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.
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: 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.
Cultus Dispatches: "The Rings of Power" Is a Ripple (So Far)
Tolkien Fanfiction Survey data for 2025 shows that "The Rings of Power" TV series has not had the same impact on the fandom as the film trilogies did ... so far.
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.
Cultus Dispatches: Six Demographic Takeaways from the 2025 Tolkien Fanfiction Survey
Ten years of demographic data from the Tolkien Fanfiction Survey show consistencies in who reads and writes fanfiction, as well as a few key demographic shifts.
[Writing] From That Rubble by StarSpray
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…
[Writing] Explain This by Elrond's Library
Melkor demands an account of Mairon’s failures.
[Writing] Message in a Bottle by StarSpray
Over the course of his very long life he had found a handful of messages in bottles, but it had been a very long time. So when he found the glass bottle on his little stretch of pebbly beach, he picked it up with the intention of tossing it into his recycling. But it wasn’t, he found, just…
[Writing] Eä's Redemption by AaronAzrael
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…
[Writing] A Thousand Winds that Blow by StarSpray
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.
[Artwork] Nerdanel/Nienna moodboard by Independence1776
A Nerdanel/Nienna moodboard.
[Writing] The Stars of Home by Idrils Scribe
Elrohir has been found after his long abduction by the Black Númenóreans of Umbar. He comes home to Rivendell, but all is not well: the Elf-child that was taken is now a Man grown. War and darkness have left Elrohir deeply scarred, and even at home there is danger...
An alternate universe…
Crackuary
"This idea is completely unworkable, but I bet I can make it work." With that philosophy in mind (if so dignified a word can be used here), create a fanwork using a bingo card with the most bizarre, silly, and crackiest prompts we could conjure. Read more ...
"The Rings of Power" Is a Ripple (So Far) by Dawn Walls-Thumma
The Lord of the Rings and Hobbit film trilogies mark perhaps the most influential events in the history of the Tolkien fanfiction fandom. As the Rings of Power show approaches its third season, data from the Tolkien Fanfiction Survey shows that it is not even close to matching the impact of the films ... yet.
Six Demographic Takeaways from the 2025 Tolkien Fanfiction Survey by Dawn Walls-Thumma
Data from the 2025 Tolkien Fanfiction Survey shows demographic changes in participant gender, age, and education and new revelations about neurodiversity.
Communities Do Comment: Expanding the 3C's of Commenting with SWG Data by Dawn Walls-Thumma
Expanding on my 2018 article "Why People Don't Comment," comment data from the SWG underscores community as an essential component to a robust commenting culture.
[Writing] Down the Long Years by Isilme_among_the_stars
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…
[Artwork] The Mirror of Galadriel by skywardstruck
Smoke rises from the Mirror, where the Lady of Lothlórien awaits to share its visions.
Finwean Sibblings Prompt Fest 2026
A prompt-based fandom event aiming to focus on celebrating Finwë's children: Fëanor, Findis, Fingolfin, Lalwen, & Finarfin - ships, gen relationships, or character-centric
Tolkien Sapphic September
Tolkien Sapphic September is a month long event focusing on Sapphic relationships and characters in Tolkien and adjacent materials.
Gigolas Week 2026
Gigolas Week is a tumblr event focusing on the relationship between Legolas and Gimli
Innumerable Stars 2026
A character-based Tolkien fandom gift exchange is returning for another year of gifting.
What a meaty (meet-y?) chapter!
So many reunions - both pleasant and less so. (Elwing clearly isn't that happy to see him, much less learn where he's going!)
Make him regret it - oh, Celegorm, you really think you needed to tell him that?
Can't wait to see what will become of those little charms, and how the encounter with Cirdan goes.
And as I could have sworn I had commented here before - I agree with Himring, it's an intriguing beginning! (Subscribed!)
Ooh, I'm really intrigued by this new story! I love the setting of this canon divergence AU, and that it's from Maedhros' POV. Most of the Elves re-embodied fics I've read are about the Fourth Age, after the events of LotR, so this is a fantastic fresh take. Knowing that Curufin is still in Mandos where Celebrimbor is still healing makes my heart ache.
Olórin is such a prominent character, and really himself, eager to go to Middle Earth, but also testing Maedhros to learn more about him... sneaky! And the family reunion was touching, especially as all the brothers (who were there) were napping in Maedhros' bed. Closeness! Touching! The detail that Maedhros' body was like before, but his eyes felt still his, was a great one. Can't wait to read more of this fic!
I lose track of where I've commented, but maybe the last one was on AO3. I was very curious to know what Maedhros' reception would be in the Havens, and I really enjoyed Círdan (and love that he's so sympathetic about Maglor as well as Maedhros' desire to find him) and Gildor being so easy going ("I think I rather like you"), and Erestor (bless his distrusting socks, being protective on behalf of Elrond methinks.)
I so enjoyed your descriptions of Cirdan's house, and the land along their journey, familiar yet so different to the fellowship's one later, with all the towers and places still in use and thriving — it feels very alive.
And I love little details like Tol Galen still being above the sea, even if its not quite an island.
And the heartwrenching bit about Maedhros completely forgetting about Maglor, not only when he touched the Silmaril, but even in Mandos. Oh, very ouchie!
"Finding Maglor came first in his heart, but it could not come first in his actions." This is expressed so well!
Ooh, no one's quite sure what to make of him - and most of Elrond's family is away, so there's less buffer than there might have been.
(Also, the update emails taunted me cruelly - I got more than one this morning and so hoped for more than one chapter.)
Another great chapter!
I like Elrond's pragmatism: people must get used to the idea, and yes, one can get used to anything.
I love the way Elrond can not only sense people in his domain, but also senses a shadow over Maedhros. I enjoyed your description of their first meeting and also "a long pause in which Maglor's name hung between them, both a barrier and a bridge".
As Elrond so rightly knows, forgiveness is not done for another but for oneself. And although he may think Forgiveness was easier when he thought he'd never see him again, I'm sure he'll discover it's even easier now he's here, and genuinely sorry.
Aww, Elrond not wanting to burst into tears in front of Gildor was such a sweet moment, I just wanted to give him a hug! (Which he probably would have hated because then he would definitely have burst into tears!) But the whole Pengelodh revenge thing is hilarious!!
Also, "what do they know in the West that we do not?" Is something I've wondered about — or rather, how did they know? I guess Manwë and Ulmo at the very least are still keeping tabs on things in Middle-earth.
Heh, nice try, Pengolodh.
Maedhros really needs to have a talk with Elrond!
I have enjoyed reading these chapters.
As usual, you are very good on the details.
It is good that Mithrandir is still around.
He is making all that emotionally difficult business a bit easier by just being himself.
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Comments on The Fire of Life
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