New Challenge: Epic 80s
This month's challenge features hundreds of fresh prompts from the bodacious decade of the 1980s.
SWG News
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.
New & Updated Fanworks
[Artwork] A private audience by skywardstruck
After wandering through the forests of Oromë, Maitimo and Makalaurë discover a quiet clearing, stopping to rest. With lyre in hand, the private audience begins— for this song, Makalaurë will only allow his brother to hear.
[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] A Thousand Winds that Blow by StarSpray
When uneasy dreams bring him back into Beleriand, Daeron finds a pair of twins who have lost their home, and an enemy who has lost himself. The Shadow's reach is growing ever longer, and if they are to survive, they must do it together.
[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] 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.
Current Challenge
Epic 80s
Create a fanwork using on of our righteous prompts based on popular culture from the 1980s. Read more ...
Random Challenge
Songs of Arda
Create a fanwork about music. Read more ...
New in References
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.
Featured Themed Collection
Beyond the Silmarillion
[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.
Around the World and Web
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.
Scribbles and Drabbles 2026
Scribbles & Drabbles is a fic and art exchange with a minimum word count of 100 words.
Fanworks Tagged with Romance
Of Stars and Kings by Kimberleighe
The reign and life of Ereinion Gil-Galad.
Silver and Gold by Oboe-Wan
Galadriel and Celeborn meet in Doriath
About words by Aerlinn
Your brother would have me believe it was your noble spirit that made you turn away from me. Yet I would not be so easily convinced, talk of the One be damned.
Andreth speaks her mind. About Finrod, about words. About Aegnor, about fear.
Song against ink, voice against fire.
A madness most discreet by Agelast
In fair Tirion upon Túna, where we lay our scene, young Fingon must learn that if you want something, you must first ask for it. But asking, alas, isn't getting.
Oak and Willow by Marnie
The story of Celeborn and Galadriel, with a difference - this time it's from the Sindar POV.
The House that Fingon Built by Himring
Some time about the end of the Fourth Age, Fingon leaves Mandos, returns to Tirion and learns of the Second and Third Kinslayings and Maedhros's suicide. He finds a way of dealing with it.
Includes flashbacks to Fingon's youth in Valinor and touches on his thoughts about the end of the Nirnaeth.
Fingon/Maedhros.
Sexual content: hardly any. Warnings for references to cow pastures, puff pastry and the perfect tea pot. For the rest, see summary.
View From the Top by Himring
In the halcyon days of Dor-lomin before the Evil Breath, Maedhros and Fingon go for a walk together in the mountains.
Dedicated to the bee-keepers of the Silmarillion Writers Guild.
His Baby Blues by Erulisse
Summary: The day after an unexpected event, Eilian (Helyanwë) reflects back over the event and her reaction
Fixed Length Fictlet, Word Count: 287
Changing Roles by Erulisse
A long-time relationship of friendship, changes to a relationship of romance. Will the friendship survive the change? Written for TW Challenge Word: Running.
One Hundred Words About Maedhros by Himring
Drabbles in my 'Doom' series. Not necessarily gloomy!
100 words according to Word.
Last added: Deadlier.
Love and other forbidden things by tinni
A Maedhros/Fingon romance
Lúthien Meets Beren by oshun
MEFA 2011 Third Place in Romance, Smaug's Treasure Award
Rivendell, Day 19, write a story or create a piece of artwork centered on meetings or reunions. (This one is a very soft R-rated piece.) I always wondered what Lúthien saw in that grubby unwashed Beren. Shallow person that I am, I figured he had to have been hot and had a sense of humor at very least.
Heavenly Dance by Ellynn
After long months of loneliness and separation, Tilion will finally be close to his beloved Arien for a few moments. 2011 MEFA Nominee.
A Stiff Northern Breeze by Himring
During the time of the Siege of Angband, the princes of the Noldor meet once again in council, this time at Tol Sirion. Maedhros has a disturbing conversation with Orodreth, their host. He discusses Orodreth with Fingon, while they take a walk along the river.
A Christmas present for Alasse--Christmas 2010, that is. Only about two months late, that's almost punctual, for me... Thank you for the discussion of weather conditions in northern Beleriand, Alasse!
Maedhros/Fingon.
Now added: Engineering and Diplomacy (Fingon & Curufin, double drabble)
My Grandfather's Cottage by oshun
2011 Middle-earth Fanfiction Awards - First Place, Elves General, and Smaug's Treasure award.
This is a story of tragic heroes of the First Age, while they were young elves in love in Valinor, inexperienced and foolish. Ecthelion, a half-Telerin nerdy musician who fancies himself to be rather worldly and fashionable, sets himself the task of seducing his best friend Glorfindel, a charming math prodigy. The story provides a glimpse at contrasts between Telerin, Noldorin, and Vanyarin cultures, which turns wildly AU in relation to the inclusion of the festival of the Gates of Summer. It’s but a little romp of a love story about growing up spoiled and privileged in Aman during the Years of the Trees.
King Thingol's Codpiece by elfscribe
Oropher, a healer and son of the Lord of Nivrim, assists Finrod Felagund in a hunt for a saboteur who has prevented spring from coming to Doriath. In the process, Oropher finds himself increasingly attracted to his clever friend.
A Sherlock Holmes style mystery with a twist.
MEFA 2011 winner First Place in Mystery: General and also a winner of a Smaug's Treasure award.
Still Waters by Olorime
Finrod Felagund gets stranded in a storm, a mysterious elf comes to his rescue. His life will be forever changed.
No Way You Can Fall by Himring
Fingon braces himself to defy Namo for the sake of his love of Maedhros, but it turns out to be strangely unnecessary. Ages later in Tirion, there is a rather more dramatic confrontation, when Fingolfin finally suspects the reason why Fingon has immured himself in his house with the cousin he has recently retrieved from Lorien.
Mature Themes: Maedhros is gradually regaining his sanity under Fingon's care.
Nominated for the MEFAs 2011. Thank you very much, Lyra!
"Lilac" & other ficlets by Himring
An attempt at interior decoration leads to something else.
Now added: "Did the Earth Move...?" (another ficlet set in Valinor)
Love's Persistence by IgnobleBard
In the bleak midwinter Haldir awaits a special visitor.
The Singer's Girl by Lady MSM
Andril didn't mean to get involved in all this, really. Is it her fault that an exiled prince and his family are living two miles away from her village? And is it her fault she's got a weakness for talkative, musical boys? A sort of romantic dramedy.
The Unspoken by Elfique
Many things remain unspoken, the reason for Glorfindel's apparent batchelorhood being one of them. A five part series of vignettes.
