Left Coast Dispatch began as an outlet for the many historical “tid-bits” I often encounter while doing research. And the reality is, it was also an attempt to try and drum up some income (however limited) at a time when I had almost none.

Where can someone publish historical writing and get paid to do it? Very few places. On Vancouver Island, the few local newspapers that remain publish very occasionally on historical matters, and the people doing the writing have been doing it for decades.

There’s BC History Magazine, an excellent publication with great articles, but last time I published there the pay was less than the cost of a medium pizza (take out, not delivery).

BC Studies is the academic journal dedicated to historical (and non-historical) writing about this place, but it’s an academic journal which means the pay is zero; you’re supposed to publish there for the prestige, I guess, or because you’re one of the last remaining tenured academics that does not need the support.

It’s not all about the money, but I think most people agree it’s nice to be paid for your labour. Writers, musicians, performers, and artists deserve to be paid a living wage for their work, something Ireland has recently recognized with a Basic Income for the Arts pilot.

When it came time to publish a pretty big story about BC history, I did not pitch an academic journal or the magazine dedicated to the topic. Instead, I reached out to The Discourse, an online news publication with reach across several communities on the Island and the mainland. I’ve published with them before, and they pay me a modest amount for my work.

Writing for news media is different than writing for an academic journal, but that’s fine with me. It’s an opportunity to make the work of history more accessible and reach a wider audience.

A basic income is not coming to BC or Canada anytime soon. But it’s time for organizations dedicated to history to seriously consider what, if any, financial support they lend to history work. Without that support, we cede further ground to misinformation and “AI” slop.

You can read my latest story for The Discourse at the link below. If you enjoy it, please consider subscribing to this newsletter or lending your support to The Discourse. There’s never been a better time to support the work of telling stories.

Revising Cowichan History: How Thomas Quamtany Actually Lost His Arm