Sofia Osborne, Editorial Coordinator, NatureWILD

Sofia Osborne up mountain with sea and land behind her

— By Joy Ling, MagsBC intern, July 2024.

Sofia Osborne is a freelance writer, editor, and audio producer based in Vancouver, Canada. She received her MFA in creative writing from the University of British Columbia and her writing is specifically focused on raising environmental awareness. Her work can be seen in Asparagus Magazine, Root & STEM, The Narwhal, and The Tyee. 

I interviewed Sofia to gain an understanding of how she discovered her passion for environmentalism, what experiences helped shape her editing and publishing career, and her work as editorial coordinator at NatureWILD magazine.

You have a plethora of prestigious publications and experiences accumulated over the years, from having your work featured on The Narwhal, The Tyee, and This magazine to helping found Cliffside Publishing. How did you start your writing career and how has it grown to editing at NatureWILD? 

I’ve always been interested in writing, especially for magazines. I remember making magazines out of construction paper when I was a kid and writing out all the articles myself! When I started my undergraduate degree at the University of Alberta, I started volunteering for the student newspaper/magazine, The Gateway, and fell in love with journalism and publishing. I went on to serve as their staff reporter, news editor, and finally managing editor.

Since graduating, and while doing my master’s in creative writing at UBC, I’ve been freelancing as a writer and editor for many publications, which has been a great experience. When the opportunity came up to take on a bigger role with NatureWILD Magazine, I jumped at the chance!

I’ve noticed that a lot of your work is surrounding the environment and climate change; with that said, there’s a lot of avenues to take to increase environmental awareness. Why did you specifically choose writing as the mechanism?

I’ve always been passionate about the environment, and it was reading books like The Sixth Extinction by Elizabeth Kolbert and This Changes Everything by Naomi Klein that showed me that writing could be a radical way to sound an alarm and inspire change.

While I actually started out my undergraduate degree in ecology, I quickly realized that I preferred talking to scientists about their work than doing the science myself. Journalism allows me to help translate their important work for the general public and make a difference.

What does a typical day in your life look like?

Working on a quarterly print magazine publication schedule means my days look quite different depending where we are in the cycle, from working with our volunteer editorial committee to planning each issue’s theme and articles, to liaising with writers, to editing, proofreading, and working with our designer. 

Outside of my work with NatureWILD, I’m also often copyediting for other publications as a freelance editor or working on stories I’ve pitched. There’s a lot of variety and flexibility, which I really enjoy.

What are some challenges you face at work and how do you overcome them? And the best part of your work?

Our readers are ages 5–12, and writing for a younger audience can be quite a challenge, especially about science. We have an amazing team of volunteers who are scientists, naturalists, educators, and parents that I get to work with to craft our articles to appeal to our young readers. Working with them is a highlight of this job, as well as connecting with families who are impacted by our work.

Are there any skills you’ve learnt from your previous experiences that you think have played an essential role in helping you succeed at work? 

As a freelance writer and editor, I’ve had to learn to be able to have a lot of balls in the air at once, which has really benefited me now that I manage a print magazine. There are so many things to keep on top of—contributors, editors, contests, marketing, distribution, and print schedules, among many other things. Staying organized and on top of things is essential to make sure we go to print on time.

Why did you decide to work for NatureKids BC and their publication NatureWILD?

I have always been passionate about science communication, especially for kids, so when I saw the opportunity to combine that interest with my love for print magazines I was sold! 

It’s really special to get to work with a dedicated, local BC team who are committed to making nature more accessible for families and to be able to contribute to that mission using my experience as a writer and editor.

What were some of the most helpful resources or experiences that helped you grow as a writer?

Working at the student newspaper gave me so much experience in writing and editing in a lower-stakes environment. I was able to learn about journalism, editing, and magazine publishing and get a lot of practice before venturing into the greater freelancing world. 

I also learned so much about myself as a writer from the MFA creative writing program at UBC, where I was able to explore so many genres, from poetry to TV writing to speculative fiction.

Any pieces of advice you would give to people interested in editing?

I would say to take any little bits of editing work you can, because you never know what will turn into larger opportunities. I would also say to start your own projects that you’re passionate about and connect with other writers, editors, and publications with similar interests to you.

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