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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 (working title) by cuarthol
For the Tengwar prompt challenge. To be updated as new prompts are completed.
Current up through 'Anca'
[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
Wish upon a Star
Create a fanwork where a character wishes upon or muses on the stars. 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.
Crackuary
This month's challenge prompts originated from the premise: "This idea is completely unworkable, but I bet I can make it work." With that philosophy in mind (if so dignified a word can be used here), we offer you a bingo card with the most bizarre, silly, and crackiest prompts we could conjure.
For text-only prompts, see the Challenge Prompts section below.
In order to participate, you can choose any prompt or prompts from the card above and create a fanwork using the prompt(s). There are no numbers drawn for this challenge.
This challenge opened in .
Prompts
Choose your prompt from the collection below.
- View Prompts
-
Text-Only Prompts
If you need assistance at any time, including devising prompt combinations that fill rows or other bingo patterns, please email the SWG moderators at moderator@silmarillionwritersguild.org.
B1: rap songs or battles gone horribly wrong (or right! Finrod learned it somewhere!)
B2: Elves in space
B3: sex pollen
B4: wingfic
B5: characters at the club
I1: in a modern school or workplace
I2: "Is there a reason you're naked in my bed?"
I3: unexpected roadtrip
I4: excessively Tolkienesque
I5: the Dome of Varda is real
N1: 13 going on 30
N2: rebirth and reembodiment taken to their logical extremes
FREE SPACE
N4: Choose a historical period. Rewrite your favorite canon scene there.
N5: characters in a video game
G1: self-insert
G2: body swap
G3: time loop
G4: crack pairing
G5: Silmarillion slam book
O1: characters are animals
O2: character breaks free of the fictional world
O3: include a musical number
O4: choose a whack detail from The Book of Lost Tales to become canon
O5: absurdly magical
Fanworks Tagged with Crackuary
Aurora: What Cold, Clear Air May Show by Lferion
Having traveled North and up a mountain in Aman, Fingon builds himself a house, and works on putting himself back together. A drabble sequence. Follows Aurora: Seeking the Northern Sky.
Adventures in Arda and Aman by Lferion
Ficlets of Valinor, Beleriand, Ennor, and Middle Earth through the Ages.
In the Light of the Trees and After by Lferion
Ficlets, drabbles, and other small pieces set primarily in early Valinor.
Reflection, Refraction, Release by Lferion
A view from two sides of a mirror, and what happens when those trapped are freed.
A Drabble sequence: 1,2,2,1.
Intimate Adventures in Arda and Aman by Lferion
Ficlets of an intimate nature set in various places and times, generally with minimal angst.
Superheroes by Lferion
Fulfilling a promise, Fingon and Celegorm discover they are remembered as Superheroes by the circus children.
A King Fingon's Menagerie quintuple drabble/ficlet.
A New Day in Valinor by Lferion
Non-angsty ficlets set in Valinor (and one or two in Middle Earth), many featuring Feanor.
Eagle's eye by SkyEventide
Manwe and Mandos watch the Nirnaeth. They break the fourth wall.
Pages from the Archives of Cîr Imladris by Lferion
Elrond took his library with him to Valinor. In that archive are many things, and the librarians and archivists of Cîr Imladris (New Rivendell) are kept delightfully busy.
MINE IS BETTER by bluehair
After a few busy days, I read a discord discussion and had to write this utter crack.
But yes, whose is better, between Fëanor and Fingolfin?
Second Childhood by HannaGoldworthy
Because Feanor could not make anything easy on anyone, and that included his own second life.
Shield-House by Lferion
The House of Shields is more than a bar. A double drabble.
Casting Omens, Reading Cards by Lferion
Maglor read the cards too well
Modern solutions by Lyra
Fingon's rescue of Maedhros, Red Bull commercial style. I apologise for everything.
None might restrain him by Lyra
One fine morning, Fëanor wakes up in Fingolfin's body. It goes exactly as well as you'd expect. Not actually featuring Fingolfin.
Implied (canon) character death.
Pollen and Honey by Lferion
Nerdanel contemplates names for her new-born twins.
Sky-Sailors by Lferion
Elves took to sailing sky as readily as they did sea
Regency Drama by Lferion
Boodle’s Gentleman's Club was not normally a place of drama and excitement.
Conversation Overheard in an Avallonë Cafe by Lferion
Laurësirya had been in that competition performance. She'd been in the battle as well.
Light Defiant by Lferion
"See us!" shouted the lamps, the candles.
Other Physics by Lferion
One could fall up forever, did not the ground hold fast.
Irmo's Children by Lferion
They had come here as in a dream, to the far North of the world.
