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The Sine Qua Non

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About

the sine qua non is a scholarly AND creative journal.

We publish poetry creative prose & scholarly works about the theory and practice 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.

We believe the act of creation is unique, special, privileged, and merits study.

We believe that something magical happens the moment an author decides a text is complete and abandons it to the world—an act of creation occurs, and in that one moment, the text closes.

We believe that it is the reader who is in flux, ever-changing, mysterious, unknowable, and open.

We believe that excessive focus by literary scholars on the reader and the text at the expense of the author is misguided and has resulted in a neglect of the study of the creative process.

Country of Publication & Year Established

United States
Established in 2024

Publication Medium & Frequency

Print Publication Print Publication
Unknown publication frequency

AI Policy

Human-created work only; no AI use allowed

Statistics Synopsis

Slower
The Sine Qua Non's overall average response time is slower than most magazines.

Collapse section Fiction Temp Closed

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience.

Genres:

General

Lengths:

Flash Fiction: Up to 1,000 words.
Short Story: 1,000 - 3,750 words.

Styles:

Open to all/most Styles, including: Literary.

Topics:

Open to all/most Topics including...
Other: May vary.

Payment:

No monetary payment No monetary payment.

Submissions:

Method: Submittable submission manager.
Reprints: Reprints are NOT allowed.
Simultaneous submissions: Simultaneous submissions are allowed.
Media: Text.

Collapse section Nonfiction Temp Closed

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience.

Lengths:

Article: Up to 10,000 words.
Essay: Up to 3,750 words.
Narrative Nonfiction: Up to 3,750 words.

Styles:

Open to all/most Styles, including: Critical, Literary.

Topics:

Open to all/most Topics including...
Literature/Books: Theory/Analysis/Criticism, Writing.
Other: May vary.

Payment:

No monetary payment No monetary payment.

Submissions:

Method: Submittable submission manager.
Reprints: Reprints are NOT allowed.
Simultaneous submissions: Simultaneous submissions are allowed.
Media: Text.

Collapse section Poetry Temp Closed

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience.

Genres:

General

Lengths:

Poem: No line limits known; Up to 3 pieces.

Poetry Forms:

Open to all/most Forms.

Styles:

Open to all/most Styles, including: Literary.

Topics:

Open to all/most Topics including...
Other: May vary.

Payment:

No monetary payment No monetary payment.

Submissions:

Method: Submittable submission manager.
Reprints: Reprints are NOT allowed.
Simultaneous submissions: Simultaneous submissions are allowed.
Media: Text.

Always check guidelines for details and restrictions. If you aren't familiar with these terms, see our glossary.

The Sine Qua Non Submission Statistics

The statistics in this section are compiled from submission reports sent to us through our submission tracker. They are not provided by the publication's editors/staff or by Duotrope's admins. Information in this section is updated a few times per day. Learn more about the statistics.

Filter:
Accuracy
We have received 5 reports from 5 different members within the past 12 months, not including pending responses (see below). The more responses reported, the more accurate the information.
Days Reported
147 min | 160.0 mean avg | 159.0 median | 171 max days (9.7 std dev)
Pending
1 response is pending (308 days waiting). This only includes pending reports from people who have been active on Duotrope within the past 30 days

Other Information

Most recent response reported was received on 21 May 2026.
Responses have been received for submissions sent as recently as 11 Dec 2025.
Date compiled: 15 Sep 2026 09:47 UTC (less than a minute ago).

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Your Submissions

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The Sine Qua Non Prizes  Charges fees for all submissions

Before Submitting

We cannot guarantee that the information on this page is correct. It is not unusual for publications to evolve or close without notice. We do our best to keep up, but it isn't always possible. Duotrope listings do not imply endorsement or recommendation of the project being listed. Before submitting, you should use your own judgment to determine whether the project meets your standards.

  • Always read the full guidelines provided by the publisher.
  • Try to read at least one previous publication to get a better idea of what the editor would like to see.
  • Unless the publisher's guidelines state otherwise, always use industry standard manuscript formatting.
  • Be professional, patient, and persistent.

Dates

Last Updated: 31 Aug 2026

We check their guidelines for changes every four weeks, and we audit the listing twice a year.

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