The folks of the TORn messageboard Reading Room, the section of our forums devoted to discussion of Tolkien’s literary works, have just put out for a call for papers for the second TORn Amateur Symposium (also known as TAS2).
The first TORn Amateur Symposium earlier this year published 13 essays on topics as varied as The Physics of The Hobbit, The Corrupting Nature of The One Ring and Concepts of Healing in Middle-earth.
TAS is an opportunity for those who love Middle-earth to share their ideas on Tolkien-related subjects in a longer written form.
We’re not looking for flawlessly polished, professionally cited work. This is for fun and enjoyment, and to share our common love of the JRR Tolkien universe: thus the title! We would like to see your original ideas, which tie in somehow to the works of Tolkien; they can be written from an academic, opinion or real-world perspective.
Citations and references, although not required, may be helpful at times to readers, and feel free to use them as appropriate to support your writing. Discussion of the work is most heartily encouraged, keeping in mind both the “by the fans, for the fans” nature of the creations, as well as the dual spirit of fun and inquiry which we would like to promote in this Symposium series.
Some general categories that the organisers suggest for topics include:
– Flora/Fauna of Middle Earth
– Art, Literature and Philosophy
– Natural Science, Geology and Weather
– Peoples and Cultures of Middle Earth
However, these are simply suggestions. Geography, history, ethnology, linguistics, botany, mythology and onomastics … if you can write an essay about it, the TAS people would love to read it, and publish it!
Expressions of interest are now open and submissions close on November 3.
So go tell them about your great idea for the paper that you want to submit for TAS2. Just follow the link below, and sign into the TORn message boards (signing up will take you only a few minutes).
