A Journal of Creative Writing
/sinā ˌkwä ˈnōn/
noun: an essential condition; a thing that is absolutely necessary.
A Journal of Creative Writing
/sinā ˌkwä ˈnōn/
noun: an essential condition; a thing that is absolutely necessary.
We publish poetry, creative prose, and scholarly works about the theory and craft of creative writing.
What differentiates us from other journals is one foundational philosophical principle: we believe that the proper object of literary theory is the author and their text. From this principle flow our values.
Our goal is to publish amazing creative works AND to foment research focusing on literary creation that respects the author and their creative process as well as the product.
We are called Sine Qua Non because the author is the sine qua non — that without which literature would not exist.
We are proud to honour the recipients of the 2026 SQN Journal Literary Prizes. Their work stood out for its originality, craft, and resonance. Each winning work appears in Issue Two of the Sine Qua Non journal, now available to read online or to purchase on Amazon.
First Place ($500)
Nnamdi Ndiolo
Mea Maxima Culpa
Runners-Up ($250)
Zaynab Iliyasu Bobi
i will come in multitudes
Meredith Raine Olsson
Ocean Beach, San Francisco
First Place ($500)
Christine Estima
Qamariyyah, The Moon
Runners-Up ($250)
Dylan Brody
Blooming Unlikely
A.C. Koch
Rhapsody on a Theme of Norm Macdonald's Moth Joke
We are seeking volunteers to join our team. We want to work with creators and scholars who are educated and trained in the field of creative writing.
Sine Qua Non