New Books Network Jennifer Acker “On 15 Years of The Common” (The Common, Fall 2025)
Dec 19, 2025
Jennifer Acker, founder and editor-in-chief of The Common, discusses her journey in creating the magazine over 15 years. She reflects on the parallels between training horses and running a literary platform, sharing tales of community impact and mentorship. Jennifer also teases her upcoming novel, Surrender, about a woman's return to farm life and her struggles beyond the fields. Listeners will enjoy her insights into literary magazines as gateways for writers and hear about a story from The Common that's been adapted into a film.
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Training Horses And Patience
- Jennifer Acker recounts training retired harness-racing horses Emmy and Sassy to stop pacing and learn to trot for riding.
- She describes running Emmy in circles each Saturday, finding the work boring but persistent until progress came.
Magazines Are Long-Form Labor
- Acker links the labor of cultivating place on her family's farm to the sustained work of building The Common.
- She realized both projects required many mistakes, persistence, and gradual learning.
The Common Is Built Around People
- Celebrating 15 years made Acker see The Common chiefly as a people-centered project.
- She values mentoring interns and watching contributors' careers evolve into friendships and successes.