I write powerful and engaging stories for all age groups. My novels are:
- Harmony (Scholastic 2021; Long-listed for the ARA Historical Prize – CYA Section)
- A New Kind of Everything (Scholastic 2020)
- The Happiness Quest (Scholastic 2018; CBCA Notable Book for Older Readers 2019)
- This Is My Song (Scholastic 2017; ACU Book Of The Year 2019; Winner of the 2018 Prime Minister’s Literary Award for Young Adult Literature; Finalist in the 2017 Queensland Literary Awards; also published in the Czech Republic by Albatros Media)
- Joyous and Moonbeam (Scholastic 2013; Finalist in the 2014 West Australian Premier’s Awards for Young Adult Literature)
- Spring Rain (Self-published 2011)
- Drink the Air (Strictly Literary: Winner of the 2010 Queensland Premier’s Award for Young Adult Fiction)
- Bloodlines (Strictly Literary 2009)
- The Rose Leopard (University of Queensland Press 2003)
Other credits include:
- Medal in the Order of Australia (OAM) in 2011 for services to education, literature and performing arts
- Recipient of the 2022 Queensland Writers Centre – Varuna Fellowship for Established Writers
- Appointed onto the judging panel for the 2021 Prime Minister’s Literary Awards (Children’s and Young Adult Literature)
- Recipient of a 2015 May Gibbs Literature Trust Creative Time Fellowship for the creation of This Is My Song
- Winner of the 2016 FAW NSW Walter Stone Award for Life Writing for Homecoming
- Recipient of an Australia Council Literature Board Grant for Emerging Writers in 2011-2012
- Joint winner of the 2004 Queensland Theatre Company Expressions Play-script Competition for Heart
I am an accomplished speaker and presenter with over thirty years of teaching experience. I offer workshops on all aspects of the writing process to schools and other organisations via:
or you can can contact me directly via this webpage. I also act as a writing mentor, manuscript assessor and workshop provider through the auspices of the Queensland Writers’ Centre. Go to:
I share at:
The following interview from Magpies magazine (March 2020) gives a comprehensive overview of my work to that point – Magpies article
Richard Yaxley 
Hello Richard,
I would like to make contact about a visit to our college for a writing workshop.
Please send me an email so we can discuss further.
Bernadette – Information & Library Services Manager
Dear Richard. I’m touching base to discuss organising a couple of online creative writing workshops for my school in Term 3. Would it be possible to have a conversation about this? Kind regards, Cameron
Hello,
Did you write a book called ???? by Richard Yaxley that I got given for an assignment?
I want to know about this due to being very interested in this play/book and was looking for the full version!
Kind Regards,
Grace
Hi Grace, the play without a name – ???? – is part of a book called No Big Drama, published by Jacaranda in 2002 (the authors are Yaxley, McAlister and Saldais). The full version is in there – or maybe you were given the full version – it’s only 10 pages long. Anyway, glad you found it interesting. Best wishes, Richard