Submission Guidelines
Anyone can submit information for BC History Online. You do NOT have to be a member of one of the British Columbia Historical Federation's constituent historical societies.
Our aim is to create a comprehensive and searchable database of everything and everyone in the history of British Columbia
We need whole articles or shorter written pieces, even just paragraphs,on the following:
The history of every settlement in the province, big and small, incorporated and unincorporated. Make sure the place you live is represented here!
Histories of features, companies, organizations, big and small, still in existence or now defunct; if it has a history you can write about, we need it. This might include such things, for example, as varied as the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway, Telus (BC Telephone), oil companies, real estate companies, Expo86, BC Rail, Union Steamships, coal mines, steamboats; that sort of thing.
People: politicians, premiers, businesspeople, company founders,ordinary people who did something that influenced history, explorers, fur trade personnel, mayors, developers, Aboriginal personalities, planners, mapmakers, mountaineers, sports personalities, etc., etc. - the list is almost endless. If they have significance to the province's history we want them included!
Events, eras and epochs: If you are feeling adventurous we need articles on every historical event of significance or interest. Railway building, road building, the Royal Engineers, the various gold rushes, mining history, the creation of the colonies, power generation, Aboriginal history, the history of New Caledonia, etc., etc.
And anything else - if it is of significance to BC history, if the story should be part of BC history - send it in!
Please follow these rules when submitting materials to BC History Online.
- Preferably, first email the editor Derek Hayes with your proposed subject. Though not mandatory, this is simply to avoid unnecessary duplication of effort. If you are going to write on your city's history, for example, and someone else has already begun, I will tell you that (and perhaps encourage you to cooperate on the effort, especially for larger subjects).
- Be sure your facts are correct. Listing of sources is allowed and encouraged but not essential.
- Be sure that the work is your own; don't copy from a book, unless the book is out of copyright and you attribute your writing to it. Use books, but rewrite. Photos, maps, or other images should be yours or out-of-copyright or ones that you have permission to use.
- Please write grammatically, and proof your work for errors and typos BEFORE you send it to us. We cannot copyedit; you must do this yourself. Get others to read your work.
- Once you have sent in your work it will be reviewed and either accepted as is or sent back to you for revisions or for the answers to questions (typically "how do you know this to be true.") Anticipate that questions will be asked and try to include the answers before we ask them! As you can appreciate, we need to ensure that the encyclopedia is a trustworthy source for BC history.
HOW TO SEND US YOUR WRITINGS
Preferably just send the article as an email. If you need specific formatting you may also send Word documents or a PDF. Other formats such as Pagemaker or InDesign are possible but please ask first. Attach images to the email. Make sure they do not exceed 1200 pixels in any one dimension. If you need help with this please ask.
- Email materials to the BC History Online editor, Derek Hayes: Derek Hayes Please include BCHO in the subject line.
Your name will be appended to the writing so you are responsible for it, but also get the credit. If you have a valid reason to remain anonymous, you may!
Any questions? Email Derek.
