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] 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.
[Writing] Don't You Ever Look Away by Elrond's Library
“They can’t just assume we’ll let them leave us behind.”
“But they are, and they will. Our fathers are the Heads of their Houses. Fëanáro is king. Defiance would be treason, beloved.”
“I am his firstborn.”
“You are his only daughter.”
“I have…
[Writing] Break Me by Elrond's Library
“You’re not going to break me,” Russo huffed, finally cracking open his eyes, which were bright with amusement. “They could not, what makes you think you could?”
For Scribbles and Drabbles 2025 SFW Slide 33
[Writing] Three Black Islands by Idrils Scribe
When Celebrimbor's attempts at forging the Rings of Power fail yet again, Annatar knows where to find the missing know-how.
For all the wrong reasons, Celebrimbor agrees to an expedition to the ruins of Angband to search Morgoth's own laboratory, deep in the icy Northern Wastes.
What…
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
Laws and Customs
Place the a law, custom, or tradition of Middle-earth as the focus of a fanwork. 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.
Tolkien Femslash Week Bingo
In a joint effort to celebrate the erstwhile International Day of Femslash in mid-July, The Silmarillion Writers’ Guild and Silmladylove have joined together to play a week-long bingo game involving the women of the entire Legendarium in love and lust.
Tolkien Femslash Bingo ran from July 15 - July 24 as a joint event between The Silmarillion Writers' Guild and Silmladylove on tumblr. We are leaving the bingo cards on the site for historical purposes and to hopefully inspire future creators. As this was a femslash event, all responses must be femslash, that is, contain (a) romantic and/or sexual relationship(s) between female Tolkien characters or original female characters as a central element. The focus is meant to be on the women of Middle-earth, so fanworks focusing on "rule 63'd"/"genderbent"/"genderswapped" male characters or pairings will not be counted as responses (characters of indeterminate gender such as Elemmírë or Malbeth are permitted as long as they are written as female). While some challenges demand a particular format, otherwise, what constitutes an appropriate response is up to you.
Cards are available below; text-only prompts can be found on our prompt spreadsheet
This challenge opened in .
Prompts
Choose your prompt from the collection below.
- View Prompts
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- Art
- Book Titles
- Cliches, Fluff, and TLC
- Crack Pairings
- Dwarf Women
- Emotions
- Formats and Genres
- Formats
- Four Words
- Graphics
- Language of Flowers
- Lyrics and Poetry
- NSFW and Kink
- Opposites Attract
- Pairings
- Rare Characters
- Rec and Review
- Romance Tropes
- Silmarillion Locations
- Story Elements
- Textual Ghosts
- Third Age Locations
- Tolkien Quotes
- Women of Númenor
Fanworks Tagged with Tolkien Femslash Week Bingo
Drabbles: The Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales by Zdenka
Drabbles set during the First and Second Ages of Middle-earth. (Exactly 100 words as counted by MS Word.) Please see table of contents for individual summaries and warnings.
Numenor That Was by Himring
An anthology for stories set in Numenor or involving Numenoreans.
Latest added: Became Estranged from the Eldar (drabble set in the time when the Shadow fell on Numenor)
Many Journeys by Elleth
A gathering place for ficlets of varying length written in response to prompts, prods and as gift ficlets.
New (added February 15/16, 2025): Instadrabbling fics from various SWG server sessions in early 2025 (marked in the respective chapter notes) as well as a few spontaneous drabbles.
