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
Turgon's Rock Opera
On the anniversary of the publication of "The Silmarillion," we’re reflecting on the importance of music in Arda with prompts that come from rock songs. 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 Original Female Character(s)
[podfic] Spin Songs for the Sea by Chestnut_pod, heget
Eärwen as a young maiden of the Swan-haven, surrounded and supported by family, and the intersection of song and spinning thread.
Ribbon-Cutting Instadrabbling by Anne Wolfe
Two drabbles from the Ribbon-Cutting Instadrabbling Session.
No. 1: Spring Elanor, a drabble about spring, and flowers, and new beginnings.
No. 2: The Ants, in which a young Celegorm listens to some ants.
Tevildo's Hunting Party by Elfhild
By Angmar and Elfhild. Craving new fare for his feasts, Tevildo, Prince of Cats, devises a scheme to hunt down one of the Great Eagles by using a child of the Noldoli as bait. Inspired by The Book of Lost Tales.
Lost at Sea by StarSpray
An Avarin elf accidentally gets lost at sea and gets stuck halfway onto the Straight Road. Uinen helps out.
The Captive by Glorified
This is a story about love's redemptive power, the restoration of hope and belief, it is a slow burn and deals with the the outcasts of society who don't fit in. When two lost and lonely people meet and fall in love they have to navigate an Elvish society that is not quite as fair minded and open as one would think, in fact its down right xenophobic and judgmental and prejudiced.
[podfic] kâtha batîna lôkhî by Chestnut_pod
Podfic of Vardasvapors' story.
For even after the ruin the hearts of the Dúnedain were still set westwards; and though they knew indeed that the world was changed, they said: 'Avallónë is vanished from the Earth and the Land of Aman is taken away, and in the world of this present darkness they cannot be found. Yet once they were, and therefore they still are, in true being and in the whole shape of the world as at first it was devised.'
What Brings Us Together by Aipilosse
crossposted on AO3
Life in Fourth Age Valinor is good for Celebrimbor. He has his students, he has his projects, and if life is a little less exciting than it was in Middle-earth, that’s probably for the best, right? So when a series of events conspires to bring Sauron the Dark Lord back into all of their lives, he must decide if he will help him regain his memories or if some things are better left in the past.
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. ||
The Joining of Two Families by chrissystriped
Shai is the first orc to be reborn and Sharû is overjoyed to have his mother back. When Shai hears that her husband can't be reborn because both she and Arasiel, his wife from when he was an elf, are alive, she is not prepared to accept that. Shai and Arasiel team up to get their husband back, coming closer to each other in the process.
Food From the Heart by Nienna
Isilmë and Moda, her wife, decide to revamp a dish that Moda never liked from her childhood, a dish that was used to celebrate the dawning of winter.
Woman King by grey_gazania
A Gil-galad genderswap AU.
Loyalty by grey_gazania
Who were Ulfang's people, and why did they betray the Elves?
Queen Idhril by The Wavesinger
Stories about my version of the Lady of the Blue Brooch.
The Arrow For Its Swiftness: Misadventures of a Fëanorian by Zdenka
This series contains scenes from the life of Feredwen, an original character who served the House of Fëanor. I reorder the series when I add something new to keep the sequence approximately chronological, but individual parts skip around in time so that isn\'t always possible.
In the Glow of the Mountain by Hoglorfen
\r\n
\"Mordorian romantic drama at its finest.\" ~ Times of Khand
\"Tragic yet titillating.\" ~ Númenor News Network
\"That shit\'s nasty!\" ~ PlayDwarf
\"Who the fuck nicked my lube?!\" ~Lurtz
\"*noisy retching*\" ~ RivendailyThis is a not-so-classic tale of \"Orc boy meets Elf girl\", which proves once and for all that having the Dark Lord as your third bed-partner is NOT a good idea. One does not simply walk into Mordor... or anywhere near it. This is a very dark tale, as tales set under the Eye are wont to be. For Darkness taints all it touches, but without it the little glimmers of Light would not be as powerful.
\r\n
This series started out as smut and I never intended to write any more than the first part. But then I got hit by an irresistible load of \"WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?!\" and kept writing. Let\'s see where this takes us! PS. It\'s still smut, but now it\'s smut with a story. I hope. DS.
\r\n
The Tale of Turin by Kaylee Arafinwiel
Turin Turambar, Master of Doom by Doom mastered! We know the life of the son of Hurin, but more mundane events...hmm. So far I\'ve written of his coming to Doriath and a brief incident in his fostering there. As for more, we\'ll see...
Family Heirlooms by grey_gazania
A collection of stories about Elrond\'s childhood with the Sons of Fëanor, and its impact on his later life.
From Aman to Eregion by Raiyana
Combining all my Curufin/Telperína to Celebrimbor fics in one place
Bloody Silmarils - Series by Dilly
In Gondolin, Turgon is depressed...
Wrapped Up in Books by grey_gazania
Scenes from the lives of Caranthir and his wife Parmacundë.
The last gift of Oromë by SkyEventide
Celegorm, who was friend of Oromë, who often visited the Vala's house and learnt the language of all birds and beasts - but hunted them also. This is a story of the noontide of Valinor, of a hunting party and of the deities of bow and arrow, loyalty yet untarnished, gifts and wisdom, and what it means to understand and talk to the things you kill. Sometimes Snow White and the Huntsman are the same person.
Thranduil's Shadow by Mimi Lind
Young Thranduil rushes into a relationship that divides his family, and a series of tragic events turns him cold and reserved. To find happiness and love he must deal with his shadows, but how can he ever become free of his father?
This is a story of how Thranduil met Legolas’ mother, and also a recount of parts of the Silmarillion from his perspective.
Like a Silent Shadow by StarSpray
Huan helps Lúthien escape from Nargothrond--everyone knows that--but he doesn't do it alone.
The Last Scion of Tevildo by Lindariel
What happens to the offspring of a cat possessed by a Maia of sharpness?
