About Us
We are a small Canadian publisher dedicated to the task of creating books showcasing the very best poems and short stories written by Canadians of varying backgrounds, ages, and occupations.
We care deeply about the environment and our books have been printed on FSC-certified recycled papers since 2008!
Many companies charge entry fees to cover the costs associated with prizes and publication, and then publish one to three percent of entries. These are wonderful endeavours for those who can afford the fees and accept the odds. Other companies, however, may wish you to think of them as government-sponsored, non-profit organizations using names such as "Institute" or "Library." In reality, most are private operations that offer to publish the majority of entries and may even charge fees to include things like a small biography.
We, at Polar Expressions Publishing, are trying something unconventional. We are offering an honest and ethical alternative to vanity publishers. By not charging entry fees we make our contests available to everyone, regardless of financial ability, and by publishing only the top entries (between 25% and 45% depending on the contest and the number of entries) we give all a fair chance to get published and see how their work compares to their peers. We hope to inspire Canadians of all ages to continue reading and writing! We know our collections stand out, and invite you to take a look at what we do. Your experience with us will speak for itself!
We run four highly competitive contests each year.
Although open year-round, in spring we announce our annual national poetry contest, as well as our annual national short-story contest. These are both free contests aimed at adults and mature teenagers (recommended for those aged fourteen and over). Their purpose is to encourage Canadians of all ages to use writing as an outlet for expressing their thoughts and emotions.
In early September we announce our annual national student poetry contest, and our annual national student short-story contest for children in kindergarten through grade twelve. Our intent is to provide a free valuable tool to educators in encouraging their students and to inspire a lifelong enchantment with poetry and prose.
The young people of Canada have an outstanding ability that is often not recognized by the literary world. The creativity they are able to display through their writing can be astounding. We, at Polar Expressions Publishing, believe those youngsters should have an opportunity to share their work and see what their peers are thinking about. We want to provide that important venue so they are able to write about these things in a positive environment.
In April of each year, we accept a limited number of manuscripts (currently non-fiction, self-help, and children's stories) for consideration of traditional publishing opportunities. If this interests you, please contact us for further information.