New Challenge: Epic 80s
This month's challenge features hundreds of fresh prompts from the bodacious decade of the 1980s.
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: Epic 80s
This month's challenge features hundreds of fresh prompts from the bodacious decade of the 1980s.
Cultus Dispatches: Communities Do Comment
Comment data from the SWG underscores community as an essential component to a robust commenting culture.
Instadrabbling Sessions for July, August, and September
Instadrabbling continues on the first Saturday of each month on our Discord server.
New Challenge: Scavenger Hunt
In this Matryoshka-with-a-twist, you will solve clues that point you to the challenge prompts.
[Writing] Is it raining with you? by AdmirableMonster
In the last days of Númenor, two very different men meet in Umbar and fall in love.
(Please note that while this work is heavily inspired by Disco Elysium, no knowledge of the game is necessary to read the fic!)
[Writing] Nasyalossë by Lovimmy3365
Erestor lay up against a tree, brown washed to black in the wet of the snow. The black disc of the new moon sailed across the dark sky. Erestor wished it were gone. He had no need to look into dark eyes any longer.
He was dying.
(AKA Erestor unwittingly travels back in time to the…
[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] 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] Wrensong and Roses by Isilme_among_the_stars
Concerned by his responses to the paraphernalia of healing, Fingon steals Maedhros from his room for an impromptu garden excursion. Maedhros battles with dark thoughts.
[Writing] The Mirror Crack'd by AdmirableMonster
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…
[Writing] Bon(e)fire by Fuin
On the night before the battle, Caranthir and his ally share thoughts about their peoples' traditions:
Burning bones ward off evil.
Epic 80s
Create a fanwork using on of our righteous prompts based on popular culture from the 1980s. Read more ...
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.
Fandom Draws the Line: Fanworks, AI, and Resistance by Dawn Felagund, Grundy
By definition, fanworks fandom does not draw a lot of boundaries, but community archives and events have taken a strong stance against AI-generated fanworks due to ethical considerations and member input.
Grief, Grieving, and Permission to Mourn in the "Quenta Silmarillion" by Dawn Walls-Thumma
In a book as full of death as the Quenta Silmarillion, grief and mourning are surprisingly absent. The characters who receive grief and mourning—and those who don't—appear to do so due to narrative bias. Grief and mourning (or a lack of them) serve to draw attention toward and away from objectionable actions committed by characters.
[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.
[Writing] Bar-en-Eladar by Gabriel
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.
Tolkien Gen Week 2026
Tolkien Gen Week will run from July 6-12, 2026 to appreciate all of the incredible characters and relationships within Tolkien’s legendarium that fall under the broad category of “gen.”
Tolkien Disability Pride 2026
This Tumblr event focuses on ALL creative works focusing on disability in Tolkien's universe.
Tolkien Native Language Appreciation Fest 2026
A Tumblr event to celebrate the linguistic diversity of the Tolkien fandom.
Scribbles and Drabbles 2026
Scribbles & Drabbles is a fic and art exchange with a minimum word count of 100 words.
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.
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Comments on The Fire of Life
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