Photo © Bede Mckenna
Robert Skinner was born and raised on the Adelaide plains.
He worked for many years as a tour guide before moving to Melbourne and founding the short story magazine, The Canary Press. His writing appears frequently in The Monthly and has also featured in Best Australian Essays, Best Australian Comedy Writing and Internazionale.
He currently lives in Melbourne, where he works in a bookshop and plays percussion in a 12 piece soul/disco party band.
Other Ventures
Writing
︎Regular contributor to The Monthly (2013 – Present)
Has also featured in 'Best Australian Essays 2017', Internazionale, Murphy Live Magazine, Best Australian Comedy Writing and the International Reader's Digest, thus fulfilling a life-long dream...of his father's.
Awards for I’d Rather Not
The Guardian, Best Australian Books of 2023
Shortlisted – Small Publishers' Adult Book of the Year, Australian Book Industry Awards 2024
Readings, Best Non-Fiction of 2023
Shortlisted, South Australian Literary Awards 2024
Previous ventures
Founding Editor at The Canary Press (2013 – 2017)
The Canary Press was Australia’s greatest (and possibly only) short story magazine. It was founded in 2013, in an elaborate attempt to avoid doing the dishes. It published new and emerging writers alongside the likes of Jim Shepard, Margo Lanagan, Etgar Keret and Annie Proulx.