A Sense of History: Thálatta! Thálatta!
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.
SWG News
Choose a Name for Our New Column!
Our temporarily titled "location bio" will focus on the landscapes and locations of Middle-earth. We need your help naming it!
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.
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 'Hwesta…
[Writing] Tengwar Drabbles by cílil
A collection of Silmarillion-centric drabbles written for the Tengwar Challenge. Short and sweet!
[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.
Current Challenge
Crossroads of the Fallen King
Create a fanwork that crosses with a second text or fandom. Read more ...
Tengwar
A daily prompt of a Tengwar letter per day. Read more ...
Random Challenge
Discovery
In this challenge inspired by the Polynesian wayfinders, choose a video, song, or historical fact as inspiration to create a fanwork. 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
Teitho May/June Challenge: Joker
For the May/June Teitho challenge, you can pick ANY of our past challenges that stir your imagination and write a story or create art for it.
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.
Fanworks Tagged with B2MeM 2016
Prehistory of the Eldar by Lyra
A collection of illustrations about Elves in their pre-Aman days.
Keep Memory Alive by Zdenka
Dís wishes to know her home and her enemy.
Drinks in the Dark by Lingwiloke
Orodreth has been crowned king of Nargothrond. He's not taking it particularly well.
A Song in the Darkness by Zdenka
Maglor still makes music, and Maedhros listens, when it is all they have left.
Lost and Found by Zdenka
With the Silmaril lost, Maglor is driven by Elwing’s words to look for her children.
Hope For No Safety by Zdenka
Elwing's defiance at the Havens of Sirion.
A Theoretical Impossibility by Zdenka
The learned scholar Rúmil of Tirion meets a Hobbit and shares his opinion about Dwarves.
Trust Not Blindly by Zdenka
Idril has a troubling encounter with her cousin Maeglin on the morning of her betrothal to Tuor.
Tale of the Phantom Ship by Zdenka
The women of Erendis's household tell each other stories on a rainy day. (Or, a tale from New England retold in Númenor.)
Findis: On a Rock, Praying by Himring
Two pieces featuring Findis, eldest daughter of Finwe, and her choices after the Darkening.
I. A Season on Taniquetil (Findis, Fingon; quadrabble)
II. The Hermit (Findis, Finarfin)
Her Black Prince Vorandil Aglamir by JT Tomas
Kyron Tramell is a black high school student waking up everyday in a caged life of cocaine fumes, gunshots and abuse at the hands of thugs and a drug addicted stepfather. Then one day he opens his eyes to a magical reality. Kyron's a changeling, the son of a Noldorin Prince will his heritage & romance save him from the vengeance his heart craves for past bullies?
Tales of the Nine by Kaylee Arafinwiel
Who were the Nine before they became Ringwraiths - and after? Intended as a collection of Wraith-centric pieces whenever they come to me.
Translations from the Elvish by Himring
Elrond and Bilbo discuss "Translations from the Elvish" and its sources, especially the writings of Pengolodh.
Stolen Light by Chiaroscuro by Scribe of Mirrormere
Eöl discovers the world of fanfiction thanks to Aredhel and agrees to collaborate on a project with her.
In An Hour Unlooked For by Kaylee Arafinwiel
She had always loved the Sea. She never knew how much the Sea loved her back…
The Temptation of Osse by Kaylee Arafinwiel
Even in the Beginning of the Beginning, Osse was drawn to Melkor's Themes, and Ulmo worried for his impetuous Maia...
Love Unfulfilled in Dorthonion by Kaylee Arafinwiel
Andreth, called Saelind by the Elves, had her heart broken by Aegnor...
...but Aegnor was no less wounded by his actions. He poured out his heart to his beloved twin, Nerwen, just before flame engulfed Dorthonion...
...and later, remembering his death, he relates his last moments to Findis.
Even More About Maedhros by Himring
Collection for slightly longer pieces featuring Maedhros.
Now added: Land of Mist (Maedhros, Fingon)
Indy's B2MeM Stories by Independence1776
A collection of my Back to Middle-earth Month stories. Each chapter is a different year.
2019: Maglor visits Elrond after Gil-galad's death. Triple drabble.
Taking Readings I by Himring
Very short pieces set in Beleriand or Valinor, some of which are slightly experimental.
Now added: Shadowy Cloak (Beren and Luthien, after the fall of Tol-in-Gaurhoth)
The Book of Short Tales by Lyra
A place to store short stories, ficlets and challenge responses that don't really warrant being archived on their own.
Newly Added: "The Good and the Bad". Young Aragorn discusses Noldorin history with Erestor.
Upon these shores by Lyra
The fate of Maglor, after he cast away the Silmaril, is pretty much open for speculation. Here are some glimpses at his adventures throughout human history, in no particular order.
Newly added: Exiles. In the Roman province of Macedonia, two exiles meet. Written for the August 2017 challenge, Song of Exile.
