Canada’s meeting place for freelance writers and creators
Established 2010
Canada’s meeting place for freelance writers and creators
Established 2010
Fifteen years ago, Story Board launched with a simple but ambitious intention: to give Canadian freelancers a place to learn, connect, and advocate for a better, more sustainable creative career.
What began as a small collaboration between the Canadian Media Guild and Derek Finkle’s Canadian Writers Group eventually grew into one of the most trusted hubs for freelance news, resources and solidarity in the country.
Today, Story Board lives under the Canadian Freelance Guild, stronger and more relevant than ever—championing freelancers, sparking conversation and reminding us that independence doesn’t have to mean going it alone.
Story Board’s first post went live on November 22, 2010, launching what would become a vital online home for freelance writers, journalists and creatives across Canada.
The platform was born out of a groundbreaking partnership between the CMG and CWG, bridging a union and a literary agency to strengthen protections and opportunities for freelancers. That collaboration unlocked new pathways: CWG writers gained access to CMG’s Freelance Branch, while CMG freelancers could join CWG and access agency-style support. It was a bold idea for its time, and it set the tone for what Story Board would continue to do: push for better standards and build community through shared knowledge.
Early on, the site carved out its identity through a mix of industry reporting, practical how-to guidance, and a willingness to call out problems when freelancers were mistreated.
Story Board didn’t shy away from tough conversations—one of the most commented-on posts in its history is the December 13, 2013 piece calling out Venture Publishing for unpaid work. That article drew around 40 comments, proving freelancers were ready to speak up, share their experiences, and rally together.
Along the way, Story Board weathered a few colourful adventures—like the infamous lone troll, Joe Clark (yes, that was his real name). The team confirmed it definitely wasn’t the former PM before eventually showing him the door. Even in its early days, Story Board wasn’t just a platform; it was a community space that protected its contributors and encouraged healthy, respectful dialogue.
No look back would be complete without celebrating The Born Freelancer, one of Story Board’s most beloved and enduring columns. The first post appeared on May 6, 2011 and taught readers how to record a phone interview…using a cassette recorder. The technology may look prehistoric now, but the timeless advice, and the columnist’s signature mix of warmth, wit and anonymity, kept readers coming back for well over a decade.
Few contributors have documented the freelance life as thoroughly or with as much heart.
When the Canadian Freelance Guild launched in March 2020, Story Board officially became part of the Guild’s new home for freelance news, training and advocacy. The transition cemented what Story Board always represented: a place built by freelancers, for freelancers, designed to help people navigate a rapidly changing media landscape.
Interestingly, through all this growth, Story Board stayed remarkably consistent. The platform itself hasn’t changed much since the beginning and that’s part of its charm. It’s a working archive, a living record of the challenges and triumphs freelancers have faced over the last 15 years.
As Story Board marks its 15th anniversary, one thing is constant: the landscape around us continues to shift. Freelancers are more essential than ever. Work is somehow more fragmented. Newsrooms are contracting. Layoffs dominate the headlines. And yet, freelancers continue to build, create and support each other through communities like this one.
Story Board remains a touchstone—a place to find clarity when the industry gets noisy, to discover opportunities, share warnings and remember we’re not the only ones navigating the ups and downs of independent creative work.
This anniversary is one part nostalgia and one part recommitting to what Story Board has always done best:
Story Board grew from a single idea into a national network because freelancers needed it, and we still do.
Here’s to the last 15 years of stories, advocacy, resilience, and connection.
And here’s to the next 15.
