Guidelines for Elder Voices Project Too (Two) - Second Anthology

What the Elder Voices Project Is About

The Elder Voices Project seeks poetry, essays, and short fiction from Washington State residents 65 years and older to help re-examine our understanding of aging. 

We seek poems, essays and short fiction from a cross-section of individuals in Washington State to illustrate diverse experiences that capture the vitality and wisdom in their varied stories, and “…celebrate aging without denying or obscuring its challenges.”  

Accepted pieces will be collected in an anthology, and readings will be hosted across the state by the Palliative Care Institute in 2026.

Woman in a vibrant, embroidered top speaking at a wooden podium with flowers.

Submission Guidelines

Submissions may consist of up to three individual poems or two short essay or fiction pieces (not to exceed 500 words each). Single-spaced Word document, Times New Roman, size 12 preferred. Multiple submissions should be included within one document. Black and white photographs, art or sketches (three pieces maximum) may also be considered.

Writers:

  • must be a Washington State resident.
  • must be 65 years or older.
  • must be the exclusive author of the submitted work.

Only previously unpublished (including on-line) poems, essays or fiction will be considered. 

Please submit a digital copy of your submission and a separate letter of introduction

  • The letter should include the following demographics: name, age, gender, any communities with which you identify (eg. ethnicities, orientation), street address, phone number, email address and the titles of the pieces you are submitting for consideration.
  • The submission document should not include any identifying information other than the titles of each piece.

Timeline

Entries will be accepted from December 1, 2025 through March 31, 2026. Submissions after March 31 will be disqualified.

Where to Send Your Submission(s)

  • Entries should be emailed to: pci@wwu.edu with SUBMISSION in the subject line. 

A Word document is preferred, or please paste text in the body of your email.

Selected writers will be notified by phone or email before the last day of June 2026 and will receive a complimentary copy of the anthology.

An elderly woman with gray hair, wearing a black sweater with a colorful design and a red collar, speaks into a microphone at a podium. She raises her left hand.
A senior woman speaks at a podium in an indoor setting with a name tag and microphone, a fan in the background.

This project is funded by the Palliative Care Institute and facilitated by Chuckanut Sandstone Writers Theater. Editors are Marie Eaton, Carla Shafer and Angela Boyle, who edited the first edition, Elder Voices: Wistful, Wondering, Wise (2025). You can learn more about the first edition at the following links.

The first edition can be purchased through Village Books in Bellingham, WA.