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] In Early Spring by Serinquanion
In what Maedhros was re-embodied early and was sent back to Middle Earth on his volition with Glorfindel.
This isn't about what happened right then but years after Fall of Sauron when he still refused to return to Valinor.
He found a strange sapling at the shore of what remains of…
[Writing] Umnenyalië by Serinquanion
He was going to die. The molten rocks would burn him just like the cursed gem in his palm did. Maybe less painfully but still being burnt hurt and Maedhros knew it. He intimately knew it from his time in Angband where Þauron burnt him often in frustration and to toy with him and his master…
[Writing] Winter Warmth by Serinquanion
A winter night in Himring. But inside the quarters where fire blazed in hearth was warmer, and not only from the fire or quilt.
[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.
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
Teen Spirit
In honor of the SWG becoming a teenager, create a fanwork about an adolescent character or adolescence using our prompt generator. 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.
Restoration and Rebuilding
The Silmarillion can feel like an unrelentingly tragic work. Yet at the end of every downfall comes a time of restoration that drives not just the storyline but our beloved characters of Middle-earth forward into the next chapter of their history.
In honor of Akallabêth in August, our annual celebration of fanworks set in the Second Age, this month's challenge will center on the themes of rebuilding and restoration.
You may select the prompt or prompts that speak to you from the list below.
This challenge opened in .
Prompts
Choose your prompt from the collection below.
- View Prompts
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Quotes
"When we rebuild a house, we are rebuilding a home. When we recover from disaster, we are rebuilding lives and livelihoods."
- Sri Mulyani Indrawati"For me, Art is the restoration of order. It may discuss all sort of terrible things, but there must be satisfaction at the end. A little bit of hunger, but also satisfaction."
- Toni Morrison“When the storm has passed, put your energy into rebuilding your life. Don’t waste time looking back.” - Leon Brown
“We must always change, renew, rejuvenate ourselves; otherwise, we harden.” - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
(Or if you prefer the original: "Man muß immerfort verändern, erneuern, verjüngern, um nicht zu verstocken.")“I can see in the acorn the oak tree. I see the growth, the rebuilding, the restoring.” - Maya Angelou
“Designing a dream city is easy; rebuilding a living one takes imagination.” - Jane Jacobs
From the ashes a fire shall be woken,
A light from the shadows shall spring;
Renewed shall be blade that was broken,
The crownless again shall be king.
J.R.R. Tolkien“I have to be alone very often. I'd be quite happy if I spent from Saturday night until Monday morning alone in my apartment. That's how I refuel." -Audrey Hepburn
“Action on behalf of life transforms. Because the relationship between self and the world is reciprocal, it is not a question of first getting enlightened or saved and then acting. As we work to heal the earth, the earth heals us.” -Robin Wall Kimmerer
“You will be one of the menders of this world; not the makers, nor yet the breakers, just one of the menders.” -Rosemary Sutcliff
Audio
James Newton Howard - Soundtrack for Restoration (1995)
Thomas Newman - "Come Back to Us" (from 1917)
Nat King Cole - "Pick Yourself Up"
Meat Loaf, feat. Marion Raven - "It's All Coming Back To Me Now"
Peter Gabriel - "Here Comes The Flood"
Dragonforce - "Dawn Over A New World"
John Farnham - "Have A Little Faith (In Us)"
Starship - "We Built This City"
Bob Dylan - "The Times They Are a Changin'"
Sam Cooke - "A Change Is Gonna Come"
Mediæval Bæbes - "Return of the Birds"
Video
Restoration of Stained Glass Windows
River restoration & natural flood management
Restoration of Antique Pocket Watch
Images
Fanworks Tagged with Restoration and Rebuilding
Restoration & Rebuilding Drabbles by Grundy
Drabbles written for the Restoration & Rebuilding challenge instadrabbling event. Each drabble is its own chapter, with the main character(s) listed in the title. Prompts are listed in the chapter notes.
Quilt of Growth by AdmirableMonster
Little snapshots of different worlds, for the restoration and rebuilding challenge. Written during Instadrabbling in August 2022.
Scrapbook by Independence1776
Maglor brings Nerdanel a scrapbook of his time in Middle-earth.
Shadow's Instadrabbles by daughterofshadows
The home of my insta-drabbling pieces!
(and the odd drabble of undetermined origin)
All Hues and Honeys by Dawn Felagund
This is my latest collection of pieces too small to stand alone, often written for events on the SWG Discord.
The Latest:
"Fly." Fingon's faith in his friendship with Maedhros leads him to the decision to rescue him.
"Salt." Uinen discovers the kinslaying.
"Sunship." Nerdanel places the final cog in the sunship as an act of resistance.
"No One Heard That." The histories withheld some details of Fëanor's muster of the Noldor.
"Cracked." Námo explains death to a young Fëanor.
"Sunship, Reprise." The sunship's launching, from the perspective of the other side of the sea.
"Shadows beyond a Campfire." The sons of Fëanor build a campfire after the Nirnaeth.
"The Neologist." Pengolodh on language and history at three points in Gondolin's history.
Morning Mist and Silver Sun by StarSpray
A place to store drabbles and ficlets, mostly written for various prompts.
