Contribute to Starts at 60

Starts at 60 welcomes contributed articles and real-life stories from over-60s that are thought and discussion-provoking.  We also invite submissions of guest posts from subject matter experts on retirement-related issues. 

Our editors love to receive well-written stories and articles that we can publish across our network and share with our readership of Australian and New Zealand seniors.

We are looking for timely, relevant and socially interesting and discussable content.  Stories must be widely engaging to our 1-million-strong community, ideally driving widespread discussions on social media and potentially in media too. 

Download the Starts at 60 Community Writers Handbook for more information.

We actively seek contributors for the following regular columns: 

We remember when: Our regular nostalgia column where writers in their 60s and beyond reflect on memorable experiences, objects and moments of nostalgia. 

Family Secrets: True stories about family secrets that will amaze people and make them feel like they are not alone with the craziness in their family.  All of these are published under anonymous bylines to protect the contributors. 

Letters to the Editor: Argumentative opinion pieces written to the Starts at 60 Editor and audience to drive discussion on current affairs-related topics.  Write them as “Dear Starts at 60”. 

Do it yourself: How-to articles from over-60s who have learned ‘the hard way’ how to do something and want to share it, so others in your peer group can benefit from the learning.  Please send in your photos with your story. And don’t assume this needs to be about construction – we want craft, gardening, cleaning tips, life hacks, decluttering, and more. 

Grey Nomads: Stories from grey nomads that tell tales from their caravanning journeys through Australia and New Zealand. People are keen to hear about the experiences, routes and destinations in a relaxed and humour-filled manner, and please send your photos. 

The Traveller: Stories from big retirement holidays that others aspire to, telling tales that inspire others to get out of their homes and experience the world.  

The Solo Traveller: We love stories of solo travellers making their way in the world to experience things.  Inspire more than 40% of over-60s who really want to travel solo and might want a little nudge.  

Funny Stories: We love to laugh, so bring us your funny, comical or humorous stories of life, love or grandkids.  

The Tough Stuff: Stories of hardship, troubling relationships and life-learnings that you want to share with others in their sixties.  These can be anonymous if desired, just let us know when you submit. 

Family Recipes: We are looking for iconic, valued and really wonderful family recipes that you would like to see featured for Starts at 60 readers to make and enjoy. 

Retirement Guide: We publish articles from experienced retirees and retirement coaches who can provide reflections others can learn from in retirement.  You’ll find these on topics of health, wellbeing, money, downsizing and more.  

OPTION 1: PITCH YOUR STORY IDEA HERE! 

OPTION 2: NOT SURE WHERE TO START? REGISTER YOUR INTEREST HERE TO WRITE FOR US

What you need to know about contributing to Starts at 60

All submissions must adhere to our Terms & Conditions. By submitting a written piece to Starts at 60, in any format, including any text, images, graphics, or video, you agree that you have read and understood the terms outlined, allowing Starts at 60 to publish and distribute submitted content to its audience via its websites, social media platforms and other third-party media platforms in perpetuity.

You warrant that you have all of the necessary rights, including copyright and distribution, in the content and images you contribute, that your content is not defamatory and that it does not infringe any law. You indemnify Starts at 60 against any and all legal fees, damages and other expenses that may be incurred by Starts at 60 as a result of a breach of the above warranty.

When submitting a post, please provide:

1.  Any relevant links and images (including photos of the people who are being described in your story, where possible and appropriate). 
2. A biography of up to 200 words and a high-resolution headshot of the author (unless you are submitting anonymously if this is the case please make that clear in your submission).

The text of the post should be copied in the body of the email AND attached in a Word document. Please aim to keep posts between 600-1000 words.

Sending your submission

Please send submissions through to: community [ at ] startsat60 [dot] com. 

Unfortunately due to the high volume of submissions we receive, only applicants with successful submissions will be contacted.  Submissions of fewer than 600 words or more than 1000 words will not be accepted at all. 

If it is an urgent submission of a timely nature, please title:  ‘URGENT SUBMISSION: <Title of Submission>’

Rules regarding payment for written work

Starts at 60 provide a small payment or incentive for your original work if it is published, subject to conditions. We publish a limited number of stories per month. Final decision on what is published lies with our editors and management staff. Stories need to be of broad interest to our readers to be published. Stories will be edited to meet our editorial needs, which may see your story re-headlined. 

Stories must be original work to qualify for payment. ‘Original work’ means the post cannot have been previously published elsewhere at all, including on a personal blog. You may, of course, submit a post from your blog via a link or an article you have written for a book or other activity but note that payment does not apply to work already published. 

If you are not seeking payment for your work, please note this in your correspondence.  

Submitting content that you have published elsewhere

We will consider republishing content that is published on your own blog if it is of strong interest to our readers, with appropriate copyright release (see terms and conditions below).  We do not pay or provide incentives for unoriginal content.  Please send in per the above process and acknowledge that your piece has been published and where and when this has been published before. If we choose to publish it, we will link with appropriate canonical reference.

Expert Contributors

Independent experts contribute stories to Starts at 60 under a different process, managed carefully by our Editorial Team.  We seek respected industry expert contributions that help over-60s navigate the challenges and opportunities of retirement. These stories are not eligible for our contributor payments and incentives. If you would like to be considered as an Expert Contributor, please complete this Contact Us form and our team will be in touch.

*Note* We do not publish SEO backlink articles or promotional content through this program. Please contact our Advertising and Partnerships team for high quality, high performing content partnerships. Please complete this Contact Us form and our Partnership Team will contact you.

Starts at 60 Pty Ltd ABN: 43 168 338 289 of 2/19 Musgrave St, West End, QLD, 4101

1. Together with the mutual promises and obligations contained herein and by way of other good and sufficient consideration, contributors submitting written content and images to Starts at 60 acknowledge and agree that:

(a) the Contributor will provide works and subject-matter for potential publication (“Content”) to Starts at 60 from time to time, in accordance with these Terms and Conditions; and

(b) in return for the Content, Starts at 60 shall publish and distribute the Content to its audience via its websites, social media platforms, other third party media platforms (“Platforms”) and provide credit to the Contributor in accordance with these terms & conditions.

2. On each occasion that the Contributor provides Content, Starts at 60 agrees that it shall:

(a) assess the Content and consider whether to publish it on the Platforms; and

(b) publish and distribute the Content to its audience (subject to the above approval).

3. The Parties acknowledge and agree that:

(a) Starts at 60 will enjoy an exclusive, irrevocable, royalty-free licence to reproduce in material form, publish, communicate to the public and adapt (for stylistic or legal purposes) the Content;

(b) Without limiting the Contributor’s right to receive credit under clause 5, the Contributor will automatically consent to and unconditionally and irrevocably waive any past, present or future acts or omissions by Starts at 60 in relation to the Content that would otherwise constitute infringement of any of the Contributor’s moral rights;

(c) Starts at 60 will be entitled to sublicense or assign its rights under these Terms & Conditions to third parties, including the licence in relation to the Content;

4. The Contributor represents, warrants and agrees that (unless the Contributor expressly advises in writing at the time of communicating any Content):

(a) the Content will be original and will not infringe any third parties’ rights under the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth) or equivalent legislation; and that contributors have secured distribution rights for all images submitted; and

(b) the Content will not convey any defamatory imputations of and concerning third parties; and

(c) the Contributor will indemnify Starts at 60 in relation to any losses, demands or other liabilities arising from any breach or failure of the Contributor’s express warranties in this clause.

5. In any dealings with the Content, Starts at 60 agrees to include a credit/acknowledgement of the Contributor in the form agreed between the Parties. No casual or inadvertent failure to accord the credit in accordance with this Agreement shall constitute a breach of this Agreement by Starts at 60 but Starts at 60 agrees to use reasonable efforts to correct any such failure if capable of rectification on a prospective basis promptly upon notification by the Contributor.

6. The Contributor acknowledges and agrees that it may be classified as an “Author” or “Writer” on the Author’s section or page of the applicable platform or website, if relevant.

7. Without limiting either party’s equitable rights and remedies in relation to confidential information, the Contributor agrees not to disclose the terms and conditions of without the prior written consent of Starts at 60, except as required by law or to professional advisers to obtain advice.

8. Both Parties agree to comply with all applicable jurisdictional privacy and data laws, regulations and policies when collecting, using or storing consumer data (whether personally or non-personally identifiable).

9. These Terms & Conditions are governed by the laws of Queensland, Australia and both parties submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Queensland, Australia.

10. In the event of any clause or any part of a clause of these terms being invalid, illegal, unlawful or otherwise incapable of enforcement, that clause or part of a clause shall be deemed to be severed and to be of no force and effect. All other clauses and parts of clauses shall nevertheless prevail and shall remain in full force and effect and no clause or part of a clause shall be construed to be dependent on any other clause or part of a clause unless stated in these terms & conditions.