About Us


Leading Edge is a semiprofessional magazine at Brigham Young University. Although we are located in Provo, Utah, we publish the work of authors and artists worldwide.

Leading Edge Magazine began with a science fiction and fantasy writing class at BYU (which was originally supposed to be taught by Orson Scott Card, but Marion Smith taught instead). Students in this class took pride in their work and wanted to see it live beyond the end of the semester. With the help of a student grant, The Leading Edge was born in April 1981. Since then, we have published two issues every year.

This publication has produced writers such as M. Shayne Bell, Dave Wolverton, and Brandon Sanderson. Everyone gets their start somewhere, and many are proud to say Leading Edge Magazine was that place.

Leading Edge Magazine has changed throughout the decadeseverything from a slight name change to on-demand printing. As technology advances, it has become easier to contact authors outside of Utah, give new authors a larger readership, and design the publication. It has also helped us connect in the speculative fiction community in new ways, especially through social media.

Our publication is run entirely by volunteers—almost exclusively BYU students. They meet twice weekly to read submissions, edit acquired pieces, design the publication, and discuss all things fantasy and science fiction. Most volunteers begin with little to no experience, but soon learn the tricks of the trade from established staff members. Many former volunteer staff members have gone on to have successful writing and editing careers.

Leading Edge Magazine serves three main purposes: to be a hub of quality speculative fiction, to be a springboard for aspiring creators, and to be a training ground for students to gain experience in their chosen field. We have published the work of hundreds of artists and writers.

You can read more about us in The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction and on our Wikipedia page.