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 'Súlë…
[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.
Current Challenge
Crossroads of the Fallen King
Create a fanwork that crosses with a second text or fandom. Read more ...
Random Challenge
Duel of Songs
Try your hand at poetry for National Poetry Month. 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.
Just an Old-Fashioned Love Song
During the month of July, fanworks creators around the world celebrate love. July has been reserved for honoring both the femslash and slash genres. Half of the world is sultry with summer heat, and half of the world seeks nearness and warmth to banish winter's chill.
For this month's challenge, you will use a popular love song as a prompt to inspire a fanwork about romantic or sexual love. You will choose your own prompt from the list of love songs below. More than one participant may choose the same song, and you may use any aspect of the song--the title, all or part of the lyrics, the mood or style of the music, or the music video--or any combination!--to inspire your response. You don't need to claim a prompt or comment or do anything but create your fanwork! Any pairing or poly relationship is acceptable for the challenge.
This challenge opened in .
Prompts
Choose your prompt from the collection below.
- View Prompts
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- "Unchained Melody" by the Righteous Brothers: video | lyrics
- "Justify My Love" by Madonna: video | lyrics
- "Closer" by Nine Inch Nails: video | lyrics (explicit)
- "I Want To Spend My Lifetime Loving You" by Tina Arena and Marc Anthony: video | lyrics
- "Up Where We Belong" by Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes: video | lyrics
- "I Will Always Love You" by Whitney Houston: video | lyrics
- "Rule The World" by Take That: video | lyrics
- "Diamonds" by Rihanna: video | lyrics
- "Your Song" by Elton John: video | lyrics
- "Gravity" by Vienna Teng: video | lyrics
- "Mamma Mia" by ABBA: video | lyrics
- "We Belong" by Pat Benatar: video | lyrics
- "The Bad Touch" by Bloodhound Gang: video | lyrics (explicit)
- "Ghost Love Score" by Nightwish: video | lyrics (warning for violence)
- "Thirty-Three" by The Smashing Pumpkins: video | lyrics
- "Africa" by Toto: video | lyrics
- "Reach Out, I'll Be There" by The Four Tops: video | lyrics
- "Someone to Watch Over Me" by Ella Fitzgerald: video | lyrics
- "She Loves You" by the Beatles: video | lyrics
- "Water Runs Dry" by Boyz II Men: video | lyrics
Fanworks Tagged with Just an Old-Fashioned Love Song
Ghost Love Score by Raiyana
Fëanor beyond Time in the Halls of Mandos
Nerdanel in Aman
I've Hungered for Your Touch by oshun
Caranthir is offered a chance to read an unpublished diary entry. It’s a copy of a recently discovered ancient manuscript apparently written by Haleth the Hunter. It’s a follow-up to my previous story The Manly-hearted Woman, but can be read independently of that one. It is also an entry in the SWG Challenge Just an Old-Fashioned Love Song. (“...use a popular love song as a prompt to inspire a fanwork about romantic or sexual love. You will choose your own prompt from the list of love songs below.” I chose "Unchained Melody" by the Righteous Brothers: video | lyrics).
Swans by Dawn Felagund
Against Maedhros's wishes, Fingon is off to a summer retreat in the mountains, a retreat designed by the Valar for newly reembodied Elves. Amid games of kickball and group therapy, Fingon makes a friend, discovers the Noldor haven't actually invented everything, and begins to grasp the complexities of his post-reembodiment relationship with Maedhros. Maedhros/Fingon, set in my Republic of Tirion verse.
Stolen Evenings by Tyelca
A collection of short stories, each one focusing on a different pairing sharing one (stolen) evening.
New Directions. part two. by hennethgalad
In part one, the crew of Eärendil were sent back to Beleriand from Valinor in a new ship.
In this part, the wind changes for the Ainumanä and the crew meet some strangers.
Far From The World We Know by Himring
At the top of Elwing's white tower.
Earendil has landed, back from traversing the pathless sky, and Elwing has flown to meet him.
Picking Up The Pieces by Grundy
After the Fall of Gondolin, Maeglin's more than a little broken. Is there any hope for him?
For Love of Silver Stars by LadyBrooke
The sun’s dying rays faded over Doriath for the first time, and Lúthien looked at Nimloth.
Your Song by Kaylee Arafinwiel
"But Lúthien came to the halls of Mandos, where are the appointed places of the Eldalië, beyond the mansions of the West upon the confines of the world. There those that wait sit in the shadow of their thought. But her beauty was more than their beauty, and her sorrow deeper than their sorrows; and she knelt before Mandos and sang to him..."
