Mereth Aderthad Interview: Interview with Kai by Shadow
Kai is the featured artist for Maglor's Mereth Aderthad 2025 presentation, "Gil-galad was an Elven King: Kingship and Personhood in the last High King of the Noldor." Shadow spoke with Kai about his wide range of interests and inspirations in the legendarium and why Maglor's presentation so intrigued him that he finished the art for it the first night.
SWG News
Mereth Aderthad Interview: Interview with Dawn Felagund by Shadow
In our series of interviews of creators for Mereth Aderthad, Shadow spoke with Dawn about her story, written for Savannah Horrell's "By Guile Committed: Comparing Tolkien’s Thieves to Beowulf" presentation, the balance of planning an event and creating for it at the same time, and the intersection of Tolkien and Beowulf.
Mereth Aderthad Interview: Interview with Cindy Gates by Grundy
Cindy Gates' upcoming Mereth Aderthad 2025 presentation "Tolkien, Lunatic Physicists, and Abnegation" considers the ethics of science in the legendarium. Grundy spoke with Cindy about her research, her own experience as a professional scientist, and her long-running fascination with the Manhattan Project.
So You Want to Present at a Tolkien Conference? Actually Presenting!
Part of our ongoing series to support fans who want to present at Mereth Aderthad and other Tolkien conferences, this session will share strategies for delivering a presentation at a conference.
New & Updated Fanworks
[Writing] and love is not a victory march by atlantablack
Fëanáro thinks of many things during his exile for he has nothing but time and a chest full of fury.
He thinks of his hatred for Melkor. He thinks of his children and the toil the exile is taking on them even if they will not voice it. He thinks of his father and the disappointment he’d…
[Reference] Interview with Grundy by Shadow by Grundy, daughterofshadows
Long fascinated with the Manhattan Project, Grundy was naturally drawn to Cindy Gates' Mereth Aderthad 2025 presentation “Tolkien, Lunatic Physicists, and Abnegation" and is making a work of glass art to accompany it. Shadow spoke to Grundy about her inspiration on the project and long love of…
[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] All That the Waves Did Not Claim by Isilme_among_the_stars
Little moments of reflection with Maglor as he comes to terms with grief. A collection of drabbles and other short writings to accompany One in the Deep Waters.
[Writing] High in the Clean Blue Air by StarSpray
They passed out of Lhûn and the wider coastline of Middle-earth opened up before his eyes. He had wandered those shores for centuries, and even now he felt the pull of that same wanderlust, and knew he would miss them for the rest of his life. Their wildness, the untamed waves, the rocky…
[Reference] Interview with reese by Dawn by halethleia, Dawn Felagund
Reese is the featured author for polutropos's presentation "'Kidnap Fam' and the Living Legendarium" at Mereth Aderthad 2025. Dawn spoke with reese about the silences storytellers leave, mythology, and the appeal of alternate universe fanfiction.
[Writing] One In the Fires of the Heart of the World by Isilme_among_the_stars
Maedhros finds that regret and pain do not end with death. But it does at last bring release from the oath and he can at last embark upon the long, hard road toward redemption.
Current Challenge
Period Drama
A Matryoshka challenge where prompts are inspired by common tropes found in period dramas and historical fiction. Read more ...
Random Challenge
Meet & Greet
For our annual Matryoshka challenge, we add an interactive component. Receive your first prompt and track down the rest by interacting with other SWG members or finding prompts posted online. Read more ...
New in References
Interview with Grundy by Shadow by Grundy, daughterofshadows
Long fascinated with the Manhattan Project, Grundy was naturally drawn to Cindy Gates' Mereth Aderthad 2025 presentation “Tolkien, Lunatic Physicists, and Abnegation" and is making a work of glass art to accompany it. Shadow spoke to Grundy about her inspiration on the project and long love of Tolkien.
Interview with reese by Dawn by halethleia, Dawn Felagund
Reese is the featured author for polutropos's presentation "'Kidnap Fam' and the Living Legendarium" at Mereth Aderthad 2025. Dawn spoke with reese about the silences storytellers leave, mythology, and the appeal of alternate universe fanfiction.
Interview with Kai by Shadow by Kai, daughterofshadows
Kai is the featured artist for Maglor's Mereth Aderthad 2025 presentation, "Gil-galad was an Elven King: Kingship and Personhood in the last High King of the Noldor." Shadow spoke with Kai about his wide range of interests and inspirations in the legendarium and why Maglor's presentation so intrigued him that he finished the art for it the first night.
Featured Themed Collection
Part of our Themed Collection series for our newsletter, this collection features fiction, artwork, and essays that transcend the idea of Orcs as the enemy, instead considering their humanity.
Alliterative Verse for Arda by Rhunedhel
Part of our Themed Collection series for our newsletter, this collection features alliterative poems about Middle-earth.
Beyond the Silmarillion
[Artwork] Floating through the Forest River by Varda delle Stelle
Bilbo and Thorin's Company are arriving to Lake Town floating through the Forest River with the barrels
[Writing] The Wondrous Tale of the Bee-wolf by bunn
Once upon a time, JRR Tolkien wrote a fairy-tale retelling, an attempt to reconstruct an alternative version of the ancient poem called Beowulf, and he called it Sellic Spell: 'strange tale' or 'wondrous tale'.
Once upon a time, on the long road home from the Lonely…
[Writing] Dáin's Saga by bunn
The tale of Dáin Ironfoot, told loosely in the style of a saga of Iceland (in English translation).
Around the World and Web
Scribbles and Drabbles 2025
Scribbles & Drabbles is an annual Tolkien event where artists create artwork and writers then write stories (a drabble or longer) inspired by the art.
Camp Tolkien 2025
A Tumblr event with daily prompts aimed at different stages of the writing process.
Boromir Week 2025
Boromir Week is a Tumblr event for fanworks about Boromir.
Celebrimbor Week 2025
A Tumblr event celebrating Celebrimbor as he is depicted in all books and media.
June challenge at tolkienshortfanworks on Dreamwidth
The June challenge has been posted to the tolkienshortfanworks community on Dreamwidth: thematic prompt: reward - regard; formal challenge: alliteration. As always, these prompts can be filled separately or combined freely with other challenges that allow it.
Fanworks Tagged with Violence (Mild)
Statues by Dawn Felagund
Lost in grief over her husband and sons, Nerdanel begins to construct statues to ease her loneliness. Discovered in her pursuit by Eärwen, Nerdanel's exceptional skill might be used to offer some consolation to the Teleri.
The Choices of Spirits by Dawn Felagund
Unlucky in love, Caranthir has settled into his lonely life in Middle-earth when love comes from the most unexpected of places: a mortal woman leading a band of refugees upon his land. In the love that grows between Haleth and Caranthir, the two cannot quite overcome the expectations of their people to be together fully, as they wish, and they face the inevitability of separation after death.
Memories of Cuiviénen by Dawn Felagund
Long ago in Aman, Finwë told his young grandsons the legends of Cuiviénen, hoping that the lessons learned by the Elves in Middle-earth would guide them morally. Many centuries later, in Middle-earth, the sons of Fëanor have lost sight of those lessons, but the rising of a new star suggests all hope is not lost.
