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: Title Track Tolkien's titles range from epic to lyrical to metaphorical. This month's challenge selected 125 of them as prompts for fanworks.
Our Annual Amnesty Challenge: New Year's Resolution Start 2026 off with creativity! If you missed a challenge or didn't get to finish or post a challenge fanwork, complete any 2025 challenge before 15 February to receive the stamp.
He was going to die. The molten rocks would burn him just like the cursed gem in his palm did. Maybe less painfully but still being burnt hurt and Maedhros knew it. He intimately knew it from his time in Angband where Þauron burnt him often in frustration and to toy with him and his master…
“Come on.” Maedhros grabbed his hand and pulled him along down the path, both of them quickening their pace now, until the trees opened up into a wide meadow filled with flowers, bright yellow celandine and dandelions and sweet-scented pale chamomile mingling with cornflowers and irises. On…
Aldarion storms off towards Middle-earth. For the Title Track challenge.
Current Challenge
Title Track
Create a fanwork using our collection of 125 titles from Tolkien's books, chapters, essays, poems, and fragments as inspiration. Read more ...
Random Challenge
Bollywood
Prompts this month are films, songs, and tropes from India's dazzling film industry, Bollywood. Read more ...
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.
This presentation for Mereth Aderthad 2025 discusses the many similarities between Tolkien's three "twilight children," Tinúviel, Lómion, and Undómiel (Luthien, Maeglin, and Arwen) in terms of appearance, plot, and cultural background. Yet these three characters play very different roles in the text.
Presented at Mereth Aderthad 2025, this paper makes the case thata, although the term "aromantic" had not yet been coined in Tolkien's day, many of his characters can be read as aromantic. The paper takes a closer look at Aredhel, Bilbo, and Boromir as three examples of characters who can be read as aromantic.
“There’s a goblin hiding in the taters, Dad!” Pippin hefted the pan, which was much too big for him to carry, let alone wield.
Around the World and Web
March Challenge - Tolkien Short Fanworks
Tolkien Short Fanworks is running a challenge for the month of March to create a Back to Middle-earth Month themed challenge.
Tolkien Fashion Week 2026
This two-week-long Tumblr event is dedicated to honoring the world of fashion and textiles Tolkien wrote about in his books.
Celegorm and Curufin Week 2026
Celegorm and Curufin Week is a Tumblr week celebrating the relationship between Celegorm and Curufin Feanorion
Back to Middle-earth Month 2026
Back to Middle-earth Month is returning for it's 20th year with many prompts and archival efforts.
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.
Oh this is magical and marvellous! So many wonderful details: using the 'traditional' swan-drawn ships (Arafin's nervousness about the trip is so sweet), singing the oysters open (amazing idea)... And that end took me by surprise and is adorable. Aw I'm smiling so much after reading this 🥰
Thank you!! I figure that if they took a larger ship it'd be too noticeable, and they wanted this to be a 'stealth' mission 😄
I'm so glad the ending was a surprise! And yes, little Arafin just barely old enough is all nervous about asking, but Elulindo is only too happy for him to become a brother 💖
Thank you! I figured this was the perfect opportunity to slide that detail in - swan-drawn boats! Why row when you can have some really huge birds just pull you along? Just like a horse and carriage 😁
Gorgeous image of the swan boat in its original form. I love the idea of the Feanorian lights being used for pearl diving and undersea exploration. And look at Feanor being helpful in more ways than one! Happier times. I did not expect the lovely ending! Delightful :).
The more I explored this idea the more little thoughts came like oooh using the lamps for diving! That actually was one of the first details I came up with, even though much of the rest of the fic changed drastically from my initial idea.
And yes, I think this is still before Melkor was released so perhaps not nearly the level of strife that the Finweans rose to in later years. Feanor might have been coaxed to be a tad more helpful, at least to his youngest brother. 😉
I love the small details, like the boat being drawn by swans, singing the oysters open, and Feanor not liking doing things for his little brother but unable to resist the stroking of his ego. I had some idea once I realized Arafinwë was after a pearl where he was going with it, but I wasn't sure until the very end.
Not to put the blame on Fingolfin, but it really seems that it was his and Feanor's feud more than Finarfin's. I like to think that they might have at least gotten along passably before things got really bad.
It's canon that he was friends with Earwen's brothers! I figured he might have been friends with them first and that they were only too happy for him to marry their sister 😊
I like the idea of Finarfin being very close to that whole family!
Aaaawwww. I love that. I love Elulindo being all eager to help (has he been watching them all the time and been like ’will you get a move on?!’?). I love how Arafin is really taking much upon himself to bring that ring into existance. A true symbol of what Eärwen means to him.
But oh, Fëanor making the ring has potential for even more heartbreak once all takes a turn for the worst. :( (even more so in my imagination, because I always headcanoned Elulindo falling on the Fëanorians hands.)
😧 ah! Okay I admit I am the first to turn anything to angst but that was just cruel!
But yes, he really did go all out to make both the effort himself but also the symbolism, using the materials that would be most meaningful. I love them so much 😭💖
And it’s so beautiful when people feel such love for certain characters ❤️ Idk if it’s like that for you too, but ’my’ elves are an important part of my life, especially when I’m feeling down. :)
Ahh, the reefs off of Valinor must be magnificent! Arafin almost forgetting why they're there in the first place is very cute, and I can't blame him! This is such a wonderful story. I loved the glimpse of Uinen and Osse dancing on the shore in the starlight.
Comments on To Hold the Future in My Hand
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.