When it comes to fandom topics that provoke big emotions, there are few as fraught as commenting and feedback. From creators' perspectives, feedback can feel like a just reward for the blood, sweat, and tears that go into making a fanwork. In a community where there is little opportunity for rewards or prestige for our work—we cannot be paid or traditionally published, and many of us can't even have our work tied to our names—even a few words from our readers and viewers saying that they like what we did can mean a lot. Why most people who click on our fanworks don't bother with "even a few words" can provoke discouragement and even anger from creators.
On the other hand, readers and viewers of fanworks often express that commenting isn't as easy as it may seem. Various barriers—whether language, skill with comment writing, or mental health—can stand in the way of letting a creator know how much their work means to a reader or viewer. Furthermore, social norms around commenting can feel opaque and even perilous to the fan of a fanwork who desperately wants to avoid pissing off a favorite author or artist.
I've been writing the Cultus Dispatches column about Tolkien fandom studies for more than two years now and have yet to wade into the fraught waters of the history and culture around commenting and feedback on fanworks. But over the next few months, I plan to do just that! To start, I am collecting responses for a Fandom Voices article on commenting and feedback. Fandom Voices is an ongoing project that collects and publishes responses from fans on a variety of fandom-related questions and topics. Whether you create fanworks or read/view them, if you'd like to share your views and experiences with commenting and feedback, Fandom Voices is seeking responses about commenting and feedback from anyone who engages with Tolkien-based fanworks in any way and wants to share their perspective. You can contribute a response to our current Fandom Voices collection on commenting and feedback here.
The SWG is an archive built for a community, and we have always encouraged our members to comment on each other's work. To find more about commenting on our archive:
- Logged-in members can find all of the comments on their work here (as well as the five most recent on the homepage).
- But no one wants to physically go to and check a website, right? It's 2024!! If you'd like to get email notifications of new comments (on your work or someone else's), learn how here.
- Site hack: You can always find the comments on a fanwork (including the comment form, if you're logged in) by navigating to the work and typing "/comment" after the web address, e.g. silmarillionwritersguild.org/node/##/comment.
- Likewise, if you're logged in, you can find the number of comments (and views and favorites) on any of your fanworks on My Fanworks, with a direct link to all of your comments on that work.
SWG News
Sign-Up to Hand Out Scavenger Hunt Prompts
Our May challenge will be a Matryoshka built around a scavenger hunt. If you'd like to hand out prompts (and receive comments on your work for doing so!), you can sign up to do so.
New Challenge: Everyman
Create a fanwork about an ordinary character in the legendarium using a quote about an unnamed character as inspiration.
Cultus Dispatches: Fanworks, AI, and Resistance by Dawn and Grundy
The fan studies column Cultus Dispatches returns with a history of how Tolkien fanworks fandom has reacted and resisted generative AI by drawing strong boundaries in a way that is not typical for the fandom.
Instadrabbling Sessions for April, May, and June
Instadrabbling continues on the first Saturday of each month on our Discord server.
New Fanworks
The Endless Years by by Elrond's Library [Writing]
Elwing reckons with the passage of time.
Read more ...dye me, nocturne by by skywardstruck [Writing]
Maglor without Maedhros, Daeron without Lúthien. Alone, they are nothing, but together, they can be something more.
Where do you turn, when you have no one else left?
Written for Tolkien Reverse Summer Bang 2023, featuring artwork by athlai.
Read more ...a life freely given, a favor returned by by skywardstruck [Writing]
Finrod and Bëor stop for a while on the road to Nargothrond to rest. The bodies of the Secondborn often grow weary, and Finrod laments, massaging Bëor's back and renewing his beloved's vigor with the work of his hands. But Finrod has other burdens of his own, Bëor soon discovers, returning Finrod's favor in the best way he knows how.
Read more ...Til We're on the Other Side by by StarSpray [Writing]
It was only the second time Finwë had come out foraging with them, and of course this would happen—of course the Hunter would come, the Dark Rider on his steed with its terrible, heavy footfalls, and the deep-throated laughter that held no mirth, only malice.
In the dark woods near the Waters of Awakening, Finwë's brothers are taken.
In Valinor, when the Trees wither, Finwë is slain.
In the Fourth Age, things take place long thought impossible.
Read more ...Updated Fanworks
Hill and Water Under Sky by by StarSpray [Writing]
a collection of drabbles and mini ficlets in the meanwhile the world goes on 'verse that aren't long enough to stand on their own
Read more ...The Mirror Crack'd by by AdmirableMonster [Writing]
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 life and finds he has a queer connection with Maedhros, Himring's lord. As their intimacy grows, however, so do the dangers surrounding them, both without and within. What secrets are hidden inside the depths of Anniavas's lost memories--and how will those with whom he is forging and deepening bonds react, when those secrets are at last revealed?
Read more ...A Hundred Miles Through the Desert by by StarSpray [Writing]
“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 the other side of it was a larger party than Maglor had ever seen in Lórien—five figures sitting in the grass. Huan barked again, and they all looked up. “It seems everyone has come to fetch us home,” Maedhros said, laughing, as all their brothers scrambled to their feet.
After years in Lórien, Maglor and Maedhros are ready to return to their family and to make something new with their lives--but to move forward, all of Fëanor's sons must decide how, or if, they can ever reconcile with their father.
Read more ...Beyond the Silmarillion Fanworks
The Mirror of Galadriel by by skywardstruck [Artwork]
Smoke rises from the Mirror, where the Lady of Lothlórien awaits to share its visions.
Read more ...Bar-en-Eladar by by Gabriel [Writing]
Out of the shadow, light is born anew.
A Chieftain is dead. And whilst the events surrounding his death are unclear, a son tries to come to terms with his loss.
Read more ...Around the World and Web
April/May Teitho Challenge
Teithio is running a prompt challenge around the theme of "heartbreak."
Barduil Month 2026
A month-long Tumblr events all about the relationship between Thranduil and Bard the Bowman.
Tolkien Reverse Summer Bang 2026
The Tolkien Reverse Summer Bang is back for another summer of collaboration between artists and writers!
Leaf & Lore: A Tolkien Writing Month
Start a story, work on a WIP, finish a fic, dabble in drabbles, pen a poem, type a tale, or otherwise wrestle with words. Set your own goal: Leaf & Lore is all up to you.
Gondor Week 2026
A Tumblr week event focusing on the history of the realm of Gondor.
Angbang Week 2026
Angbang Week is a tumblr event focusing on the relationship between Morgoth and Sauron, running from May 5-11, 2026
Aspec Arda Week 2026
This week-long event celebrates asexual and aromantic spectrum interpretations and headcanons of Tolkien’s Legendarium.
Crablor Day
A day dedicated to everyone's favourite warcriminal crustacean - April 26, 2026
