the Library of Moria and its community see the current Cultus Dispatches post: A Tribute to the Library of Moria

Major Characters:

Major Relationships:

Genre: Fanwork Collection

Challenges:

Rating: Creator Chooses Not to Rate

Warnings: Creator Chooses Not to Warn

Posted on 29 July 2022 Updated on 30 July 2022

This fanwork is a work in progress.

Fangs, by ridiculoussquid

Fanwork written for: Day 1: Werewolves

Characters: Nessa, her followers

Words: 300

Rating: G-T

Warnings: mentions of blood and death, but nothing too graphic

The Restless Dead, by Alexcat

Fanwork written for: Day 2: Depths of Moria

Moria is quiet but not deserted. Drabble. Author chooses not to warn.

Written in Blood, by Talullah

Fanwork written for: Day 3: Written in blood

Finduilas finds a disturbing sight. (WIP)

Teen (Gen)

 

Balrog, by hennethgalad

Artwork by hennethgalad for Day 4: Balrog.

A Balrog recreated.


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Characters and stories associated with J.R.R. Tolkien's works remain the property of his estate. Creative work using this material has been written solely for the enjoyment and enlightenment of its creator and their associates. No profit is made on the materials shared on this site.