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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
[Writing] Tengwar: To The Letter by cuarthol
For the Tengwar prompt challenge. To be updated as new prompts are completed.
Current up through 'Malta'
[Writing] I Stood Aside by Flora-lass
Maedhros' horror at the burning of the ships. Inspired by a painting (see notes).
[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] 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
Turning Point
The Silmarillion has many moments when a character stands upon a crossroad: He or she will have to make a decision. At such a turning point in your story, create a fanwork about that moment that will define or alter the life of your character. 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.
B-Movie
This month's challenge is a Matryoshka challenge based on the predictable plot arc of the hilariously abominable, eye-rollingly corny, so-bad-they're-actually-kinda-good horror films. Your fanwork does not have to be a horror story, but prompts will be loosely inspired by the plot arcs of these films. (Please note that prompts are not horror-specific. Any genre of fanwork can be created based on these prompts, although there may be a special reward for participants who attempt a horror fanwork.)
Never tried a Matryoshka challenge before? See our FAQ: What is a Matryoshka challenge and how does it work? If you want to request a prompt set, contact the moderators. Make sure to specify of you would like a Beginner (two prompts), Easy (three prompts), Medium (five prompts), or Difficult (seven prompts) set. You may request more than one set.
Credit: TVTrope's slasher movie entry was an invaluable source of inspiration in designing this challenge and titling some of the prompts.
This challenge opened in .
Fanworks Tagged with B-Movie
The Tenth Ring by eris_of_imladris
Celebrimbor has a nagging suspicion that something is wrong while he works on the ninth ring to be given to Men.
Written for the Silmarillion Writers Guild B-Movie challenge.
the stranger song by Agelast
Celebrimbor has a realization about his partner, Annatar. Written for the Matryoshka Challenge 2018.
A Hunt in Nan Elmoth by HannaGoldworthy
Celegorm decides to take a break from the Siege of Angband to spend time with his youngest brothers in the one hobby they all enjoy. Things go awry, and that's the fun part.
The Singer by MaglorTheMinstrel
He thinks that he's going insane, that only his now ruined music stays. His memories are fleeing, abandoning him. But some remain.
The Holy or the Broken by Independence1776
Nerdanel finds Maglor on a Florida beach.
The Nights Your Heart Shivers by StarSpray
"All right, hunting down Daeron the Minstrel: that sounds like fun. But where would we even begin to look for him?"
Taking Readings II by Himring
Anthology for short pieces that don't fit anywhere else.
Now added: "Something for Nothing" (Ecthelion, Egalmoth)
