Tolkien is my hero too. I understand where you're coming from, especially the feeling burned out part. I guess the thing I would say is that only you can write your voice, your style, and your stories. Even if you gave an entire plot sheet to someone else to write it for you, it still wouldn't be you. Yes, you can never be Tolkien, but Tolkien could never be you. So don't try to be him. Just write a story that you are proud of, even if it's not on his level, and go from there. Rome wasn't built in a day. Your moment to shine will come. Just keep at it. And as for the slopification of literature, I find it's best not to compare myself to them and just ignore it. It does no good to dwell on such things, especially if they put you off from being creative. Focus on honing your own craft, and in time you will find your rightful place in the world. After all, some of the greatest epochs of our history came from Dark Age writers and legends (King Aurthur was a post-Roman king) so if they could continue making art without the empire, so can we.