Get (or Give) a Note From a Favorite Author and Raise Money for A Great Literary Magazine in the Process
We are running full speed into the gift giving season, but we are also approaching the time of year when many people also make their annual donations. I have an idea that is a great option for all book lovers and covers both categories and it is run by an award winning literary magazine here:
The Common's Author Postcard Auction
Bid to win a postcard from your favorite author!
Bidding closes at noon EST on December 1, 2025
This unique online auction gives literary fans the opportunity to bid on handwritten, personalized postcards from their favorite writers. Postcards will be handwritten for you or a person of your choice. A wonderful keepsake, author postcards make great gifts! In years past, authors have gone above and beyond when writing their postcards, including impromptu doodles, poems, and personalized stories. Winning bids are tax-deductible donations.
All proceeds go to The Common Foundation, a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to publishing and promoting art and literature from global, diverse voices. Read more at www.thecommononline.org.
Not interested in bidding? You can still support The Common Foundation by donating here.
Each year the Common gathers some of the biggest names in the writing world and asks them to offer 1 handwritten post card to one bidder. And they donate all of the proceeds to the magazine. Now this magazine is more than a place to launch new voices, they are part of a vibrant college community and fund internships and post-graduate jobs for students interested in writing and publishing. More about this is on their "Support Us" page.
Full disclosure, I am a subscriber and a donor to The Common. They also employed by oldest as a Literary Editorial Fellow last year. This allowed them to have a meaningful, career starting job for a full year after graduation and the experience led directly to their current job as the Assistant News Editor at Publishers Weekly.
The Common is doing the vital work to help to keep the literary community moving forward in what are very difficult times.
And that is why you should look at this page and consider bidding on a post card.
But let's get practical here as well. Uber fans of authors like George Saunders, Percival Everett, Ann Patchett, Stephen Graham Jones, Julia Alvarez, Elin Hilderbrand, Hanif Abdurraqib, Lauren Goff and more, these people probably already own every book their favorite writers have published. There is also a good chance they have signed copies. But I bet they do not have a personal note from these people.
Take a look at the auction and make a bid for yourself or a loved one. What a great way to show your thanks to the writers who have filled our world with joy-- by giving back to an organization they are supporting.
