SWG Newsletter--October 2006
Oct. 1st, 2006 06:49 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dawn_felagund posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
silwritersguildOctober's Challenges
The Nature of Fear
The month of October, for many, is a time for celebrating that which is supernatural, misunderstood, or fearful. In Tolkien's universe, people and places are often scary. From Ered Gorgoroth to characters like Sauron and Gothmog, there is plenty that is dark and spooky in Tolkien's world!
This month's challenge asks you to write a story that explores fear in some way. Whether you try to scare your readers with a horror story or show how a character perceives and reacts to fear, your goal is to gain a greater understanding of this powerful emotion through your writing.
Here are some examples of stories that might fit this challenge:
New Beginnings
Most of our members are welcoming the autumn season and preparing for the cold months ahead, and it is easy to forget that for a good part of the world--and several of our members--the spring is warming toward summer.
Whether you are feeling chilly at the thought of winter ahead or eagerly welcoming spring, this challenge asks you to write a story or poem celebrating new beginnings. Birth, marriage, first love, a journey to a new home, or the rebirth of hope following success in battle--all of these and more will satisfy this challenge!
The Quote of the Month Challenge
The Quote of the Month challenge asks you to write based on the themes and thoughts the quote inspires or about the event in which the quote occurred. You may write in any format--poem, story, essay, or drabble--with any characters, genre, or rating.
Character of the Month: Daeron
A bard and loremaster of Doriath, Daeron is a fascinating character to explore in fiction. Whether pining for the unrequited love of Lúthien Tinúviel or constructing the Cirth alphabet, Daeron is a complex and interesting character and a favorite in fan fiction.
Similarly, Daeron's uncertain fate makes him a common subject of stories set in the future or speculating about his fate. How far into the future did he live? What historical events did he witness? Who did he meet that was important in the history of Middle-earth or our modern world today?
A scholar, a traitor, and a musician of exceptional talents, Daeron's complexity as a character and contributions to the history of Arda are honored in this month's Character of the Month.
Other Ongoing Challenges
At SWG, challenges never die. You are welcome to write for a challenge at any time. All of our past challenges have been tagged and may be found here or on our website.
A Call for New Challenges!
At SWG, the challenges are for members to create! If you have an idea for a challenge, would like to suggest a quote for the monthly quote challenge, or would like to see your favorite character honored as our character of the month, please do not hesitate to suggest it on-list or email Jenni (![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
digdigil), our challenge coordinator, at elennf569@rogers.com.
As always, all Silmarillion writing, including challenge responses, is welcome in our LJ community.
Welcomes and Birthdays
Welcome to Lady Elleth, Phyncke, fauna_lind, Niki the Wanderer, and neldhw, our newest member to join our Yahoo! group in September! Welcome also to all who have joined or are watching our LiveJournal community.
fanged_geranium's birthday is 19 October. Her favorite characters are any of the Finwians, Celeborn, Turin, and Brandir, and her favorite chapters are Of the Flight of the Noldor, Of the Return of the Noldor, Of Maeglin, Of the Fifth Battle: Nirnaeth Arnoediad, Of Turin Turambar, and Akallabeth. Happy birthday, Fanged Geranium!
Do you want to get stories for your birthday and other special occasions? Sign up on our "Give Someone a Silmaril" database, located on our Yahoo! Groups homepage or post your request to the list or the LiveJournal.
News and Announcements
Web Space Purchased!
I am prepared to set up our domain silwritersguild.org and purchase webspace for our archive and resources! As usual, if you would like to be involved with our website, please join our Yahoo! group or email me at DawnFelagund@comcast.net
Not a member? Do you want to be?
The SWG consists of two components: a Yahoo! email group, for discussions, story promotions, and planning, and a LiveJournal community for sharing our Silmarillion writing. Members are welcome to belong to both or just one, depending on what best suits their needs.
Read more about the Silmarillion Writers' Guild at our LiveJournal Community Information page.
To join our Yahoo! group:
At any time, I encourage people--both members and non-members--to contact me with inquiries. I may be reached at DawnFelagund@comcast.net or through either the Yahoo! or LiveJournal groups.
The Nature of Fear
The month of October, for many, is a time for celebrating that which is supernatural, misunderstood, or fearful. In Tolkien's universe, people and places are often scary. From Ered Gorgoroth to characters like Sauron and Gothmog, there is plenty that is dark and spooky in Tolkien's world!
This month's challenge asks you to write a story that explores fear in some way. Whether you try to scare your readers with a horror story or show how a character perceives and reacts to fear, your goal is to gain a greater understanding of this powerful emotion through your writing.
Here are some examples of stories that might fit this challenge:
- A character is forced to journey to or through one of the darker regions of Arda: Angband, Avathar, or the Temple of Armenelos. What challenges does she or he face, both physical and psychological? How might such a journey change the character?
- Explore some of the supernatural elements of The Silmarillion: the terror of Ered Gorgoroth, the debilitating power of Melkor's gaze in the depths of Angband, or what it means to use mind-speak or undergo re-embodiment in the Halls of Mandos.
- Plenty of stories in The Silmarillion are scary with few or no supernatural elements at all: the Darkening of Valinor, the Nirnaeth Arnoediad, or Sauron's control of Númenor.
- Tell a spooky legend or story that might have been part of your character's heritage or culture. How did the early Elves explain the disappearance of those captured by Melkor? How did the Edain perceive Melkor's influence in the world? What myths and beliefs surround death and afterlife?
New Beginnings
Most of our members are welcoming the autumn season and preparing for the cold months ahead, and it is easy to forget that for a good part of the world--and several of our members--the spring is warming toward summer.
Whether you are feeling chilly at the thought of winter ahead or eagerly welcoming spring, this challenge asks you to write a story or poem celebrating new beginnings. Birth, marriage, first love, a journey to a new home, or the rebirth of hope following success in battle--all of these and more will satisfy this challenge!
The Quote of the Month Challenge
The Quote of the Month challenge asks you to write based on the themes and thoughts the quote inspires or about the event in which the quote occurred. You may write in any format--poem, story, essay, or drabble--with any characters, genre, or rating.
“But as the host of Fingolfin marched into Mithrim the Sun rose flaming in the West; and Fingolfin unfurled his blue and silver banners, and blew his horns, and flowers sprang beneath his marching feet, and the ages of the stars were ended.”
-The Silmarillion, “Of the Return of the Noldor”
Character of the Month: Daeron
A bard and loremaster of Doriath, Daeron is a fascinating character to explore in fiction. Whether pining for the unrequited love of Lúthien Tinúviel or constructing the Cirth alphabet, Daeron is a complex and interesting character and a favorite in fan fiction.
Similarly, Daeron's uncertain fate makes him a common subject of stories set in the future or speculating about his fate. How far into the future did he live? What historical events did he witness? Who did he meet that was important in the history of Middle-earth or our modern world today?
A scholar, a traitor, and a musician of exceptional talents, Daeron's complexity as a character and contributions to the history of Arda are honored in this month's Character of the Month.
Other Ongoing Challenges
At SWG, challenges never die. You are welcome to write for a challenge at any time. All of our past challenges have been tagged and may be found here or on our website.
A Call for New Challenges!
At SWG, the challenges are for members to create! If you have an idea for a challenge, would like to suggest a quote for the monthly quote challenge, or would like to see your favorite character honored as our character of the month, please do not hesitate to suggest it on-list or email Jenni (
digdigil), our challenge coordinator, at elennf569@rogers.com.As always, all Silmarillion writing, including challenge responses, is welcome in our LJ community.
Welcomes and Birthdays
Welcome to Lady Elleth, Phyncke, fauna_lind, Niki the Wanderer, and neldhw, our newest member to join our Yahoo! group in September! Welcome also to all who have joined or are watching our LiveJournal community.
fanged_geranium's birthday is 19 October. Her favorite characters are any of the Finwians, Celeborn, Turin, and Brandir, and her favorite chapters are Of the Flight of the Noldor, Of the Return of the Noldor, Of Maeglin, Of the Fifth Battle: Nirnaeth Arnoediad, Of Turin Turambar, and Akallabeth. Happy birthday, Fanged Geranium!Do you want to get stories for your birthday and other special occasions? Sign up on our "Give Someone a Silmaril" database, located on our Yahoo! Groups homepage or post your request to the list or the LiveJournal.
News and Announcements
Web Space Purchased!
I am prepared to set up our domain silwritersguild.org and purchase webspace for our archive and resources! As usual, if you would like to be involved with our website, please join our Yahoo! group or email me at DawnFelagund@comcast.net
Not a member? Do you want to be?
The SWG consists of two components: a Yahoo! email group, for discussions, story promotions, and planning, and a LiveJournal community for sharing our Silmarillion writing. Members are welcome to belong to both or just one, depending on what best suits their needs.
Read more about the Silmarillion Writers' Guild at our LiveJournal Community Information page.
To join our Yahoo! group:
At any time, I encourage people--both members and non-members--to contact me with inquiries. I may be reached at DawnFelagund@comcast.net or through either the Yahoo! or LiveJournal groups.
