Nope. This space is for real people sharing real moments. You don’t need to be polished or professional. You just need to be honest.

Anything that reflects a lived experience—moments of care, loss, joy, identity, struggle, or change. Stories about ageing, caregiving, resilience, cultural traditions, or personal turning points are all welcome. Artwork can include drawings, photography, painting, or digital creations.

Yes. You can use your real name, a pen name, or choose to remain anonymous. Just let us know your preference in the form.

Yes. There's an option on the form to let us know if you’d like your piece to be shared with your full name, first name, initials or without your name. We’ll always respect your choice.

Yes, as long as you have their permission (or they are no longer living and you’re sharing with care). Please note that on the form. We encourage you to use pseudonyms, though, to ensure privacy.  

Yes! We welcome submissions from teens and young people. If you’re under 18, please make sure you have a parent or guardian’s permission before submitting. If we choose your story for publication, we may contact you to confirm.

Not all submissions will be shared publicly, but every one is read and appreciated. If your piece is selected, we’ll notify you by email before it goes live.

We recommend keeping written submissions under 1,000 words and artwork files under 20MB if possible. If your file is larger, you can include a share link (Google Drive, Dropbox, etc.) instead.

All submissions are reviewed privately. If selected, we may publish them on our website, social media, or in related projects—with your credit or anonymously, depending on your choice. We’ll never share your contact info.

Not at this time. The Library of Lived Experience is a community archive built to honor and share real stories—not a paid publication. While we can’t offer compensation, we do offer credit, visibility (if you wish), and the opportunity to be part of a larger conversation about care, identity, and connection. If your work is selected for a special project or event in the future, we’ll reach out directly.

Not at all. Your story doesn’t have to be heavy to be meaningful. We welcome stories of joy, identity, everyday moments, resilience, or even small shifts in perspective. You choose what to share—and how much.

Sharing personal stories can sometimes stir up strong emotions—especially if your experience involves loss, trauma, or identity shifts. Please go at your own pace. You don’t have to share anything you're not ready to.

If difficult feelings come up, we encourage you to reach out to someone you trust or to a mental health professional.

We’ve put together a short list of support options here.

And, while we’re not a crisis service, we do care deeply about the wellbeing of everyone who shares with us.

Please take care, and if you are in immediate danger or experiencing a crisis, please seek emergency help in your area.