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!
Character of the Month: Marach There are few details in the texts about Marach, but he is noteworthy for his allegiances and his descendants, who would become pivotal to the history of Middle-earth and the eventual defeat of Morgoth and Sauron.
New Challenge: Allusive Literature and art constantly refer back to each other using allusions, and this month's prompts are inspired by allusions to literature, myth, art, and history.
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.
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…
Of course, she knew that in the Blessed Land, true harm was unlikely to come to him. The Valar watched over them all, and the lesser spirits were everywhere. It was a great hound of Oromë who had found him happily splashing in the creek, in fact. But anyone could drown in mere…
Across three surveys and ten years, the Tolkien Fanfiction Survey has document when authors began writing. These data reveal trends in how film promotions, the films themselves, the books, and other historical contexts have influenced not only who writes but how long they stay.
Current Challenge
Allusive
Choose from our list of allusions to history, literature, mythology, and art to create a fanwork. Read more ...
Across three surveys and ten years, the Tolkien Fanfiction Survey has document when authors began writing. These data reveal trends in how film promotions, the films themselves, the books, and other historical contexts have influenced not only who writes but how long they stay.
There are few details in the texts about Marach, but he is noteworthy for his allegiances and his descendants, who would become pivotal to the history of Middle-earth and the eventual defeat of Morgoth and Sauron.
A dissenting voice in Marach's alliance with the Elves of Beleriand, Amlach experiences a change of mind after a mysterious twist in the story reorients his priorities toward enmity with Morgoth.
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…
Around the World and Web
LotR Week 2026
A week-long event for The Lord of the Rings
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.
This is fantastic! I particularly like the way you've seamlessly blended science with the myth. And your descriptions are, as ever, so vibrant and vivid. Love it!
Oh! And I forgot to mention another fave bit, where Melkor’s mangling only aids the others. I've always wished for other examples of this than those in Ulmo's domain.
Thank you so much! I spend a lot of time looking at images from Hubble and the James Webb telescope and it was really fun to use some of that inspiration in this peace.
I'm glad you like the bit with Melkor! I wanted to include supernovas and his meddling producing the very first ones just made sense.
The descriptions and imagery of Varda creating the stars, and Ilmarë tending the star nurseries, are just beautiful. But somehow Melkor blowing up stars and creating the other building blocks needed for Arda is, I think, my favourite part of this piece.
Thank you! I wanted to include supernovas, because dying stars are where the heavier elements come from, and Melkor wrecking Varda's first stars in spectacular fashion seemed like the natural way to do it. I'm glad you liked it!
This was fantastic! I love the mixture of the Ainulindalë myth and modern cosmology in this fic. It must have been a great shock to the Valar that the world was yet empty and they needed to work to make it a reality. And of course it’s Varda who is the first to realize this. Her great moment! What a wonderful idea to put Ilmarë tending the star nurseries.
Comments on Let There Be Light
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.