Character of the Month: Eönwë
This month's biography focuses on Eönwë, who started with a variety of identities but settled into the role of Manwë's herald, exemplifying the values of strong leadership and justice.
SWG News
Instadrabbling Sessions for October, November, and December
Instadrabbling continues on the first Saturday of each month on our Discord server.
New Challenge: Stars
Create a fanwork using star-themed prompts presented in a bingo board format.
Cultus Dispatches: Trends in Fandom Entry Year
The films inspired a lot of fanfiction, yes, but exactly how fanfiction authors interacted with them predicts who remains in the fandom for long durations.
New & Updated Fanworks
[Writing] In the Gardens of Lórien by gaydhros
“Can you wait that long?” Findekáno asks.
“Yes,” snaps Maitimo , though in truth he is not so sure. His bladder is ridiculously full, swollen and aching, jostling around uncomfortably with every step he takes. It takes a concerted effort of will not to squirm around awkwardly or grab…
[Writing] The Skin of Your Mother Before You by gaydhros
But Aredhel knew better than her mother; she was stronger, she was more willful, she was enlightened. She would not make the same mistakes Anairë had made. She would find a way to do it all differently.
***
Re-embodied in Aman, Aredhel struggles to come to terms with all that has…
[Reference] Eönwë by NelyafinweFeanorion
Across the history of the "Silmarillion," Eönwë's role settles on a character who leads without taking upon himself the power to mete out justice and who acts with equanimity across some of the most harrowing conflicts in the early legendarium.
[Writing] The Day Transcending Night by StarSpray
The Rings have been forged. The armies of Mordor are marching into Eriador. Eregion burns.
Far away from it all, by the shores of the Sea, Celegorm remembers his name.
[Writing] When the Leaves Fall Golden by Dagstjarna
Celebrimbor reflects on his life and his childhood in Tirion.
[Writing] The Spruce Tree by Dagstjarna
A young Celegorm and Curufin befriend an old Spruce tree.
[Writing] Bury Me to Release Your Splendor by annarobots
“Do you know what grows on the shores of the southern isles? A trading-merchant might bring many strange specimens to our lands, like nothing I have ever seen. In recent days, I have tasted a ripe fruit with firm flesh that parted beneath my tongue in a burst of liquid sweetness. So…
Current Challenge
Stars
Construct a fanwork using star-themed prompts in a bingo card format. Read more ...
Random Challenge
Roaring Twenties
Use bingo prompts from 1920s-themed cards to create a fanwork. Read more ...
New in References
Across the history of the "Silmarillion," Eönwë's role settles on a character who leads without taking upon himself the power to mete out justice and who acts with equanimity across some of the most harrowing conflicts in the early legendarium.
Speak Friend and Enter: Trends in Fandom Entry Year by Dawn Walls-Thumma
Across three surveys and ten years, the Tolkien Fanfiction Survey has document when authors began writing. These data reveal trends in how film promotions, the films themselves, the books, and other historical contexts have influenced not only who writes but how long they stay.
There are few details in the texts about Marach, but he is noteworthy for his allegiances and his descendants, who would become pivotal to the history of Middle-earth and the eventual defeat of Morgoth and Sauron.
Featured Themed Collection
Beyond the Silmarillion
[Writing] IN THE SHIRE-RECKONING by Diane Finnis-Robb
-This novel was completed for Hobbit Day 2026 and will be updated in serialized fashion here as I make final edits; so feedback is very much welcome.
-It is a multi-generational novel spanning the fgormation of the Shire to the Great Plague Year Thirty-six and focuses on the origins of an…
[Writing] For a Better World by Ellynn
Thirteen years before the War of the Ring, an orcling — more intelligent and more curious than most — is born in Mordor. His curiosity will lead him to both incredible discoveries and perilous situations, all of which will shape him into a leader unlike any Mordor has ever known. But to become…
[Writing] Under Agate Skies by Isilme_among_the_stars
Erestor finds himself thrust into adventure when Elrond requests his company escorting Arwen to Minas Tirith after the War of the Ring is won. All too aware of the chronic illness that has bound his friend to Rivendell for the past several centuries, Glorfindel has some concerns. Erestor, aware…
Around the World and Web
Oritober 2026
A gen and safe for work event celebrating Middle Earth's favorite dwarf scribe!
Erestober 2026
An event running throughout October, to show appreciation for Erestor!
Silm Smut Week 2026
Silm Smut Week is a Tumblr event celebrating sexually explicit fanworks.
Fanworks Tagged with Fandom History
Who Are We? Tolkien Fanfiction and Demographics by Dawn Felagund
When you picture a Tolkien fanfiction writer, who comes to mind? The Tolkien Fanfiction Surveys of 2015 and 2020 provide insight on who is present in the fandom and which fans are missing.
Fandom Voices: Filmverse Fans by Dawn Felagund
Fans who joined the Tolkien fandom because of the films report that the films inspired them to read the books, encouraged them to join fandom communities, and often resulted in forming lifelong friendships.
A Tribute to the Library of Moria by Dawn Felagund
As the Library of Moria prepares to close its doors, we look back at twenty years of the archive's history and consider the ways that the Library contributed to making slash and femslash a part of mainstream Tolkien fanworks fandom.
Fandom Voices: Impact of the Films by Dawn Felagund
The Tolkien fandom existed long before Jackson's film trilogies were even thought about. Fans who were active in fandom before one or both film trilogies recall how the films changed (or didn't change) their fan communities and experiences.
Becoming Bookverse: Jackson's Films as an Initiation Point for Tolkien's Book Fandom by Dawn Felagund
As the debut of Amazon's Rings of Power series approaches, fans wonder how their Tolkien fandom communities will be changed by the new show. Using Tolkien Fanfiction Survey data, this article makes the case that, while Tolkien-based media franchises bring new fans to the fanfiction fandom, the stories those fans write become almost wholly book-based.
A Sudden Outcry: The Tolkien Estate and Fanworks by SWG Newsletter Staff
In March 2022, the Tolkien Estate opened a newly designed website, including an FAQ that left fans asking: Did the Tolkien Estate just ban fanworks? We use the Estate's history, along with copyright law, to make the case that fans have nothing to fear.
