New Challenge: Title Track
Tolkien's titles range from epic to lyrical to metaphorical. This month's challenge selected 125 of them as prompts for fanworks.
SWG News
Our Annual Amnesty Challenge: New Year's Resolution
Start 2026 off with creativity! If you missed a challenge or didn't get to finish or post a challenge fanwork, complete any 2025 challenge before 15 February to receive the stamp.
"The Fëanorian Zine" Available to Read and Download
We are pleased to be able to offer "The Fëanorian Zine" to read and download on the SWG for free.
Call for Artists for the 2026 Challenge Stamps
We are soliciting help from artists who want to help create the stamps we award to challenge participants.
New & Updated Fanworks
[Writing] In Early Spring by Serinquanion
In what Maedhros was re-embodied early and was sent back to Middle Earth on his volition with Glorfindel.
This isn't about what happened right then but years after Fall of Sauron when he still refused to return to Valinor.
He found a strange sapling at the shore of what remains of…
[Writing] Umnenyalië by Serinquanion
He was going to die. The molten rocks would burn him just like the cursed gem in his palm did. Maybe less painfully but still being burnt hurt and Maedhros knew it. He intimately knew it from his time in Angband where Þauron burnt him often in frustration and to toy with him and his master…
[Writing] Winter Warmth by Serinquanion
A winter night in Himring. But inside the quarters where fire blazed in hearth was warmer, and not only from the fire or quilt.
[Writing] A Hundred Miles Through the Desert by StarSpray
“Come on.” Maedhros grabbed his hand and pulled him along down the path, both of them quickening their pace now, until the trees opened up into a wide meadow filled with flowers, bright yellow celandine and dandelions and sweet-scented pale chamomile mingling with cornflowers and irises. On…
[Writing] Who Will Hear Me? by XirinOfArvada
A lonely elf finds a flute half buried beneath the sand and wonders if its owner will hear him when he calls.
[Writing] Loyal, Faithful by Himring
Late in the Second Age, one of the Faithful reflects critically on past developments. (Free verse.)
[Writing] East Away! by Flora-lass
Aldarion storms off towards Middle-earth. For the Title Track challenge.
Current Challenge
Title Track
Create a fanwork using our collection of 125 titles from Tolkien's books, chapters, essays, poems, and fragments as inspiration. Read more ...
Random Challenge
Arda Underground
Take the dark back streets of one of Arda's cities, explore an unsigned tavern or hovel, and meet the people too insignificant or unsavory to make it into the history books. Read more ...
New in References
Tolkien, Lunatic Physicists, and Abnegation by Cynthia (Cindy) Gates
This presentation for Mereth Aderthad 2025 discusses the parallels between the concept of abnegation in the scientific work surrounding the atomic bomb and in The Silmarillion. The relinquishment of self-interest in favor of the interests of others, abnegation was identified by Tolkien as a powerful act of spirit and reason. The legendarium has many examples of the complexities of abnegation, which parallel similar discussions held by physicists during and after World War II.
Twilight, Child Of: Comparisons Between Tinúviel, Lómion, and Undómiel by JazTheBard
This presentation for Mereth Aderthad 2025 discusses the many similarities between Tolkien's three "twilight children," Tinúviel, Lómion, and Undómiel (Luthien, Maeglin, and Arwen) in terms of appearance, plot, and cultural background. Yet these three characters play very different roles in the text.
The Aromantic in Tolkien by daughterofshadows
Presented at Mereth Aderthad 2025, this paper makes the case thata, although the term "aromantic" had not yet been coined in Tolkien's day, many of his characters can be read as aromantic. The paper takes a closer look at Aredhel, Bilbo, and Boromir as three examples of characters who can be read as aromantic.
Featured Themed Collection
Beyond the Silmarillion
[Writing] here you will dwell, bound to your grief by Elrond's Library
Arwen grieves, and loves.
[Writing] Faramir's Verse by losselen
“Come, Faramir. Let us not stand in ceremony. I think words are due between you and I, and not only those between a King and his Steward.”
Faramir has speech with Gandalf and his King.
[Writing] In a Hole in the Ground... by StarSpray
“There’s a goblin hiding in the taters, Dad!” Pippin hefted the pan, which was much too big for him to carry, let alone wield.
Around the World and Web
March Challenge - Tolkien Short Fanworks
Tolkien Short Fanworks is running a challenge for the month of March to create a Back to Middle-earth Month themed challenge.
Tolkien Fashion Week 2026
This two-week-long Tumblr event is dedicated to honoring the world of fashion and textiles Tolkien wrote about in his books.
Celegorm and Curufin Week 2026
Celegorm and Curufin Week is a Tumblr week celebrating the relationship between Celegorm and Curufin Feanorion
Back to Middle-earth Month 2026
Back to Middle-earth Month is returning for it's 20th year with many prompts and archival efforts.
New Year's Resolution
A new year often brings resolutions to achieve big changes. Our Resolutions challenge is much more moderate: reach for a creative achievement, no matter how small. Maybe it is a single drabble, a sketch, or a new chapter—the point is to begin a new year with an act of creativity and imagination!
Our annual amnesty allows you to pick from any of the previous year’s challenges. 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!), choose from any of our 2025 challenges and start something new. (For a summary of the 2025 challenges and direct links, see the Challenge Prompts section below!)
You will receive a stamp on your 2025 collection for any challenges that you complete now, as well as a stamp for the New Year's Resolution challenge on your 2026 collection. When you post to the SWG archive, please make sure you select the 2025 challenge you're completing and the New Year's Resolution challenge.
To help the mods correctly process stamps for this challenge, contact us if you complete the following, which receive special stamps:
- feature a character of color in a Dark Matter fanwork
- feature a female character in a Musicals fanwork
- the Difficult-level challenge for Period Drama
- feature an LGBTQIA+ character in a Gates of Summer fanwork
- feature a character with a disability in a Swinging 40s fanwork
- row, column, diagonal, or card blackout for Kids These Days
This month's banner and stamps use images from the 18th-century “Chinese Arabesques” by Jean-Baptiste Pillement and Anne Allen, which plays with the theme of striving to reach the fantastical.
This challenge opened in .
Prompts
Choose your prompt from the collection below.
- View Prompts
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February | Dark Matter
Create a fanwork using anti-prompts: prompts that don't appear in your fanwork.March | Birthday Bash
Daily word, image, and poetry prompts are loosely structured around events and milestones leading up to our 20th birthday.April | Musicals
Craft a fanwork inspired by songs from musicals.May | Period Drama
A Matryoshka challenge where prompts are inspired by common tropes found in period dramas and historical fiction.June | Gates of Summer
Create a fanwork based on prompts about summer taken from Tolkien's life, canon events, and quotes from his letters and stories.July | Swinging 40s
Choose a prompt from a list of music, films, novels, inventions, and more from the 1940s.August | Kids These Days
Create a fanwork using a bingo card of prompts based on common gripes about kids and teens.September | Jumble Sale
Member-created prompts upcycle old challenges and prompts with additional new twists.October | The Only Thing to Fear
Create a fanwork about fear that involves a prompt you select from our list of common fears.November/December | Great Beleriand Bake-Off
Ready? Set? Bake! Our two-month daily prompt calendar includes sweet- and savory-themed prompts as well as weekly comment challenges.
Fanworks Tagged with New Year's Resolution
Finrod's Friend by Artano
Drawing of Finrod discovering a new friend while exploring Beleriand.
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.
