When we look at Tolkien's work today, we look at it from the vantage point of 2023. We see the trajectory of his decades of work on the legendarium. We see, within a historical context, texts that seem to respond to or even predict what would have been the breaking news of the day.
In this month's A Sense of History column, Simon J. Cook continues his series of articles on the tower analogy found in Tolkien's pivotal essay "Beowulf: The Monsters and the Critics," considered even today to be the most important scholarship penned on Beowulf. Simon makes the case that the tower analogy present in the essay has connections to the legendarium: that the tower-builder climbs his tower to look upon the same sea that so seduces the characters of the legendarium, separating Middle-earth from Valinor. From the view from his tower, the man glimpses the wisdom of a lost world, but to do so requires imagination.
In 1936, when he delivered "Monsters and the Critics" (and was also in the midst of some of his most productive work on the "Silmarillion" materials), Tolkien would have been grappling with a world again on the brink of war and all of the fear and uncertainty that provoked. Much like the Beowulf-poet and the man and his tower, he turned to the past for answers and for courage.
SWG News
Cultus Dispatches: Revelations from Marquette's Fanzine Dataset
In September 2026, Marquette University released a dataset about their Tolkien fanzine collection. Analysis of the data reveals what these fanzines contained and show how pre-internet Tolkien fandom responded to the publication of "The Silmarillion."
New Challenge: Unquote
Choose a prompt from our selection of misheard, miswritten, and misrepresented unquotes that are in no way part of the actual "Silmarillon."
Character of the Month: Eönwë
This month's biography focuses on Eönwë, who started with a variety of identities but settled into the role of Manwë's herald, exemplifying the values of strong leadership and justice.
Instadrabbling Sessions for October, November, and December
Instadrabbling continues on the first Saturday of each month on our Discord server.
A Project for Oshun
In last week's issue, we reported that Oshun, a longtime SWG member, lead biographer, and dear friend to many of us, has been experiencing significant health issues. Many of us want to show our love, care, and appreciation for someone who gave so much of herself to this community while asking so little in return. Elfscribe and polutropos have arranged a project to send messages to her. If you'd like to send a message to Oshun—whether a few words or something longer—they will be recording and compiling messages that she will be able to access.
How to Share a Message
If you are comfortable recording audio, you can record your message and send it to us. (Hit "Reply" on this message or email moderator@silmarillionwritersguild.org directly.) We'll make sure audio files make it to the volunteer who is compiling them for Oshun.
If you'd rather your message be recorded for you, send your written text to Elfscribe or to the SWG mods, using the same procedure as above.
The due date for audio and written messages is August 20.
How to Get Updates
This project will be planned and updates/announcements shared on the #for-oshun channel on the SWG Discord. If you are not already a member, you can join our Discord here. We will continue to send out weekly updates in this newsletter, so watch this space as well.
New Fanworks
The last son of Feanor by ford_of_bruinen [Writing]
Maglor long after elves have left middle earth
Read more ...Room in the Heart by Dagstjarna [Writing]
Newlywed Indis begins acquainting herself with married life, both its highs and lows.
Read more ...The Parting Birds by Dagstjarna [Writing]
Dior tells Elwing a bedtime story.
Read more ...Burdens Carried, Burdens Shared by Elrond's Library [Writing]
Haleth will break Aredhel’s heart, but not before loving her.
Read more ...Updated Fanworks
Did Somebody Order a Silmaril? by annarobots [Writing]
Eärendil arrives in Valinor with a special delivery. But in this version, it’s not Eönwë who hails him…
Read more ...Darling Enemy by octopus_fool [Writing]
Eärendil thought he would have the sky to himself.
Read more ...The Day Transcending Night by StarSpray [Writing]
The Rings have been forged. The armies of Mordor are marching into Eriador. Eregion burns.
Far away from it all, by the shores of the Sea, Celegorm remembers his name.
Read more ...From That Rubble by StarSpray [Writing]
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 have much else to do. I need to build something new there,” he said after a few moments. “To do that, I must first clear away the old and broken things.”
Decades out of Mandos, too many things in Fëanor's life remain broken. He can't do anything except wait for his sons to come to him, but he can do something about the old and crumbling house where they once lived.
Read more ...Drabble-poems by Flora-lass [Writing]
All written for SWG instadrabbling sessions/prompts. Updated in October 2026 with Ambarussa, and Firiel.
Read more ...Eä's Redemption by AaronAzrael [Writing]
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 thought on the matter who the Ainur are, who Eru is, how he matches our own religious pantheon, and this has been conducted after serious research of many esoteric teachings of our own planet's heritage.
Read more ...Beyond the Silmarillion Fanworks
IN THE SHIRE-RECKONING by Diane Finnis-Robb [Writing]
-This novel was completed for Hobbit Day 2026 and will be updated in serialized fashion here as I make final edits; so feedback is very much welcome.
-It is a multi-generational novel spanning a period of time from the formation of the Shire to the Great Plague in Year Thirty-six and focuses on the origins of an old feud between the Bucks and the Tooks.
Read more ...For a Better World by Ellynn [Writing]
Thirteen years before the War of the Ring, an orcling — more intelligent and more curious than most — is born in Mordor. His curiosity will lead him to both incredible discoveries and perilous situations, all of which will shape him into a leader unlike any Mordor has ever known. But to become that leader, he must defeat all his rivals, especially the most abhorrent of them all — his enemy since earliest childhood.
Read more ...Around the World and Web
14th International Tolkien Mailing Competition
The Hungarian Tolkien Society invites you to join the international “Quendi” category of the Tolkien Mailing Competition: five rounds of quizzes, riddles and creative tasks. This category is organised in English, open to any individual participant, and also to teams of 2–5 people. The five rounds of the competition will last from November to April.
Glorfindel Week 2026
A Tumblr fandom week dedicated to the elf Glorfindel.
Tolkien Food Week 2026
fandom event from the 2-8th nov 2026 where we share recipes, fics and comfort food for body and soul.
Silmarillion Secret Stockings 2026
A fandom event to celebrate the end of year holidays with prompt-based gifts.
Tolkien Horror Week 2026
Tolkien Horror Week is back for another year of celebrating all the terrifying and unsettling bits of Tolkien's work!
Erestober 2026
An event running throughout October, to show appreciation for Erestor!
