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Our temporarily titled "location bio" will focus on the landscapes and locations of Middle-earth. We need your help naming it!
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
Let the Games Begin!
Create a fanwork centered around games and contests. 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.
Soundtrack
What would a movie be without its soundtrack? Music can make or break a scene, intensify the emotions we feel and give us a sense of the danger, confusion, triumph or grief the character experiences. Many of us love to listen to the soundtrack of a beloved film on its own to recall our favourite scenes before our mind’s eye, use the mood of a song to inspire us in our writing, or just enjoy the music.
While usually the scenes are filmed first and the soundtrack is composed later, this month we want to challenge you to create (or continue) a story after listening to one of our musical prompts. The prompts will be pieces of classical and instrumental music. Comment on our Dreamwidth post or email us at moderator@silmarillionwritersguild.org to request a prompt.
This challenge opened in .
Prompts
Choose your prompt from the collection below.
- View Prompts
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- "Peer Gynt Suite No. 1, Op. 46: II. The Death of Aase" by Edvard Grieg, performed by the National Philharmonic Orchestra: Spotify | YouTube
- "Ave Maria" by Libera: Spotify | YouTube
- "Snowden's Jig (Genuine Negro Jig)" by the Carolina Chocolate Drops: Spotify | YouTube
- "Sunu" by Rising Appalachia and the Human Experience: Spotify | YouTube
- "The Stone Table" by Harry Gregson-Williams (from The Chronicles of Narnia): Spotify | YouTube
- "Exit Music (For a Film)" by Ramin Djawadi (from Westworld): Spotify | YouTube
- "Vitava (Moldau)" by Bedřich Smetana, performed by Xavier de Maistre: Spotify | YouTube
- "Anthem, Part 2" by Burkhard Dallwitz (from The Truman Show): Spotify | YouTube
- "A Window to the Past" by John Williams (from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban): Spotify | YouTube
- "The Tudors Main Title Theme" by Trevor Morris (from The Tudors): Spotify | YouTube
- "The Star Shines" by Ilan Eshkeri (from Stardust): Spotify | YouTube
- "Protectors of the Earth" by Two Steps from Hell: Spotify | YouTube
- "Divenire" by Mari and Hakon Samuelsen, performed by the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra: Spotify | YouTube
- "Den Allvarsamma Leken" by Matti Bye: Spotify | YouTube
- "All Night Vigil, Op. 37: No. 5, 'O Lord, You Now Let Your Servant Depart in Peace'" by Sergei Rachmaninoff, performed by the USSR Ministry of Culture Chamber Choir: Spotify | YouTube
- "To Love You More" by Lucia Micarelli: Spotify | YouTube
- "Musica . . . Fantasia" by Rondò Veneziano: Spotify | YouTube
Fanworks Tagged with Soundtrack
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.
Drabble Poems by Lferion
Poems that are drabbles, drabbles that are poems.
A New Day in Valinor by Lferion
Non-angsty ficlets set in Valinor (and one or two in Middle Earth), many featuring Feanor.
Eärendil on Taniquetil by Lferion
Eärendil, waiting for the answer of the Valar to his plea. A triple drabble.
Tales for the New Year by Kaylee Arafinwiel
In the beginning, the Elves awakened...what else happened at Cuivienen, and where might things go from there?
The Unfinished Mission by Lindariel
Wherein another of Glorfindel's special talents is revealed.
The Glitter of Snow, The Sparkle of Mist by Lferion
Luckier. By whose definition, luckier?
Halls of Waiting by StarSpray
Dior comes to Mandos, and must decide how he will leave it.
Gleaming Spires by Himring
Aredhel arrives in Gondolin.
all you have to do, is listen by HannaGoldworthy
Once, he had been more than a gracious listener in the Music.
That time was gone.
