New Challenge: Title Track
Tolkien's titles range from epic to lyrical to metaphorical. This month's challenge selected 125 of them as prompts for fanworks.
SWG News
Our Annual Amnesty Challenge: New Year's Resolution
Start 2026 off with creativity! If you missed a challenge or didn't get to finish or post a challenge fanwork, complete any 2025 challenge before 15 February to receive the stamp.
"The Fëanorian Zine" Available to Read and Download
We are pleased to be able to offer "The Fëanorian Zine" to read and download on the SWG for free.
Call for Artists for the 2026 Challenge Stamps
We are soliciting help from artists who want to help create the stamps we award to challenge participants.
New & Updated Fanworks
[Writing] A Hundred Miles Through the Desert by StarSpray
“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…
[Writing] Who Will Hear Me? by XirinOfArvada
A lonely elf finds a flute half buried beneath the sand and wonders if its owner will hear him when he calls.
[Writing] Loyal, Faithful by Himring
Late in the Second Age, one of the Faithful reflects critically on past developments. (Free verse.)
[Writing] East Away! by Flora-lass
Aldarion storms off towards Middle-earth. For the Title Track challenge.
[Writing] Don't You Ever Look Away by Elrond's Library
“They can’t just assume we’ll let them leave us behind.”
“But they are, and they will. Our fathers are the Heads of their Houses. Fëanáro is king. Defiance would be treason, beloved.”
“I am his firstborn.”
“You are his only daughter.”
“I have…
[Writing] Break Me by Elrond's Library
“You’re not going to break me,” Russo huffed, finally cracking open his eyes, which were bright with amusement. “They could not, what makes you think you could?”
For Scribbles and Drabbles 2025 SFW Slide 33
[Writing] Three Black Islands by Idrils Scribe
When Celebrimbor's attempts at forging the Rings of Power fail yet again, Annatar knows where to find the missing know-how.
For all the wrong reasons, Celebrimbor agrees to an expedition to the ruins of Angband to search Morgoth's own laboratory, deep in the icy Northern Wastes.
What…
Current Challenge
Title Track
Create a fanwork using our collection of 125 titles from Tolkien's books, chapters, essays, poems, and fragments as inspiration. Read more ...
Random Challenge
10th Birthday Celebration
In honor of our 10th birthday, we introduced our Silmfic prompt generator and solicited fanworks made using it. Read more ...
New in References
Tolkien, Lunatic Physicists, and Abnegation by Cynthia (Cindy) Gates
This presentation for Mereth Aderthad 2025 discusses the parallels between the concept of abnegation in the scientific work surrounding the atomic bomb and in The Silmarillion. The relinquishment of self-interest in favor of the interests of others, abnegation was identified by Tolkien as a powerful act of spirit and reason. The legendarium has many examples of the complexities of abnegation, which parallel similar discussions held by physicists during and after World War II.
Twilight, Child Of: Comparisons Between Tinúviel, Lómion, and Undómiel by JazTheBard
This presentation for Mereth Aderthad 2025 discusses the many similarities between Tolkien's three "twilight children," Tinúviel, Lómion, and Undómiel (Luthien, Maeglin, and Arwen) in terms of appearance, plot, and cultural background. Yet these three characters play very different roles in the text.
The Aromantic in Tolkien by daughterofshadows
Presented at Mereth Aderthad 2025, this paper makes the case thata, although the term "aromantic" had not yet been coined in Tolkien's day, many of his characters can be read as aromantic. The paper takes a closer look at Aredhel, Bilbo, and Boromir as three examples of characters who can be read as aromantic.
Featured Themed Collection
Beyond the Silmarillion
[Writing] here you will dwell, bound to your grief by Elrond's Library
Arwen grieves, and loves.
[Writing] Faramir's Verse by losselen
“Come, Faramir. Let us not stand in ceremony. I think words are due between you and I, and not only those between a King and his Steward.”
Faramir has speech with Gandalf and his King.
[Writing] In a Hole in the Ground... by StarSpray
“There’s a goblin hiding in the taters, Dad!” Pippin hefted the pan, which was much too big for him to carry, let alone wield.
Around the World and Web
March Challenge - Tolkien Short Fanworks
Tolkien Short Fanworks is running a challenge for the month of March to create a Back to Middle-earth Month themed challenge.
Tolkien Fashion Week 2026
This two-week-long Tumblr event is dedicated to honoring the world of fashion and textiles Tolkien wrote about in his books.
Celegorm and Curufin Week 2026
Celegorm and Curufin Week is a Tumblr week celebrating the relationship between Celegorm and Curufin Feanorion
Back to Middle-earth Month 2026
Back to Middle-earth Month is returning for it's 20th year with many prompts and archival efforts.
Fanworks Tagged with Dwarves
A Mixed Platter for the Solstice by Himring
Drabbles written at the Insta-drabbling session at the SWG Discord on 21 December (Winter Solstice in the northern nemisphere), for expanded prompt sets based on the Bake-off Challenge.
A Measure of Tears by Himring
About the Battle of Unnumbered Tears.
The Earth, the Dragons and the Dwarves by Varda delle Stelle
An illumination of the entwined natures of Dwarves and Dragons.
Interview with cloudyhymns by Shadow by cloudyhymns, daughterofshadows
Shadow spoke with cloudyhymns about his upcoming presentation for Mereth Aderthad 2025, "The Design of Dragons and the Doom of the Dwarves," where he shares his theory about how Dwarves and dragons are connected in the legendarium, a topic full of implications for fanworks.
Gnome Tome Linguistics Meme by Artano
A meme created for the prompt: ''It is false to make Dwarves [?uncreative] or poor linguists.'' for the Gnome Tome and Jubilee challenges
Hot Chocolate by Artano
Short interaction between Maedhros and Caranthir, written during an instadrabbling session.
That's how the light gets in : a double drabble. by bunn
In the halls of the Maker, the Children sleep, until a bell sounds.
On Dwarves and Glass-making by Artano
A brief discussion on Dwarves inspired by the the Lycurgus Cup, completed for Tolkien Meta Week 2024.
A Collection of Maps Exhibiting the Changing Political Landscape in Beleriand by Artano
Created for the 'Geography/Maps/Places' prompt on the "Tolkien meta" bingo board, this is a collection of maps marked with the various people groups showing how they arrived and moved about Beleriand. This collection focuses specifically on the time from the arrival of the Teleri, Vanyar, and Noldor before they went to Aman up to the distribution of the various kingdoms after the Flight of the Noldor, when they arrived in Middle-earth and settled there.
Heyr himna smiðr by Zdenka
In the wake of Nirnaeth Arnoediad, the Dwarves of Belegost mourn their dead.
TRSB24: Dwarf Women of the East by Lathalea
This is one of my art entries for the TRSB24 event. It focuses on the Dwarves living in the East, specifically Dwarf-women.
The Fissure by Dawn Felagund
Maeglin witnesses a coming-of-age ceremony among the Dwarves of Belegost. Written for the Hungarian Tolkien Society's 2024 Mailing Competition.
Fault Lines by Lferion
A Dwarf tries to come to terms with the cataclysm that was the end of the First Age. A four-drabble sequence.
Tolkien Fandom | Animated illustration with music (English subtitles) by Sirielle
My illustrations with a bit of life and music by DTH. English subtitles added for the lyrics in Polish. (More details in description.)
Back to the Surface by chrissystriped
Two dwarves have a special catch in their nets. Old oaths and curses need a solution before the last witnesses of the First Age sail to the West.
Distant Peaks by Himring
In the Blue Mountains, quite some time before the Quest for Erebor, Gimli learns a bit of important dwarven lore from Ori.
Of Perfect Make by StarSpray
A letter comes to the Lonely Mountain from Bag End, requesting a large number of birthday gifts for Bilbo's upcoming eleventy-first birthday. The Mountain gets to work immediately.
What Once Was by cuarthol
What was lost cannot be restored, but something new can always be found
Misty Mountains Tall by StarSpray
The road of the High Pass is blocked by boulders, but an attempted negotiation with the stone giant responsible goes unexpectedly sideways.
Whims of Time and Fate by QuillAndInkWrites
Towards the middle of the Second Age, a young Dwarf of the Longbeard royal line seeks out answers to the mysterious visions and memories she has begun to see over her waking sight — the answer may be right in front of her, written plainly in the histories of Durin I and his reincarnation, Durin II, but does she have the strength to follow the thread and accept the truth?
A Khuzdul proverb by Anérea
What the title says...
The Last Heir of Fëanor by Astrance
This is the tale of the surviving child of Celebrimbor of Eregion and how she fared through the Ages of the world. From the Fall of Ost-in-Edhil to Imladris and the vastness of Second Age Eriador, the fight against Sauron seems never ending.
Warning for slightly adjusted timeline according to the story needs, but not too noticeable as the structure stays intact. Also, poetry.
The Seven Gates by Laerthel
The impossible happened: a Silmaril has been stolen from Morgoth’s crown. Maedhros decides to reunite the People of Beleriand against the Enemy and attack him while he is still unprepared, which is by no means less impossible. Meanwhile, in the hidden city of Gondolin, Lord Glorfindel of the Golden Flower pursues the meaning of his recurring dreams – only to realize that he is not the only one to see them...
|| A novel-length canon gapfiller on the Union of Maedhros, the Nirnaeth Arnoediad and the downfall of the Sons of Feanor; plus my take on what could have been going on in Gondolin between the Bragollach and the Nirnaeth. ||
Code Red by Scribe of Mirrormere
Aredhel runs into trouble after leaving Gondolin. Luckily, she is prepared. The Walking Dead fusion/zombie AU.
Loyalty by grey_gazania
Who were Ulfang's people, and why did they betray the Elves?
