Literary Journal
The Common
Open nowAbout the magazine
Editorial focus
The Common is a print and digital literary journal published biannually, in the fall and spring. Inspired by the role of the town common, a public gathering place for the display and exchange of ideas, The Common seeks to deepen an individual and collective sense of place through bold, engaging literature and art. Issues of The Common include short stories, essays, poems, and images that embody a strong sense of place.
Submitting your work
Writers should familiarize themselves with the magazine's aesthetic, which favors work with a strong sense of place and narrative depth. Submissions are accepted via Submittable during reading periods, typically for fiction, poetry, essays, and translations. Simultaneous submissions are allowed, but notify promptly if accepted elsewhere. Include a brief cover letter and adhere to genre-specific guidelines. The Common values diverse perspectives and encourages submissions from underrepresented voices.
Please do : read issues of The Common before submitting. Send us your very best work. Make sure that place/location is significant in your piece before submitting it. Please do not : submit conventional travel logs that simply recount travel experiences. We are looking for more thoughtful, reflective pieces in which place greatly informs the character(s)’/narrator(s)’ thoughts, decisions, perspective, etc.
Read official guidelinesSubmission calls
3 listedPast issues
Explore the publication through its past issues and volumes.
Issue covers aren’t available yet
Visit the publication’s website to explore its archive.
Visit publication website ↗