Third Anniversary

Since our last birthday on the 1st October 2022…

Spellbinder contributors from 2023 have identified with 17 national identities from 6 continents; some of them have dual nationality. These are American, Australian, British, Canadian, Chinese, Filipino, Indian, Irish, Italian, Malaysian, New Zealander, Nigerian, Serbian, Swedish, Ukrainian, Venezuelan, and Vietnamese.

Statistics

ACCURATE FOR THE PERIOD BETWEEN THE 1st OF OCTOBER 2022 AND MIDNIGHT ON THE 30th OF SEPTEMBER 2023

  • Print copies sold: 100 (320 in Spellbinder’s lifetime)
  • Website subscriptions paid: 23 (48 in Spellbinder’s lifetime)
  • Number of staff members: 13
  • Published poems:  21
  • Published scripts:  8
  • Published nonfiction pieces: 11
  • Published fiction pieces: 11
  • Published artworks: 17
  • Total number of contributors: 68

  • Featured contributors: 1 (Kyle Derek McDonald)
  • Other magazines promoted in our promo pages: Issue 9: Blue Daisies Journal, missive mag, trash to treasure lit. Issue 10: Alternative Milk Magazine, Honeyguide Literary Magazine, The Coffee Ring Review. Issue 11: Chemical Inevitable, Divinations Magazine, Livina Press. Issue 12: chinchilla lit, Crab Apple Literary, Orion’s Belt.
  • Contributors featured in our celebrate success pages: Issue 9: SJ Townend, Morgan Liphart, Aimee Lowenstern, Jocelyne Lamarche, Rishika Pandit. Issue 10: R.N. Cogley, DARKRECONSTRUCTION, Douglas Jern. Issue 11: Anna Nguyen, RUNA, Christopher Woods. Issue 12: Teo Eve, Richard Leise, Joanne Skerret.

Timeline

Awards

  • Poetry prize: ‘Summer Solstice, 4:53am’, Danielle Gilmour. Doriana and I were enchanted by this poem which innovatively utilises pagan and natural imagery to capture the miraculous experience of childbirth. Musically, this poem reads like the dance it alludes to and instils in readers the sense of awe the speaker of the poem feels herself. Published in our Spring 2023 Issue. Picked by Amber, Poetry Editor.
  • Fiction prize: “Like Sardines” Douglas Jern. Like Sardines is the epitome of a perfect marriage between content and form – with body and soul, the story really comes to life. The narrative manages to maintain a surreal air whilst also commenting with real insight on the unquestioning nature of society. Jern crafts an image of public transport that is both hauntingly familiar and intensely emotional. It is such a joy to feel suffocated by the reading experience! Published in our Winter 2023 Issue. Picked by Ned and Bruna, Fiction Editors.
  • Nonfiction prize: “Night Walks”, Oliver Brooks. This stunningly written creative nonfiction piece gives a whole new light to the act of walking at night. It is refreshing and I loved how darkness, not scary any more, becomes a moment for nature to come alive and surprise with its softness and preciousness. In its brevity, this work accomplishes to be deep and introspective but at the same time ingenious and a pleasure to read. Published in our Spring 2023 Issue. Picked by Linda, Nonfiction Editor.
  • Art prize: “She’s Got Mirth but I Got Bravado”, Alejandro Gonzalez.One of the first things that caught my eye about this piece was the beautifully bold and uncommon colour palette paired with the abstract background. Yet, on closer inspection, the exploration of shape and composition in this piece is also very interesting, coupled with the decision to rotate the image of the feminine figure, makes for a very visually striking artwork. The intention behind this piece is also uplifting and well thought out, it hasn’t left me since we first published it. Published in our Winter 2023 Issue. Picked by Kate, Art Editor.
  • Drama prize: “Donkeyskin”, Carly Chandler. Donkeyskin had such a whimsical, magical atmosphere that I fell in love with. The scene description was so vivid, providing so much potential to actually stage, it was something I could envision being performed so vividly. The set descriptions of a path in the woods, fast-paced music and sounds of woodland creatures to set up an intriguing and magical atmosphere paired with the harsh reality of the main character’s situation. This monologue was a wonderful read. Published in our Winter 2023 Issue. Picked by Lara, Drama Editor.

What’s next for Spellbinder?

As we do every year, we are eager to reflect on the successes and limitations of our publication and find ways to improve our platform and expand its reach. A plan we have already confirmed for 2024 is to make our art and photography section a themed one. The guidelines for this will be published in advance of our Winter 2024 submission window. We wished to implement many different ideas in 2023, but were unable to due to various time constraints. We endeavour to work hard to launch these initiatives in 2024 instead. These include setting up a children’s writing competition, and creating a space on our website for news relating to the creative industries, such as reviews of literary and art prize winners, as well as book and art fair recommendations. We are also lucky to have a new volunteer Marketing Executive who will design a strategy to help us to increase and potentially double our annual paperback sales this year. In addition to increasing sales, we hope to acquire 10,000 followers on Twitter during this upcoming year.