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.
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…
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.
B-Movie
Prompts for this Matryoshka challenge are loosely inspired by the predictable plot arcs of hilariously abominable, eye-rollingly corny, so-bad-they're-actually-kinda-good horror films. Read more ...
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.
Heh, others have said that... I've really had fun playing with Thuringwethil here! It's been a nice (if a shade grisly) change from my usual Elves. Thank you for reading. :)
Thanks so much! To be honest, this sort of non-Tolkien-specific challenge is quite straightforward - but I skipped the one before it, which was a 'dangerous beasts' challenge: you'd think it might be easier, but working in dragons and wargs before they're meant to have been bred was more of a challenge than I was up for just then...
This was very evocative. Actually, I felt as if I was there (which probably isn't too good, I think, since it was such a dark, horrible place ;)). Very skillfully written, and the last line's contrast was very efffective. Well done!
Thank you! I am about to flood your inbox with replies, I think, so sorry for that - but thanks for all your lovely reviews! They have cheered me remarkably. ;)
I have been having fun playing with a distinct change of tone from the usual stuff with this set. At some point I realised I'd been spending too much time lately writing Elves being nostalgic and wistful, so thought I'd try the same thing with a different group of characters. So this descent into a dark, horrible place...
Thank you! I'm very glad it worked. There's plenty of nasty things down there - and Thuringwethil still waiting for when they come up - so I think they're going to have to run...
Thank you! I do like pulling back to this distant, impersonal perspective - it's a rather odd tone and you can't get away with too much of it, but it's nice to play.
This is an awesome set of most impressive and vividly written drabbles! It must have been both a challenge and a kind of blessing to gain freedom from Melkor (for a time, though) and still with all those beasts lurking around.
Thank you so much! That combination of a challenge and a blessing was really what I wanted here - I'm so glad it came across. And so glad you've enjoyed the set! I do appreciate it and am definitely spurred to get on with it as soon as I can (you are an awesome cheerleader, really! <3).
Yep, that's what I think a vampire might have thought, felt, and imagined. Poor beast, though. Loved the descriptive language of these pieces. Excellent!
Comments on Beneath the Sickle's Swing
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.