Cambridge Common Writers exists to provide a supportive community for alumni, faculty, and friends of Lesley University’s MFA Program in Creative Writing, situated in Cambridge, Massachusetts. We seek to promote new and diverse literary voices from the Lesley MFA community, and to connect alumni with opportunities to advance and sustain their writing careers after graduation.

Kent Neal (Poetry, January 2023) has a poem “First Flirt” in the current issue of Bicoastal Review. c3 Crew (WFYP, June 2008) has a poetry chapbook, The 8 Ancient Geek Words for Love, available from Bottlecap Press. Rachel Becker (Poetry, January 2025) has three new poems out: “Vanity, Greed, Extravagance, […]
Jana Van der Veer, writer, teacher, certified Creativity Coach, alumna and former Interdisciplinary Studies coordinator of the Lesley MFA in Creative Writing program, talks about artistic blocks, accountability, and the importance of finding community with other writers. JANA VAN DER VEER – WFYP, JUNE 2009 Jana Van der Veer writes […]
Eileen Cleary (Poetry, June 2017) has been longlisted for the 2025 Mass Book Award in Poetry, for her book Wild Pack of the Living. Enzo Silon Surin (Poetry, 2012) is a 2025 Mass Cultural Council grant recipient in literature. He was also a featured speaker at the Spring 2025 Connections […]
March 3, 2026

Balzer + Bray

December 2, 2025

Candlewick Press

November 25, 2025

Wattpad Books

October 21, 2025

Feiwel & Friends

October 16, 2025

Jacaranda Books

October 14, 2025

Catapult

October 7, 2025

Groundwood Books

September 23, 2025

Clarion Books

September 9, 2025

DOPAMINE/Semiotext(e)

August 26, 2025

Levine Querido

August 19, 2025

Candlewick Press

August 1, 2025

Thomas & Mercer