Cambridge Common Writers exists to provide a gathering place for alumni, faculty, and friends of Lesley University’s MFA Program in Creative Writing, situated in Cambridge, Massachusetts. We seek to cultivate new and diverse literary voices.



On being “tenaciously resilient”—a conversation with Sabrina Fedel

Sabrina Fedel shares her experiences writing about other cultures and going from a small press to a big publishing house, and touches on some of the themes in her new […]

Publication News & Announcements: June 2024

Jacqueline Berkman (Fiction, June 2023) has a short story “The Mechanical Bull” in the Summer 2024 issue of The Coachella Review. Tony Eprile (Fiction, MFA faculty) has an essay “Bards […]

Publication News & Announcements: May 2024

Kate Fussner (WFYP, June 2021) has been longlisted for the Mass Book Awards for her queer middle-grade novel-in-verse The Song of Us, which was also listed in the Amazon 2024 […]

Meet the New Director – A conversation with Julia Leef, Executive Director of Cambridge Common Writers

The new Director of Cambridge Common Writers shares her vision for the alumni association and opens up about her own writing—from her first book launch at age six (!) to […]

Publication News & Announcements: April 2024

Celeste Mohammed (Fiction, June 2016) has a short story “Terre Brulee” which has been shortlisted for the 2024 Commonwealth Short Story Prize. Saraciea J. Fennell’s (WFYP, January 2020) short story […]

Publication News & Announcements: March 2024

D. Dina Friedman’s (Fiction, January 2016) new poetry collection Here in Sanctuary–Whirling is now available from Querencia Press. Ella N. Alkiewicz (Nonfiction, June 2018) has a poem “Kooyook Poodlat carved […]

Publication News & Announcements: February 2024

Kent Neal (Poetry, January 2023) has three poems in the current issue of Hole in the Head Review: “Conversion Therapy for a Straight Razor,” “Maintaining the Line,” and “Men Like […]


Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Hub

CCW is dedicated to supporting our writers of every race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, religion, ability/disability, and geographic region, and providing our community the resources with which to celebrate, embrace, and learn about all cultures.

25 books that highlight the beauty of Indigenous literature

THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL QUEER BOOKS OF ALL TIME

AAPI Picture Book Recommendations from the New York Public Library
[Alum Featured!]

Confronting Cultural Illiteracy: LGBTQ Books 2022

Roxane Gay partnering with Substack to create the Joel Gay Creative Fellowships for emerging writers

All articles from the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Hub are archived on our DEI Hub page.

September 10, 2024

Balzer + Bray

August 13, 2024

Delacorte Press

August 06, 2024

Freedom Fire

July 16, 2024

Dutton

June 18, 2024

Delacorte Press

June 1, 2024

Get Fresh Books Publishing

May 21, 2024

Roaring Brook Press

April 25, 2024

Black Rose Writing

March 19, 2024

Neal Porter Books

March 5, 2024

Balzer + Bray