Worms magazine is a literary style magazine that celebrates female and non-binary writer culture. Published bi-annually, Worms Magazine seeks to bring together the established and the emerging, the underground and the canonical, the lofty and the profane. Inspired by underground literary movements and the DIY Zine culture that shaped them, we cover topics that range from style, art, philosophy, theory, gender, politics/capitalism, contemporary culture, and social commentary. Although based in London, the writers, poets, artists and illustrators that populate these pages are spread out across the globe.
Worms #5 contemplates The Impure in literature, starting with the New Narrative movement and expanding to look at the joys and complexities of using other peoples stories, ideas surrounding appropriation and taking from the archive.
Our cover star Saidiya Hartman talks with Rhea Dillon about the limits and processes of creating stories from the archive, while Camille Roy and Dodie Bellamy give us insight into New Narrative from their experiences involved in the movement. Savannah Knoop tells us about her life playing the character of J.T Leroy, while Calla Henkel delves into ideas of using other people’s narratives as our own. There’s lots of gleaning, lots of stealing and lots of hard truths coming from the human body. We have poetry and fiction and all of the usual bits, as well as an experimental cut up piece demonstrating the appropriation method that Kathy Acker (via William Burroughs) used in so much of her work. Many more worms to be found in these pages.
Featuring: CALLA HENKEL, JENNY ZHANG, CAMILLE ROY, DODIE BELLAMY, ESTELLE HOY, SAIDIYA HARTMAN, RHEA DILLON, SAVANNAH KNOOP, TOP STORIES, MADELYNE BECKLES, LAUREN FOURNIER, JOANNA WALSH, LYNNE TILLMAN.
Contributors: ZARA JOAN MILLER, HAYDEE TOUITOU, NICOLE DELLA COSTA, CECILIA PAVON, VALENTINA VON KLENCKE, FEYI ADEGBITE, ALICE PLATTI, VICTORIA CAMPA, ALICE BUTLER, CLEMMIE BACHE, CAITLIN MCLOUGHLIN, JACK STUART MILLS, HONOR WEATHERALL, ARCADIA MOLINAS, AIMEE BALLINGER, WES KNOWLER, ELEANOR WANG, KATY DADACZ, OLIVE COURI, RACHEL CATTLE, ISABELLE BUCKLOW, SARAH BODRI, HOPE ROAFL, MAURA SAPPILO, JODIE HILL, JACQUELINE ENNIS COLE, MARY WATT, DELIA RAINEY.
Editor in Chief: CLEM MACLEOD
Assistant Editor: CAITLIN MCLOUGHLIN
Features Assistant: ARCADIA MOLINAS
Editorial & Graphic Design: CLEM MACLEOD & CAITLIN MCLOUGHLIN
Printed by: PAGEMASTERS
Softcover, 92 pgs, 27 × 18 cm, 2022
