Saving local news also means saving the archives

www.poynter.org/reporting-ed...

How newsrooms are bringing their archives to life Journalists at The Economist, Charlie Hebdo, Archivi.ng and RetroNews share how – and why – they are putting their past articles to work with new features.

reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/news/how-new...

Screenshot of the LMCC website homepage. LMCC logo in dark brown font against a yellow background.

‪Do you work with a #literarymagazine #publishing in Canada? Launching a new #litmag? Recently closed & want to share your story? We're a new organization that supports all #litmags at all stages. We meet via Slack and monthly online. Baseline sector survey underway! Contact us via the website.

Empty Canvas Graffiti and mural on the Lochside Trail in Victoria. Author photo. Art is everywhere, if we look for it. If we’re open to it. Unobtrusive, or big and bold. Sanctioned or a surprise. And we&#…

Art is everywhere, if we look for it. If we’re open to it. Unobtrusive, or big and bold. Sanctioned or a surprise. And we’re art, too. But just like the beauty and creativity in the real world, sometimes it’s hard to see it in ourselves.

All my March musings:

sonianicholson.com/2026/03/27/e...

Issue 1 Photograph by Brian Michael Barbeito. Letter from the Editor When I hatched this bird-brained idea to start a literary magazine, I had grand hopes and dreams of creating an inclusive, friendly spac…

I’m going to allow myself a moment to feel proud of bringing the first issue of this new lit mag, Andorinha Press, into the world. But I’m also humbled by the trust people placed in me. I hope to continue supporting creatives and their work.

andorinhapress.wordpress.com/2026/03/20/i...

Online Magazine | The Wise Owl I The Daily Verse The WISE OWL is Literary & Art e-magazine publishing poetry, stories, essays, anecdotes, travelogues, musings, critiques and reviews of books and movies. It also showcases visual arts, podcasts and Sh...

The theme for The WiseOwl’s The Daily Verse for March is “Cartographies of the Self.” This theme invites poets to explore the inner terrain — the landscapes of memory, identity, fracture, and becoming.

I’m pleased to share my poem was accepted!

www.dailyversethewiseowl.art (scroll down on page)

Bloom FYI: this is what February looks like in Victoria. (We do like to remind the rest of Canada every year around this time, as they don parkas and shovel driveways.) It’s a month that can’t fully be t…

The February blog’s out a few days early because I wanted to share a new book festival in #yyj coming up this weekend (with a workshop from yours truly). Get the details on that and all the rest of the goings-on this (spring-like) month:

sonianicholson.com/2026/02/23/b...

Pembrokeshire World War One autograph book intrigues historians In 1915,Gwladys Jones started an autograph book capturing the feelings of people in her hometown.

Historians hope to uncover stories behind teen's World War One autograph book

bbc.com/news/article...

Storytelling Workshop Master Class registration is open! A powerful story has the potential to connect us to our own experiences, pull a community together, and engage new audiences with our work. In this master class storytelling virtual workshop, spons…

Storytelling Workshop Master Class coming up from @saa-official.bsky.social

archivesaware.archivists.org/2026/02/04/s...

Screen shot with closed caption: “just going to get you to think outside the box a little bit”

I forgot to get photos from my @victoriags.org workshop on Saturday, but this screen grab says it all. My goal when talking about writing your family history? To present you with resources and options you might not have considered. To get you thinking outside the box!

Out With The Old Looking back (as one tends to do, this time of year), I realize my last few posts were on the dismal, depressed side. Yes, that was where my head was at. Yes, it was a difficult year. But also, I f…

January’s been a good month for me as a writer, and based on what’s coming down the pipe, 2026 overall is looking like a period of increased creativity, connection, and confidence. Lots of positive things going on!

Get the scoop:

sonianicholson.com/2026/01/26/o...

Still time to register for this hybrid event!

I'll also be talking about the Growing Saanich History Map and other resources at my upcoming workshop for the @victoriags.org, "From Research to Story: Writing and Sharing Your Family History," on January 31!

www.victoriags.org/content.aspx...

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Growing Saanich History Map While researching my family history, I’ve come across a lot of people, places and stories connected to late 1900s-early 1900s Saanich horticultural history. I created a Growing Saanich Histor…

Curious about the background, the map, or my adventures that afternoon? Stephanie's put together a web story you can read here:

stephanieannwarner.com/growing-saan...

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Growing Saanich History Map While researching my family history, I’ve come across a lot of people, places and stories connected to late 1900s-early 1900s Saanich horticultural history. I created a Growing Saanich Histor…

This was a fun collaboration with my historian friend, Stephanie Ann Warner, and a way for me to contribute to her community map.

If you're a local history nerd like I am, it's an enjoyable way to fill a day! It’s always so different reading about something versus experiencing it in person. (2/4)

Growing Saanich History Map While researching my family history, I’ve come across a lot of people, places and stories connected to late 1900s-early 1900s Saanich horticultural history. I created a Growing Saanich Histor…

Who says the archives experience is limited to an archives itself?

This summer, I spent a sunny afternoon exploring local places with the aim of linking historical documents and stories from the past with modern locations. (1/4)

Sonia Nicholson Sonia Nicholson, a talented Portuguese Canadian writer from Osoyoos, explores memory and identity in her works. Having contributed to various literary publications, her debut novel, “Provenan…

My first writing credits of the year! TWO new poems out in the world today, courtesy of ManicWorld Magazine.

manicworldmagazine.com/sonia-nichol...

If you’d like more help, feel free to DM me or reach out via my website. Always happy to answer questions and assist.

I would check on @chillsubs.bsky.social! Also, not 100 words, but Paragraph Planet publishes a 75-word story every day: paragraphplanet.com

Badge: The Welkin Writing Prize / Writing Superstar

Entered my 100-word story to @welkinprize.bsky.social just under the wire, then found out there were 1000+ submissions! Would that have stopped me, had I known? No. Will I make the long list? Also probably no. Still, I'm grateful for the opportunity, and for the nudge to start the year off writing!

Another Kick at the Can Victoria’s Inner Harbour, December 2025. (Author photo) With 2025 coming to a close, I know I’m supposed to fill this space with some kind of inspiring message. A look to the future. Words of wisdo…

We do have a chance, when the calendar page turns, at a fresh start. There are no guarantees, of course. There never are. But we can hope, and do our best to make the next year better than the last.

sonianicholson.com/2025/12/30/a...

Haha! Fascinating article though.

I study rat nests − here’s why rodents make great archivists An archaeologist reveals what she learned from sifting through a 200-year-old rat nest recovered from a historic Philadelphia home.

theconversation.com/i-study-rat-...

I feel honoured to be amongst such excellent company in the new issue of BC History! Pick up a copy to read all the articles, including my piece “Ship of Sins” about the ship Heather Bell. The vessel brought more than foodstuffs when it arrived in #yyj in 1860! 🧐

www.bchistory.ca/Sys/Store/Pr...

That means a lot 🥹

Thank you for sharing!

I have fond memories of that for sure!

bare, by Sonia Nicholson - The Amazine Poetry Reading #poem YouTube video by The Amazine

It’s me! (I hate that the default thumbnail shows me with my mouth open, haha) youtube.com/shorts/-dMm0...

Calgary genealogy society working to uncover secrets of thrift store mystery box | CBC News A photograph from a telegraphers union meeting. An Italian restaurant menu from Toronto. A newspaper clipping covering a graduating class of Royal Canadian Air Force engineers. What do all those have ...

www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

The Sunny Hours Is it just me, or has November been weird? And felt like six months instead of one? Doesn’t it seem like everyone you know is feeling down, overwhelmed, confused? Wrestling with choices about caree…

Is it just me, or has Nov been weird? And felt like six months instead of one? Doesn’t it seem like everyone you know is feeling down, overwhelmed, confused? But even though it may not always feel like it now, better days — the sunny hours — are coming.

sonianicholson.com/2025/11/26/t...