the 26th annual new york book show recognized "the common" issues 01 and 02, earning the magazine a second place literary magazine design award. other contributors to "the common" have had their work featured by "longform," "literary hub," and "utne reader." others have won prizes from pen america, new england poetry club, craft literary, o. henry award 2017, and the pushcart prize. the journal's editorial vision and design has also been praised in "the new yorker", "the boston globe, "slate", "the millions", "orion magazine", and "the chronicle of higher education". the magazine has won the clmp firecracker award 2016. in 2019, "the common" received the literary magazine prize from the mrs. giles whiting foundation.