Dwarves beards

Of course, It's probably annoying writting the same book twice (though he did do that, in a way).

Also, if you look at the introduction to the Canadian edition to LoTR (is it in the US version too?), it says that Tolkien rewrote the 1500 pages of LoTR over and over again, by himself, using a clinky old typewriter that he had in the basement. :x
Remember, there were no computers back then. So he couldn't just "save" the files.
And he didn't have enough money to hire a professional typewriter person, who could have done it 10x faster than he did.
He did this until he finally got the version that he wanted.
Geez, I would have screamed and torn my hair out in hysteria because of all the stress!
The enormous work that he put into the book is really visible, however, once you read it.

From what I gather, much of the original work was written and rewritten and edited on paper by hand.

Tolkien used the implements of the 19th century, pen and paper and a quaint device known as a typewriter.

"Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration."

But what inspiration!

Then, the extraordinary effort to produce a book for mass distribution! As one who learned the keys on antique mechanical contraptions such as the one Tolkien used, I can tell you that it was work even for the 10 fingered! Imagine the professor working for years, pecking away a letter at a time, each sharp stroke of the keys drawing him nearer to literary immortality.

But think back to the writers of the works Tolkien read. What had the olden skaalds to work with, but the rough and costly implements of the North in the Iron Age and before? They memorized and carried their work around in their HEADS!

Fortunately, for Bilbo and Frodo, in the Shire of Old, if one had the wherewithal (and they did), one could buy fine leather bindings and perhaps parchment, writing paper, and good ink. Indeed, Golden Ink! By the way, I was thinking of putting my limited edition,(only 144 ever produced), "Eleventy First Birthday of Mr. Bilbo Baggins" party invitation up for sale on E-Bay. I was about to throw it away, but the Mrs popped the back of my head and called me a Ninnyhammer and said that it might buy a lot of bacon.

"He did this until he finally got the version that he wanted. Geez, I would have screamed and torn my hair out in hysteria because of all the stress!"

notice that every picture of Tolkien commonly seen shows him as bald...

aryne *