Talk:The Silmarillion

Decline of Silmfics and the "First Wave" Online Silm Fandom

User:Espresso Addict and I initially discussed this on Talk:Dawn Felagund and decided it fits better here. We're specifically seeking information on what may have caused the decline in Silmfics during 2004 and 2005. I entered the fandom (and established the Silmarillion Writers' Guild) in 2005. At the time and reflecting back, it seems a number of the most active authors stopped participating around that time. The SWG membership was initially comprised largely of Silmarillion writers from general Tolkien archives. Most of the prominent Silm authors who had posted on the Henneth-Annûn Story Archive and fanfiction.net prior to 2005 never joined the SWG.

What happened? What caused the decline in/ending of participation from such a large number of fans? Why did Silmfics cease being a hub of activity for the Silmarillion fandom?

User:Espresso Addict suggests that the ending of the Peter Jackson LotR films may have caused the decline. I also remember being told by a "first wave" writer, after asking this very question, that many fans felt that everything worth discussing and writing had already been done. Dawn Felagund 19:28, 3 September 2012 (UTC)