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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
Middle-earth Museum
Stroll the halls of an imaginary Middle-earth Museum and choose one (or more!) objects from our prompt list to inspire the creation of a fanwork. 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.
Postcards from Middle-earth
This month's challenge prompt will be a postcard from an unnamed character. The postcard will include an image and a short message; you may use the image, message, or both as your prompt.
You can choose to receive your postcard two ways:
- If you'd like to receive your postcard in the mail, email us at moderator@silmarillionwritersguild.org with a name and address where we can send your card. Requests for mailed cards must be received by 20 November 2020. All participants will also receive their postcard prompt digitally so you can start your fanwork right away. Once your card is sent, we will delete your address from our inbox.
- If you'd like to receive your prompt digitally, comment on our Dreamwidth, comment on our LiveJournal, send an ask to our Tumblr, or email us. Please provide an email address where we can send your prompt. (Comments on DW and LJ are screened.)
If requesting a postcard by mail, note that cards will be sent out from the United States on November 21 and may take some time to arrive, depending on where in the world you live (and the usual vagaries of the U.S. and your own country's post offices). We are happy to send postcards internationally, however!
This challenge opened in .
Prompts
Choose your prompt from the collection below.
- View Prompts
-
You may request a postcard sent digitally or choose one of the unclaimed prompts from the collection below. Click the image to view it full-size.
Image on Card Message 
I expected at any moment they might take wing. Imagine my surprise when they did not! 
A better view upon the world I could not ask for, yet to step forth into that world? I am yet unsure. I am
[message cuts off]
I awoke that night to a strange feeling and what I beheld from my window defies description.
Fanworks Tagged with Postcards from Middle-earth
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.
Winds of Change by Lferion
Anairë, Nerdanel, and Faniel are visited by Ëonwë's sisters, the Winds of Sunset, Midnight, and Dawn.
Four drabbles.
Eärendil on Taniquetil by Lferion
Eärendil, waiting for the answer of the Valar to his plea. A triple drabble.
The Color of Hope by Grundy
Things are grim on the Helcaraxë. Fingon and Aredhel get an unexpected surprise.
Aurora: Seeking the Northern Sky by Lferion
Fingon, returned, has more questions than answers, and travels north to find what answers he can for himself.
A drabble sequence
Pearls in the Shell by Raiyana
Returning to a once-loved place after losing the one who made it special is difficult... and yet, sometimes, it might be rewarding in a new way.
A Mist upon Hithlum by Lindariel
Findekáno writes his father a military dispatch and mentions the weather.
Clear Visions by Himring
Aegnor sings to Andreth of Valinor.
Lingering by jamcake_muses
The Ainur are moving West, Ulmo cannot seem to bring himself to leave.
Memories anew by firstamazon
After the third kinslaying, Maglor realizes he has new priorities.
Seeking the West by Kaylee Arafinwiel
The High Kings of the West ascend the Tower of Elostirion after its final Stone is laid...the Palantir.
Not by the Hand of Man by eris_of_imladris
Glorfindel ponders the past as he meets the one who fulfilled his ancient prophecy. Written for Tolkien Secret Santa 2020 and the Postcards from Middle-earth challenge!
Into the Mountains by StarSpray
Ohtar and his companion make their way into the Misty Mountains.
Pages from the Archives of Cîr Imladris by Lferion
Elrond took his library with him to Valinor. In that archive are many things, and the librarians and archivists of Cîr Imladris (New Rivendell) are kept delightfully busy.
The City Over the Mountains by Narya
A midwinter dalliance grows into something neither Elemmakil nor Voronwë expect. Duty, family and the ghosts of their past lie between them, and beyond the Hidden City, the shadows lengthen and grow deep...
