About Us
We are a small, 100% Canadian-owned 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 country. Our books are produced and printed in Canada on FSC-certified recycled papers!
Many contests 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 offer to publish almost all the 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 ethical alternative to vanity publishers. By not charging entry fees, we make our contests available to everyone, regardless of financial ability. By publishing approximately 25-50% of the entries we receive (depending on the contest and age/grade of participant), we give all a fair chance to get published and see how their work compares to their peers, while still producing something of high quality.
Our contests and publications are funded solely through the sale of the books. Even though we would love to, it is NOT possible for us to provide payment or complimentary copies to all writers published in the collections.
We hope to inspire Canadians of all ages to continue reading and writing! We know our collections stand out, and we invite you to take a look at what we do. Your experience with us will speak for itself!
We run four competitive contests each year.
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 writers of all ages (writing for an audience of their peers). 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 writing contests for children and youth in kindergarten through grade twelve. Our intent is to provide a free yet valuable tool to educators to encourage 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 all Canadians 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.