Since our last birthday on the 1st October 2024…
Spellbinder contributors have identified with 16 national identities from 5 continents; some of them have dual nationality. These are American, Native American, Australian, British, Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Malaysian, Israeli, Nigerian, Icelandic, German, Italian, Hungarian, Iranian, and Honduran.
Statistics
ACCURATE FOR THE PERIOD BETWEEN THE 1st OF OCTOBER 2024 AND MIDNIGHT ON THE 30th OF SEPTEMBER 2025
- Print copies sold: 82 (492 in Spellbinder’s lifetime)
- Website subscriptions paid: 30 monthly subscriptions across 5 individuals (48 across 11 subscribers in Spellbinder’s lifetime)
- Number of staff members: 11
- Published poems: 18
- Published scripts: 5
- Published nonfiction pieces: 6
- Published fiction pieces: 6
- Published artworks: 11
- Total number of contributors: 46
- Featured contributors: 0
- Other magazines promoted in our promo pages: Issue 17: Dishsoap Quarterly, Ghudsavar Literary Magazine, Twin Bird Review. Issue 18: Porch Literary Magazine. Issue 19: none. Issue 20: Matcha Spill Magazine, NeuroDrama Journal, The Fawn Literary.
- Contributors featured in our celebrate success pages: 9 Issue 17: Jerrod Schwartz, Probert Dean, Rose Mason. Issue 18: Quigley Cryan Brockbank, Daniel Hinds, Carolyn Schlam. Issue 19: Vishwas Gaitonde, Kristine Narvida, Jackie Partridge. Issue 20: Vatsan, Hafsa Rizvi, Mike Wheeler.
- Website visits: over 20K sessions from over 154 countries, around 17.56% coming directly from our social media channels.
- Top month for website visits: January 2025 with 2.7K active users.
- Most popular pages: Submission Guidelines (9.9K visits), Submission Form (8.5K), Homepage (7.3K), Useful Links (3.2K), and History (1.6K).
Timeline
Awards
- Poetry prize: “Disorders of the Spirit”, Alexander Etheridge. This spellbinding poem is packed with thought-provoking and original imagery. It explores ‘disorders of the spirit’, and exposes what is ‘empty’ or constitutes a ‘hole’ in what we call our ‘heaven’, or our ‘Paradise’, or our ‘Eden’. Its striking use of industrial and mechanical terminology combined with language relating to nature and divinity forces readers to consider ecological questions and the reality of our own humanity. These verses have a universal appeal, and have therefore spoken powerfully to a number of readers, and will continue to do so. Published in the Winter 2025 Issue. Picked by Amber, Editor-in-Chief.
- Fiction prize: “Goblin Spice and Everything Nice”, J.W. Bodden. Bodden’s meticulous blend of sugar-sweet whimsy and sour denial conjures an acquired taste for sobering acceptance, as womanhood and motherhood prove indomitable in this cosy fantasy where a goblin wife learns to re-sharpen her claws, one recipe at a time. This empowering tale earns its voice as a call-to-arms against the compliance, shame, and indignation of enforced domesticity upon women everywhere. The protagonist’s titular cookbook expertly plays to the scales of justice, reforming a metaphor and symbolism for archetypical docility into one of fierce dignity that has finally boiled over, championed by a worn, familiar voice that will have readers rooting for the final reckoning. No matter if you’re a housewife, a goblin, or a bit of both, you will be inspired by the strength and change forged from within, readily set-aflame by a singular passion. Published in the Winter 2025 issue. Picked by Ashlynn, Co-Fiction Editor.
- Nonfiction prize: “The year love came in the shape of butterfly buttons”, Stuti Sinha. This lovely piece opens with the unusual image of a yellow, butterfly-shaped button, and marches in a unique rhythm that alternates between narration and reflection. With the mood anchored on a shared chataai mat, we understand what it means to be loved by a mother in stitches and spans. The ending, landing on a powerful contrast between the six-year-old’s lost yellow-buttoned cardigan and Mamma’s blue paisley blouse that soaks up the tears, is just what we need to discover alongside her the intricacies of an everyday love. Love breathes in vivid images, in a birthday gift that metamorphosizes into a lesson for the child and adult alike. Published in the Winter 2025 Issue. Picked by Yuyi, Nonfiction Editor.
- Art prize: “Claire de lune”, Julia Biggs. Selected for the theme of ‘Light/Dark’, this simplistic yet poignant collage immediately centres the eye with the full moon that hides in the title. The clouds become a perfect metaphor for the hair and clothing of an elegant silhouette in profile. It is an image that shimmers without fluff, that gently captivates with its precision. One is left wondering if this is exactly what Debussy had in mind when he composed his piece of the same name. Published in the Winter 2025 Issue. Picked by Yuyi, Art Editor.
- Drama prize: “Soul Clap”, Brian C. Petti. To act is one thing, but to put into words what the act of performing feels like is something else completely. This stage monologue presents the soul of an actor through an arresting dialogue that is full of literary and thespian beauty. Petti manages to convey different tonal variations and acting choices by carefully stressing certain words over others, while adding beats and pauses at just the right moments. The audience is captured by the character’s reverential analysis of his craft, and one cannot help but imagine the twinkle of light that plays in the character’s eyes as he gives his performance. The monologue moves at a brilliant pace that sweeps us up and carries us on this journey of an aging actor’s last hurray, one filled with a lifetime of warmth, devotion, and inspiration. It is impossible to ignore the soul that is brought to life in this piece, and to not stand up and clap for him when the character’s work is done. Published in the Spring 2025 Issue. Picked by Tatianna, Drama Editor.
What’s next for Spellbinder?
As we step into our new roles as Co-Editor-in-Chiefs, we would like to begin by thanking Amber for her extraordinary dedication and vision. Her leadership has shaped Spellbinder into the vibrant international magazine it is today, and we are honoured to continue building on that foundation.
Looking ahead, we are excited to guide Spellbinder into its next stage of growth. Alongside
publishing our quarterly issues we will expand into editing services, offer optional feedback for writers and artists, and make our competitions a more regular feature. These initiatives will not only support our creative community but also help us ensure long-term sustainability.
We also plan to expand our team. Volunteers remain at the heart of Spellbinder and your
contributions make everything we do possible. While individual responsibilities will remain the same, our focus is now on strengthening our marketing through social media, reaching new audiences, and improving the magazine’s visibility. Every volunteer’s work will directly shape this growth and give us more opportunities to spotlight emerging voices.
From January 2026, we will enrich our blog with new features, such as interviews for Collaborative Notes and book recommendations for Editor’s Picks. These additions, together with even stronger community engagement, will help keep Spellbinder dynamic and connected. Until then, we will be steadily preparing our next steps to ensure the best representation of the magazine and our team.
We remain committed to upholding the magazine’s high standards and providing a professional platform that celebrates creativity across multiple genres and mediums. Our goal is not only to publish outstanding work but also to foster collaboration, visibility and growth for our contributors and readers worldwide.
This is an exciting new chapter for Spellbinder and we look forward to sharing the journey with you.
Effy & Tatianna, Co-Editor-in-Chiefs