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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
[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] Tengwar (working title) by cuarthol
For the Tengwar prompt challenge. To be updated as new prompts are completed.
Current up through 'Arda…
[Writing] I Stood Aside by Flora-lass
Maedhros thinks about the burning ships. Inspired by a painting (see notes).
[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
It's All in the Numbers
Create a fanwork focused on numbers: how they were invented or used by a culture or 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.
New Year's Resolution
Happy New Year! To help you start 2024 off right, we’re giving you a chance to catch up on any challenges you missed in 2023. Our annual amnesty allows you to pick from any of the previous year’s challenges. Whether finishing that epic novel for the challenge that ran away or making a sketch or writing a drabble, the idea is to make something fannish with one of our challenges as inspiration!
You do not need to use a new prompt to be eligible for this challenge. Participants can choose to complete any of the previous year's challenges. Did you miss a challenge you wanted to complete? Do it now. Did you start a fanwork for a challenge but never completed it? Here is your chance to finish. If you didn't leave any unrealized or unfinished projects behind you (congratulations!) or if none of the unfinished challenges strike your fancy, choose from any of our past challenges. (For a summary of the 2023 challenges and direct links, see the Challenge Prompts section below!)
You will receive a stamp on your 2024 collection for any challenges that you complete now*, as well as a stamp for the New Year's Resolution challenge on your 2023 collection. When you post to the SWG archive, please make sure you select the 2023 challenge you're completing and the New Year's Resolution challenge.
*If you choose to complete a challenge older than 2023, we will not be giving out past stamps; you will, however, receive your January 2024 stamp.
To help the mods correctly process stamps for this challenge:
- Inform the mods if you need commenting stamps for 2023 challenges prior to Experimental, and which stamps you need. (All challenges have commenter and 5 comment stamps; some challenges have stamps for 10 or higher numbers of comments.)
- For August's Roaring Twenties challenge, please let us know if you need column, row, diagonal, or card blackout stamps.
This challenge opened in .
Prompts
Choose your prompt from the collection below.
- View Prompts
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February | Cheesy Corn Chips
Celebrate the corny and the cheesy, the sappy and sweet and schmaltzy and saccharine in popular culture by choosing from our collection of corny, sentimental, and heartstring-rending prompts.March | Middle-earth Is Multitudes
Use our daily prompt calendar to populate your fanworks with a more diverse array of characters.April | Rejects
Create a fanwork around one of Tolkien's rejected ideas from the legendarium. Choose a prompt at the link above.May | Bestiary of Arda
Choose a prompt from our "bestiary" of music and images of animals found in Arda.June | Secret Gate
A Matryoshka challenge where prompts are based on the common plot points and tropes from mystery novels. Message the mods for a prompt set. Specify if you would like two, three, five, or seven prompts. If you've never done this type of challenge, read our Matryoshka challenge FAQ.July | Dip the Ladle
Tolkien had many tales, places, and artists who inspired his work. For this challenge, prompts invite creating a fanwork using one of Tolkien's influences. Select one of the unassigned prompts, available at the link above.August | Roaring 20s
Use bingo prompts from 1920s-themed cards to create a fanwork.September | Turgon's Rock Opera
On the anniversary of the publication of "The Silmarillion," we’re reflecting on the importance of music in Arda with prompts that come from rock songs. Choose from one of the unassigned prompts, available at the link above.October | Experimental
Tolkien was an experimental writer, pushing the boundaries of literary and artistic convention. This month, we invite you to experiment with a new technique or approach to your fanworks. We’ve listed some prompts you can select from, but you’re also free to develop your own.November/December | Understory
This month's challenge is a remix challenge, meaning that you will use another person's fanwork as your inspiration. You will choose a minor character, small detail, or minor plot point and develop it into its own fanwork. Make sure you review the schedule and expectations for using another fan's work in the challenge guidelines. The link above includes a list of SWG creators who are willing to give permission to use their work in this challenge.
Fanworks Tagged with New Year's Resolution
Narin and Anglithiel by Lferion
Celebrimbor and Narvi were not the only Elf-Dwarf pairing in Ost-in-Edhil.
Tales featuring an original Elf character named Anglithiel and her partner and love original Dwarf character Narin.
A good day by daughterofshadows
Salgant gets some unexpected gifts
Couldn't Drag Me Away by Grundy
Elrond is curious about the music - and why his daughter has been avoiding certain subjects.
After The End by cuarthol
[F]or his father was dearer to him than the light of Valinor or the peerless works of his hands; - The Silmarillion
Not a Pipe by Lferion
In Ost-in-Edhil, Narin gets a look at her wife's new sculpture.
Forest-dwellers by chrissystriped
Rog helps a visitor with his prosthesis.
In love that we are made by stormfallen
They say there are cities far to the East and South, for those who can find them, whose entire populations slowly forgot the need for flesh and faded into memory of routine, living in their empty homes and walking their empty streets even when those homes and streets are no more.
For thousands of years the City has awaited you.
Assistance by Himring
Early in the Second Age, Gil-galad receives an important collaborator.
Quantum Song by Lferion
Fingon attends a concert given by the Tirion Academic Symphony.
Flames by elennalore
From an account of an enslaved Elf in Angband.
A Bow of Burning Gold by Lferion
What bow, what arrows will serve against such a foe as Glaurung? A single drabble.
Cocktail Party, Reprise by Lferion
The competition cocktail party was a regular event, and Fingon gradually learned to appreciate, if not always enjoy it.
A triple drabble, with images and recipes for 9 cocktails.
Foreboding by chrissystriped
Círdan's ship arrives in Forochel to take Arvedui south.
The Nature of My Game by elennalore
Fëanáro needs Melkor's secret knowledge to create his Silmarils, but Fëanáro will also be an invaluable asset to Melkor in the Vala’s own game.
(Not So) Cheap Sunglasses by UnicornsInSpace
In a modern/all human AU, Celeborn meets Galadriel while going to eat with his family and is smitten.
What Old Tales Say by StarSpray
How oddly the old tales changed and twisted through the years!
Portrait of Eärwen, Swan Maiden of Alqualondë by between_thepages
A portrait of Eärwen, created for Middle-earth is Multitudes
The Watchfires Burned Low by cuarthol
There came a time of winter, when night was dark and without moon; and the wide plain of Ard-galen stretched dim beneath the cold stars, from the hill-forts of the Noldor to the feet of Thangorodrim. The watchfires burned low, and the guards were few;
The Silmarillion - JRR Tolkien
Devotion by Flora-lass
Beleg loves Turin. Despite everything, because of everything, forever.
Drunken Lullabies by Grundy
News of the Sudden Flame has reached Nargothrond.
Organum by mairoff
When Melkor approaches him it is not necessarily out of ill intents - he thinks. As Aulë’s second he enjoys a certain reputation - one that gives him the moniker Admirable.
No, Mairon does not start evil at all.
Though, perhaps it is in his nature to ever evolve, ever iterate, he is fond of empirical processes and his surroundings feel small and smothering sometimes. But Mairon laughs, Mairon cares, Mairon even loves.
And that is his own doom.
The Light of the Trees of Valinor by Varda delle Stelle
Through the Light of the glass shine the Light of Laurelin
Caused Fire to be Set by Narya
Maglor, on Losgar, and what might have been.
Children of Aulë by cuarthol, Zdenka
A moment between those known by others as Petty Dwarves. Their name for themselves is unknown.
