December 2014 Newsletter Posted

[dawn_felagund]

Hi, all,

The December 2014 newsletter has been posted over on our website:

http://www.silmarillionwritersguild.org/news/december2014.php

We have lots of goodies in this month's edition, so please check it out!

This month's biography, written by Tarion, features Orodreth. Orodreth gets something of a bad rap among the Finwions for being cowardly and weak. Tarion's essay looks at the tangle of sources surrounding his character and analyzes what they say and why they might depict him in a particular way. Her essay is an excellent primer for a character with a complex textual history and challenges assumptions about this often-ignored and much-maligned character. It is a fascinating essay, and I hope you will give it a read.

In site news: Over the past year, Lyra and Indy have taken on the heroic task of modding the Silmarillion (re)reading over on our LiveJournal community. This month, they wrap up the project with "Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age" (December 14) and a wrap-up post (December 28). There has been much excellent discussion and fic/art recs for each chapter, and the discussions will remain open forever, so if you want to jump in late on one of the past chapters, please do so! I would like to thank Indy and Lyra both for their efforts in planning and running this year-long project and for sharing their insights, expertise, and research skills over the past year.

As reported earlier in the month, in the process of fixing a bug on the archive, a second bug was introduced. Well, both have been officially squashed as of this morning with much gratitude to Rhapsody and Russandol for plugging away at both problems for most of the last month. Also, with HASA closing this month, the HASA Rescue Project is still seeking volunteers to help with contacting authors and archiving stories. Please drop me an email if you're interested in helping out.

The holidays always brings lots of challenges, ficswaps, and other fun, so if you want to create something special this month, please check out Around the World and Web for holiday events that are still accepting sign-ups. We also have a collection of new articles, if you're looking for something to read. If fiction and poetry is more your speed, check out the archive updates for the last month. Finally, we have our own site challenges: "Traditions," which looks at the oral traditions of Middle-earth, and our annual "Gift of a Story" challenge, in which we invite authors to honor and thank those who make the fandom a better place by writing and sharing a story, poem, or drabble in their honor.

Thanks go this month to our intrepid newsletter contributors: Tarion, Rhapsody, Russandol, and Angelica.

Best wishes to all for a wonderful holiday season and a happy New Year! :)

Dawn

Comments

[hhimring]

Many thanks to Russandol and Rhapsody for managing to fix the bugs!

For the Silm re-read--is it being considered whether to archive the original discussion posts for the chapters and the graphics post on the SWG Archive at some point, perhaps, in the category "Special Projects", maybe? There was so much work involved in them for Lyra and Indy and the banner makers--it would be good to have all that together in one place, in a fashion that's easily navigable.
I realize it can't replace the series on LJ, since the comments can't be saved in similar fashion, but it would in fact be good to have the core material available in both formats.

[independence1776]

We haven't discussed that yet! I planned on bringing it up with Lyra (and then the mods) once we finish the project, or nearly so. Though I was thinking the Reference section; it would be the first place I'd look for that sort of background information.

[dawn_felagund]

We'd definitely be open to this! As soon as the re-read is finished and the holidays settle down, we can talk about how you and Lyra think it would be best to archive and present your material.

[independence1776]

I'm glad to hear that! After everything's over would definitely be best; this month is Busy.

[dawn_felagund]

Ditto ... O.O

[dawn_felagund]

This would definitely be doable. I see Indy had planned to discuss it with Lyra and with us mod-people, and we'll definitely be receptive when the time comes! This was a great resource and I want it to be as widely available as possible.

[hhimring]

Thank you very much!
I just wanted to raise it, but I know everyone's very busy right now. When the time comes, I could do a proof-read, if wanted and time allows. (There was a typo or two in months when the posters were clearly pressed for time.)