Literary Journal

Spellbinder Magazine

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Journals & literary magazines1 open opportunity listedUnited Kingdom

About the magazine

Spellbinder Magazine is a literary and arts publication founded with the conviction that language can enchant, disrupt, and reimagine the familiar. Since its inception, it has served as a platform for emerging and established voices whose work resists easy categorization, favoring writing and visual art that operates at the edges of genre and form. The magazine’s editorial ethos is rooted in a commitment to craft and a belief that the most vital contemporary work often emerges from the speculative, the hybrid, and the unclassifiable. By publishing both print and digital issues, Spellbinder cultivates a readership that values risk-taking and intellectual curiosity over market-driven trends.

Editorial focus

Spellbinder is a quarterly literary and art magazine publishing both print and digital issues. Founded in 2020 by students in Durham, England, it has grown into an international collective of editors and contributors. The magazine welcomes submissions from artists, dramatists, poets, and writers of fiction and nonfiction, with a focus on emerging voices. Spellbinder charges no submission fees and accepts work on any theme. Today, it is led by Tatianna Kalb and Effy Kousteni and supported by a dedicated team of volunteers.

PoetryFictionCreative NonfictionTranslation

Submitting your work

Reading periodJan 1 to Dec 31

Reading feeNo

PaymentCash

Response timeLess than 3 months

Simultaneous submissionsYes

Unsolicited submissionsYes

Before submitting, read at least one full issue to understand the magazine’s aesthetic range and editorial preferences. Spellbinder favors work that demonstrates a strong command of language, a willingness to take formal risks, and an engagement with speculative or hybrid modes. Simultaneous submissions are generally accepted, but notify the editors promptly if your work is placed elsewhere. Include a brief, professional cover letter that situates your work without over-explaining it. Adhere strictly to genre and length guidelines, and avoid submitting work that relies on shock value without substantive underpinning. Response times vary, so patience is advised; query only after the stated reading period has elapsed.

Spellbinder seeks work that surprises, unsettles, and stays with the reader. The magazine values originality, risk, and resonance, welcoming writing and art that push the boundaries of form, media, and convention while engaging with artistic and literary traditions. The editors particularly appreciate submissions with unusual themes and fresh, insightful ideas.

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Submission calls

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