The Common Editor in Chief Jennifer Acker ’00
Amherst’s Award-Winning Literary Magazine
Amherst College is one of the world’s premier writing colleges and boasts an enviable literary history. The Common, an award-winning literary journal based at the College, upholds this legacy by publishing literature and art from around the world in handsome print and digital editions.
The mission of The Common is to publish stories, essays, poems, and images with a strong sense of place. Since its debut in 2011, the magazine has published more than 1,600 pieces from over 800 authors from 40 countries. Pieces from The Common have been selections and notable mentions in the Best American series and recipients of the O. Henry Prize 2017 and the PEN/American Robert J. Dau Short Story Prize for Emerging Writers 2017. The journal has been praised by The New Yorker, The Boston Globe, Slate, The Millions, Orion Magazine and The Chronicle of Higher Education.
A cornerstone of The Common is the Literary Publishing Internship, in which Amherst College students gain hands-on publishing experience. Interns and staff also host literary programs and events on campus year-round and participate in book fairs and conferences across the country and internationally. Continuing its commitment to teachers, the magazine provides high school and college educators with resources for to teach the magazine in their classroom through The Common In the Classroom.
Founded by Jennifer Acker ’00, The Common’s board members and authors include many Amherst College alumni and faculty, including Dan Chiasson ’93, Catherine Ciepiela ’83, Ted Conover ’80, Lauren Groff ’01, Cullen Murphy ’74, Niko Pfund ’87, William H. Pritchard ’53, Ilan Stavans, and Richard Todd ’63.
Donate
Your contribution to Amherst College, designated to The Common, supports the Literary Publishing Internship Program, campus events and programming, and the production and promotion of The Common's print and digital publications. Make a gift.
Subscribe
The Common offers print and digital subscriptions. Please visit our subscription page for more details. We publish two issues per year as well as original, multimedia content at The Common Online. Sign up for our monthly newsletter for regular reviews of content from our pages.
Contact
Emily Everett, Managing Editor
emily[at]thecommononline[dot]org
The Common
Frost Library
Amherst College
PO Box 5000
Amherst, MA 01002
Phone: (413) 542-5453