Silmarillion (Re-)Read - Heads-up!

[oloriel.livejournal.com]

The Silmarillion (Re-)Reading Project 2014

In an attempt to revive this community and celebrate the book that brought us together, we – that's indy1776 (Indy) and oloriel (Lyra) – have come up with the idea of a community (re-)read of The Silmarillion. Fortunately, the community mods thought that it's a great idea, so here we go!


Where is it going to happen?

Right here, on the SWG LJ board! Thanks to the mods' approval, we can use what we think is a useful platform for our purpose. LJ allows anonymous comments, so even those who don't want to get their own LJ account can participate. It's reasonably easy to keep track of discussions and individual posts here, so as long as the LJ servers play along, this seems to be the best choice.



How is it supposed to work?

indy1776 has made a cunning plan, starting with the official introduction post on Tolkien's birthday (January 3) in 2014 and wrapping up on December 28, 2014. With a few exceptions (very short chapters), a new chapter will be "due" every two weeks. "Due" means that one of us is going to post an introductory post, featuring a short summary of the chapter, questions that may have popped up during reading, notes concerning alternative versions of events in this chapter (after all, Tolkien regularly changed his mind about stuff), quotes that resonate with us, potential topics for discussion... and whatever else comes to mind.
We are also going to put up a post for "creative" responses. That's where you all come in!



How can I contribute?

In many ways! There are three basic components to this project: Reading, Discussion and Creativity. Reading, I hope, is self-explanatory: You (re-)read a chapter, just like the rest of us.

After the dedicated posts have gone up, you can jump in on the discussion of individual chapters in the comments to that post. Maybe you want to talk about the way in which you've understood a certain plot point, tell us what part of a chapter particularly moved you, or answer questions other people may have asked.

On the "Creativity" post, you can comment with links to fanfic, poetry or fanart that have been inspired by the events of that chapter – your own or somebody else's. Maybe you want to create a playlist for a certain chapter, make a model of the Two Trees out of plywood or design Indis' wedding gown. Whatever your creative outlet, run wild and share it with the community!

We'll also need banner and icon makers – experience has shown that everybody loves to get some goodies for taking part in a project, so if you want to put your banner or icon making talents at our disposal, we'll love you forever!



Sounds like fun – where do I sign up?

You don't have to – just participate whenever you feel like it! There are no deadlines, and you don't have to respond to every single chapter. Real life has a way of getting in the way, especially with such a long-term project. We want to keep it as open, as easy and as fun for as many people as possible, so unless you volunteer for a specific task, you don't have any fixed duties.
You can also respond to chapters weeks (even months) after they were "due" – although you may find less discussion going on in those posts by then!

The guidelines and master schedule are going to be posted on January 3, 2014. Afterwards, feel free to join in when and how it suits you!



I have more questions!

Please ask! Your questions and thoughts will help us to put together the guidelines and possibly FAQs for this project. You can reach us either in the comments to this post, via LJ PM, or via e-mail (lyraforeniel at hotmail dot com for Lyra and mxuniversity1 at gmail dot com for Indy).


We hope you like the idea as much as we do!
Cheers,
Indy & Lyra

Comments

[just-ann-now.livejournal.com]

What a great idea! I've struggled so with The Silmarillion; it will be wonderful to read it in the company of those who know and love it (and can help me out).

[oloriel.livejournal.com]

Heh! I hope we'll be able to help and not just confuse you further. ;)

[moetushie]

Oh yay, that sounds fun! And something to do when Yuletide is finished and done with.

[sildil]

What a clever idea!

[hhimring]

Sounds good! The book is always good for surprises. You think you know what it says--and then suddenly you stumble across something you'd missed.
Not to mention all those other possibilities!

[dawn_felagund]

I know I've told you both privately how much I love this idea but I wanted to say here too how much I am looking forward to this! It will be great to revisit the book again and hear everyone's ideas about the chapters as we read. :)

[lindahoyland.livejournal.com]

Sounds a great idea. I've only read "The Simarillion" once, so maybe I'll give it another try.

[dreamflower]

What a terrific idea! I haven't re-read it in *ages*! And I've only read it a couple of times anyhow!

ETA: You might find this similar project of some interest:

http://users.silenceisdefeat.net/~aft-rabt/CotW_1.html

This was on the old rec.arts.books.tolkien/alt.fan.tolkien newsgroups; they did TH, LotR and the Silm. I didn't participate in the Silm discussion as about that time I discovered fanfic, and had less time for usenet. But I know the discussions were lively and interesting!

[oloriel.livejournal.com]

Thank you for the link! I'm sure we'll find some useful stuff in there, so I'm sure it's going to help us put together the discussion posts for each chapter.

[pandemonium-213.livejournal.com]

Excellent! Sounds like a really cool approach.

[periantari.livejournal.com]

I love this idea!! I will participate!!
Question- do we need to lead particular chapter and have qs for everyone?

[independence1776]

At least for the first few chapters, Lyra and I will handle posting and leading the discussion and creativity posts. So right now, you don't need to do anything. :)

[zdenka]

I like this idea! And my dubious icon-making skills are at your service, if desired. :)

[oloriel.livejournal.com]

Very much desired! I expect that the rules will be the same as for other SWG projects: Only images that you either hold the right to or have permission to use - or movie stills. (I've asked Dawn whether this is correct and will let you know what she says, unless she replies in person first! ;)) Other than that, run wild! So far, we don't have any icons or banners, so you can pretty much do whatever you want - icons for participants, or individual chapters, or whatnot. Thank you!

[binkaslibrary.livejournal.com]

Perhaps this could help me find my way back to Beleriand. :) Great idea!

[oloriel.livejournal.com]

That's what I'm hoping for, too - that I'll be able to brush up my knowledge of post-Dagor Aglareb history, so I won't continually have to look stuff up for fanfic I mean to write (and then don't because ugh, research). Glad you like the idea, too! :)

[mosinging1986.livejournal.com]

A friend just made me aware of this community. I would love to do this project! I've read it I think twice or three times already, but it would be wonderful enjoy it in a group!

[oloriel.livejournal.com]

Awesome! I do hope it'll be a fun experience for all of us. :)

[scarlet1061.livejournal.com]

This is an excellent idea.
I love the Silmarillion, and as someone mentioned, there are always new angles to think about.

[angelica-ramses.livejournal.com]

Great idea! You know you can count me in. And as Himring says, surprises are always lurking behind the most inocuous passages! It's a great opportunity to (re)discover them.

[zedille.livejournal.com]

Emerging from lurkerdom to say that this sounds like an excellent idea for the New Year!

[tehta.livejournal.com]

That sounds great! Potentially very creativity-inspiring, among other things.

[kupocchan.livejournal.com]

I'm going to participate, it will be wonderful to reread this beautiful book once more.

[mikononyte.livejournal.com]

Ilike this idea. I had thought tore-read Silm in 2014 sot his fits the bill nicely!

[oloriel.livejournal.com]

Hah! Perfect timing! :)

[mrowe.livejournal.com]

Sounds like fun - I'll try to take part (RL and my intention to also re-read HoME next year aside)

[ladybrooke]

I think I'll try to join in as well! The bit about creativity sounds very fun, maybe this will be what I need to stop writing the same characters over and over again, branch out a little bit. :D

[rawr-balrog.livejournal.com]

This is really beautifully timed, as I have been itching to become more active in this fandom again (as if I were ever anything but a lurker). I will definitely try to particpate!

On a related note, after years of hopping around alternate fandoms before coming home to Tolkien, where is everybody? Is everyone still primarily LJ based, or what are the major archives people use now?

[independence1776]

Glad to hear it!

Welcome back! Most poeple I know are still on LJ, so as for archives… SWG, of course, and there's Many Paths to Tread. Beyond that, while I have a list of archives, I'm not actually sure which are heavily used given I'm Silm-centric.

[rawr-balrog.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much! I haven't used LJ in forever, so I will have to return. I will definitely check your list out. In the past I kind of floated throughout the Tolkien fandom. I lurked under the name "tineryn." I have missed the Tolkien fandom atmosphere a lot.

ETA: why is your comment spam!?

[independence1776]

You're welcome! (And having been in other fandoms in recent years, I definitely agree Tolkien fandom has its own atmosphere.)

Probably because of the link to either MPTT or my Tumblr. LJ's over-vigilant; one of the mods will unspam it eventually.

[rathanylakan.livejournal.com]

Yay! I am looking forward to this :)

[ysilme]

I can't believe that I didn't even manage to rise my hand yet, let alone read through the answers and comments... but I very much want to join in as well, and hope I will be able to keep up. (Considering my current backlog everywhere this is a bit doubtful, though... ahem.) I started reading the Silmarillion entirely for the first time exactly a year ago, and had planned a re-read anyway. I'll try to do it in English this time, and am very much looking forward to follow the community with this project! Yay to you for thinking this up and making it possible!

Edit: I can offer some (not very elaborate, just text on photographs) icon and banner making services as well. I'm only using photographs by me and have done a series for the last year's Tree & Flower Challenge of the MPTT archive. Indy knows already about my style.

The Silmarillion (Re)Reading Project 2014 at the SWG

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User the_winterwitch referenced to your post from The Silmarillion (Re)Reading Project 2014 at the SWG (http://the-winterwitch.livejournal.com/215427.html) saying: [...] the Silmarillion, or are thinking about re-reading it, this is the perfect opportunitiy! See here [...]

Volume 113/Issue 1

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User caras_galadhon referenced to your post from Volume 113/Issue 1 (http://middleearthnews.livejournal.com/412495.html) saying: [...] next year! CHALLENGES/WORKSHOPS/AWARDS: • From : ~The Silmarillion (Re-)Reading Project 2014 [...]

Volume 113/Issue 1

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User caras_galadhon referenced to your post from Volume 113/Issue 1 (http://middleearthnews.livejournal.com/412495.html) saying: [...] are three basic components to this project: Reading, Discussion and Creativity. [How to Take Part [...]