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: Stars Create a fanwork using star-themed prompts presented in a bingo board format.
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.
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…
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.
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…
Current Challenge
Stars
Construct a fanwork using star-themed prompts in a bingo card format. Read more ...
Random Challenge
Dear Irmo
Historians trace the first advice column to 1690, and in the three centuries hence, the heartsore, woebegone, and perpetually puzzled have turned to these "agony aunts" (and uncles) to solve their most debilitating dilemmas about family, work, and of course, love. Choose one of our real advice columns, tweaked just slightly, for your prompt. 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.
Erestor finds himself thrust into adventure when Elrond requests his company escorting Arwen to Minas Tirith after the War of the Ring is won. All too aware of the chronic illness that has bound his friend to Rivendell for the past several centuries, Glorfindel has some concerns. Erestor, aware…
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It actually surprised me - at least the first time this particular idea made itself known when I worked out the background of some of Tirion's poorer people for another story (not published) and there was a little girl with a name suspiciously resembling Írimë's. It turns out she became a kind of patron as part of the expectation placed on the royal family in Aman before going above and beyond that and making it her "cause".
I also love the idea that she was reduced to a footnote out of in-world bias (I always have trouble viewing the HoMe as an in-world historiographic document other than in the designated texts, because JRRT and CT are so visible) rather than whateve editorial decision stated that the Finwëan women for the most part didn't merit inclusion in the published Silm. Would you mind if I filed away this idea for possible later use?
You are very welcome to use that "biased records" idea! I do find that the "inner editor" who seems to have informed JRRT and CT's choices with regard to what was and what was not important to include in that quasi-English mythology sometimes works almost like a biased in-world historiographer...
Thank you! And that actually makes a great deal of sense! JRRT/CT were definitely carrying around their share of bias, but I'd never taken the step to consider that inner editor as an in-world construct where that wasn't made explicitly obvious. Very, very nice approach, and now I'm very curious how Lalwen will be setting her story straight (or... not straight, as that goes). And I think a certain chief in a certain village will be lingering on the back of my mind as well, seeing how that was one of the first stories that actually interested me in her as a character. :)
Comments on Interlude Before Exile
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.