Commonplace is meant to be shared! We encourage readers to print out copies and leave them in local libraries, bookstores, coffee shops, etc.
About
Commonplace is a journal maintained by volunteers from the Catherine Project’s community of learners under the supervision of the executive director. It’s purpose is twofold:
- To serve the Catherine Project community as an organ of communication and means of sharing writing informed or inspired by the Project’s core activity of reading and discussing great books.
- To serve as a means of advertising the existence and activities of the Catherine Project and inviting readers who are unfamiliar with the the Project to join our community of learning.
The journal is titled Commonplace because that’s what it is: a place or space we have in common. The word “commonplace” might also be used to describe the activity of our community: what we’re doing is rare these days, but it’s not original. Human beings throughout history have gathered informally to read, think, and learn together. We think learning for learning’s sake should be ordinary and shared among people of different ages, occupations, and educational backgrounds.
We aim to publish Commonplace twice a year, depending on volunteer availability. Issue #2 will be published in the fall of 2024. If you would like to join the editorial team that maintains the journal, write to volunteer@catherineproject.org.
Submissions
Commonplace welcomes submissions from readers and friends of the Catherine Project. We publish writing and, occasionally, visual art that reflect the Catherine Project’s guiding principles, especially:
- A great book invites the reader in as an equal.
- No question is too simple or elemental.
- The contemplative life is richer when it is shared.
We encourage written reflections on and close readings of great books (for a complete list of books that have been read in Catherine Project groups since the Project began, follow this link). In accordance with our principle of hospitality, writing should be welcoming and accessible to a reader who is unfamiliar with the subjects or texts being discussed. Footnotes other than citations should be kept to a minimum. The submission deadline for the second issue was May 15th, 2024. We will continue to review submissions sent after the deadline, but cannot guarantee that they will be considered for the second issue.
Written work should be sent as a .docx file and should be no more than 2,000 words in length. Visual art should be sent as a PNG file.
Submissions, inquiries, and pitches should be addressed to commonplace@catherineproject.org.
