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Our temporarily titled "location bio" will focus on the landscapes and locations of Middle-earth. We need your help naming it!
SWG News
New Challenge: Tengwar
Each day for thirty-six days, we feature a randomly chosen letter from the Tengwar as a prompt.
A Sense of History: Crossroads
In the ongoing series on towers in Tolkien's work, a thread runs through "The Lord of the Rings," revealing the divine assistance of Varda in the travails of the Fellowship.
Cultus Dispatches: Canon Deviations, Multifandoms, and Original Content
Tolkien Fanfiction Survey data gives some insight into what connections, if any, exist between fanfiction and original fiction.
New & Updated Fanworks
[Reference] Thálatta! Thálatta! by Simon J. Cook
While he never climbs the stairs of this Elf-tower, in Lothlórien Frodo Baggins descends a flight of steps to look into Galadriel’s Mirror, wherein he first sees the sea. This post examines the view.
[Writing] Tengwar (working title) by cuarthol
For the Tengwar prompt challenge. To be updated as new prompts are completed.
Current up through 'Arda…
[Writing] I Stood Aside by Flora-lass
Maedhros thinks about the burning ships. Inspired by a painting (see notes).
[Writing] Words of Wisdom by AdmirableMonster
One or more drabbles about Pengolodh and his babysitter Salgant.
[Writing] Les Mots de Sagesse by AdmirableMonster
Plusieurs petites histoires qui parle de Pengolodh et Salgant pendant des moments differents.
[Writing] "Tengwar" ficlets by chrissystriped
Fics written for the "Tengwar" challenge.
[Writing] Upon Cirith Thoronath by StarSpray
A horrid cacophony of cries erupts ahead of them, as orcs appear—up the cliff on hidden ledges, on the path, with bows and swords. And behind them rises a figure of darkness and flame. The heat rolls down the path over them, bringing the smell of burning flesh and bitter fear with it. Someone…
Current Challenge
Tengwar
A daily prompt of a Tengwar letter per day. Read more ...
Random Challenge
Exchange Student
Send a character as a student to an unfamiliar culture and create a fanwork about his, her, or their experience. Read more ...
New in References
Thálatta! Thálatta! by Simon J. Cook
[]While he never climbs the stairs of this Elf-tower, in Lothlórien Frodo Baggins descends a flight of steps to look into Galadriel’s Mirror, wherein he first sees the sea. This post examines the view.
[]
With Gildor Inglorion we finally climb the stairs of Elostirion and look on the view, and what we see appears to reveal a hidden thread in the story of Frodo Baggins. This post reads two annotated translations of two Elvish songs to step through a crossroads in the narrative to arrive at the tower on the margin of the story, wherein is a stone that is a window onto Valinor.
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.
Beyond the Silmarillion
[Writing] Waybread (The Waybredlik) by Himring
[]Lembas speaks out.
[Series] Apr 1st Stories by Uvatha the Horseman
[]Once a year on April 1st, a canon character from LOTR or the Silmarillion gets pranked.
[Writing] Crossing Forest River by Dawn Felagund
[]Bilbo recounts, in verse, the attempt of Gandalf, Beorn, and him to cross the Forest River after the Battle of Five Armies. Written for the Hungarian Tolkien Society's 2024 Mailing Competition.
Around the World and Web
Monstrous May 2024
Monstrous May is a Tumblr event where, for each day of the month of May, there is a prompt involving and invoking the monstrous.
Fellowship of the Fics: Modern AU May
During May, Fellowship of the Fics offers modern AU prompt lists for setting, character occupation, and dialogue on Tumblr.
May challenge at tolkienshortfanworks
The May challenge has been posted to the tolkienshortfanworks community on Dreamwidth. Thematic challenge: name; formal challenge: acrostic. As usual, these can be filled independently and freely combined with other prompts such as the SWG challenges. New participants welcome!
May 2024 Calls for Papers
Conferences and publications that have open calls for papers in May 2024.
Angbang Week 2024
All new, unpublished fanworks about the Angbang (Melron) ship are welcome during this Tumblr event, running 6-12 May 2024.
Middle-earth Is Multitudes
In notes to W.H. Auden's review of Return of the King, Tolkien wrote, "The theatre of my tale is this earth, the one in which we now live ..." Middle-earth, being a world much like our own, is home to a wide range of characters. In addition to fantasy peoples and creatures that populate Tolkien's imagined world, because Middle-earth is an analogue of our Earth, there would have been diversity within those groups as well, much like in our own world. This month, we’re shining a spotlight on as many character groups as we can fit in—and to be honest, we ran out of space. We hope there is something for everyone in this month’s prompts!
The Middle-earth Is Multitudes challenge will feature two new prompts every day, recognizing the diversity of the people who inhabit Middle-earth. One prompt will focus on a group within Middle-earth, while the second prompt will focus on additional identities or characteristics.
- You do not need to complete a prompt on the day it is featured.
- You can complete one prompt or both, and you can combine prompts from different days.
- Fanworks can but do not need to center on the character's identity; the bigger aim of this challenge is to include more diverse characters in our fanworks in a variety of roles, not only in fanworks that focus on that particular identity.
- We expect there will be overlap between prompts and want to encourage participants not to overthink if a particular character meets a prompt. If you think a person belongs in a particular group, that is good enough for us.
Many thanks go to Ettelenë for creating this month's stamps!
This challenge opened in .
Prompts
Choose your prompt from the collection below.
- View Prompts
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Text Prompts
March 15
Ainur
Displaced and refugee charactersMarch 16
Petty-dwarves
Textual ghostsMarch 17
Orcs
Elderly charactersMarch 18
Hobbits
Nonbinary charactersMarch 19
Minyar
Pansexual charactersMarch 20
Trolls
ChildrenMarch 21
Edain
Ace-spec charactersMarch 22
Nelyar
Characters of colorMarch 23
Stone-giants
WomenMarch 24
Firebeards & Broadbeams
Trans charactersMarch 25
Easterlings
Characters with a physical disabilityMarch 26
Balrogs
Enslaved charactersMarch 27
Haradrim
Bisexual charactersMarch 28
Tatyar
Deaf or hard-of-hearing charactersMarch 29
Dragons
Nomadic or itinerant charactersMarch 30
Longbeards
Gay charactersMarch 31
Northmen
Characters who don’t speak the dominant languageApril 1
Nazgûl
Characters with an intellectual or developmental disabilityApril 2
Avari
Neurodiverse charactersApril 3
Valar
Indigenous charactersApril 4
Barrow-wights
Characters with mobility issuesApril 5
Peredhil
Characters with mental health issuesApril 6
Ents and Entwives
Lesbian charactersApril 7
Spiders
AdolescentsApril 8
Maiar
Characters with a learning disabilityApril 9
Ironfists & Stiffbeards
Character who belongs to an ethnic minorityApril 10
Blacklocks & Stonefoots
Aro-spec charactersApril 11
Númenóreans & Black Númenóreans
Blind/low vision charactersApril 12
Dúnedain
Character following a non-dominant religionApril 13
Eagles
Intersex charactersApril 14
Huorns
Nonspeaking characters and characters with speech disordersApril 15
Istari
Nonliterate characters
Fanworks Tagged with Middle-earth Is Multitudes
Forest-dwellers by chrissystriped
Rog helps a visitor with his prosthesis.
Assistance by Himring
Early in the Second Age, Gil-galad receives an important collaborator.
Flames by elennalore
From an account of an enslaved Elf in Angband.
Portrait of Eärwen, Swan Maiden of Alqualondë by between_thepages
A portrait of Eärwen, created for Middle-earth is Multitudes
Written and Unwritten by Grundy
Young Feanor learns a lesson.
Mirror, Mirror on the Wall by reindeer_pizza
Tyelkormo is the beloved daughter of Nerdanel and Fëanor. But what if she doesn't want to be a daughter?
Before the Storm by polutropos
As Elwing navigates uncertainties about identity, rulership, and her impending motherhood, a chance meeting with a reclusive woman of the Haladin leads to a relationship that will give her strength facing the challenges to come. [WiP. Rating based on chapter 1 but will change to Adult.]
Of The Fate of Eluréd and Elurín by cuarthol
The cruel servants of Celegorm seized [Dior's] young sons and left them to starve in the forest... and of the fate of Eluréd and Elurín no tale tells.
Breaking Into Light by StarSpray
Glingaereth meets the crown prince of the Noldor by chance, if chance you call it.
“All the same, sister, be careful.”
“Me?” Glingaereth said. “Careful of what?”
“Of that prince.”
“What, Fingon? If you are worried about the Noldor’s feuds, he is the one who brought them to an end.”
Limbeleth shook her head. “I can’t explain it. It isn’t that you need worry about him, but—I have an uneasy feeling about them all, and I feel also that you will be bound up in their fate somehow.”
We Made Our Own by cuarthol
Finduilas has accompanied Finrod on a visit to Doriath, but she is soon drawn out into the forest to explore the land of hidden enchantments.
Rise before sunset by firstamazon
A disabled young man is approached by a mysterious stranger. A triple drabble.
Awesome Ladies by daughterofshadows
4 women, 4 story cycles, 400 words each.
Snapshots from the lives of four incredible women in Tolkien.
Cry the color of love by firstamazon
Míriel Þerindë was one of a kind.
A Promise of the Sun by cuarthol
The roles of youth and age trade places.
Finduilas may be one of the few among the Eldar of Nargothrond who can understand the changes which age brings to Bëor.
For One Year, One Day, of the Flame by cuarthol
Andreth prepares for the approach of midwinter, while Aegnor seeks to right a choice from long ago, before it is too late.
A Day's Journey through Minas Tirith by Himring
Ioreth has to endure some of the physical drawbacks of advanced age, but there are also people who accord her the kindness and respect she deserves.
Breath of life by firstamazon
A triple drabble - and a brief history - of an old orc.
A King Is He Who Can Hold His Own by sallysavestheday
Fleeing the fall of Doriath, Oropher is called into the kingship of the Greenwood.
Pages from the Archives of Cîr Imladris by Lferion
Elrond took his library with him to Valinor. In that archive are many things, and the librarians and archivists of Cîr Imladris (New Rivendell) are kept delightfully busy.
