testimonials

I found Carole (Angier) to be a very dedicated tutor who helped me very much in editing my autobiography work to suit my readers. Carole has a wealth of knowledge, expertise, the skills, ability and the experience with which she helped me as well as the other students in our group to relax and tackle the work with ease. My most important memories of our actual work together was in the choices of words that Carole possesses, that really helped not only me, but many other students in our group, whose English is not our first or second (or even third for other students) language. Her broad skills really help transform my writing style. I am very proud of, and hope that many other students who are lucky to have Carole as their mentor would also feel privileged to work with Carole to create some outstanding piece of writing.

My One to One mentoring with Carole had been the best kind of teaching that really helped me gain courage and confidence in showing my writing to others. It also lifted up my self esteem and given me the boldness to read my work aloud, and now I am happy to stand up and read what I have written with confidence in front of many people.
Filda Abelkec-Lukonyomoi

Having Carole Angier as a mentor has surpassed my expectations. To work with someone of her quality, with this kind of close engagement, is what I’d been hoping to find for many years. So thanks to Gold Dust, for the scheme and to you for the ‘matching.’ She is a skilled, sensitive, and highly intelligent editor. In many of the sessions I have really felt met and matched - and what an experience that is!
Christine Cohen-Park

To have regular meetings with a mentor whose skill and knowledge you respect, is a treat for a writer. Particularly if your mentor is Carole Angier. It has been wonderful to have my writing read so carefully and accurately, and to be given such concise and helpful feedback.

Carole praised things she liked and gave me clear suggestions for what needed improving. They included more use of metaphor and humour, and the deepening and enriching of the whole text, and of the characters themselves. I thought my writing was becoming shorter and sharper, but she felt I was being too economical. She suggested I write more fully about the characters. She thought some of them were unlikeable, and we agreed on a formula to make them both ‘better and worse’. The very fact she saw them as real and could discuss how they might behave, was affirming in itself!

Carole showed me how details needed to be specific, and descriptions particular to situations and underlying themes. Her suggestions were an invitation to slow down and expand, which in turn helped me discover new ideas and connections.

It has been stimulating to talk over things in my novel that I might have spent months mulling over by myself. Carole’s way of listening and her clear thinking have helped me work out what I wanted to do.

I’m tempted to write that for anyone who has got worn down with their writing and with wondering how their novel is going, or what to do to improve it, a year’s mentoring of this sort is worth its weight in Gold Dust! But naturally Carole has forbidden clichés.

My year with Gold Dust has given me what I wanted; time, stimulation and detailed feedback. And new skills to take forward in my writing.
Suzy Ellis, mentored by Carole Angier

A year or so after completing an MA I was experiencing a low ebb of confidence and could see only how difficult it was going to be to complete a first draft of my novel.  I knew I needed someone to help me set and enforce deadlines as well as to give me consistent feedback on what was working and what was not.  Being accepted onto the Gold Dust programme has given me exactly that.  I feel extremely fortunate to have been matched with Louise as my mentor.  We discussed and agreed the way we would work together, have set deadlines and have kept to them.  The greatest benefit to me so far has, in many ways, been the most unexpected; it is the encouragement that she has given me.  When we talk I feel that the characters I have created have an existence in her mind's eye, and that degree of engagement with my work is remarkable to me.  She has also encouraged me to add complexity to the plot, which now done seems to have always been inevitable, but would have taken me a long time to achieve on my own.
That is not to say she is uncritical, but only rarely do I disagree with her comments, and I have found that  her recommendations on trimming the text are now influencing the work I am producing.
I am half way through the programme and may already be suffering separation anxiety.
Rowena Dunn, mentored by Louise Doughty

I just wanted to thank you again for all your help over the past year. I certainly would not have produced such a focused and consistent piece of work without you. I think at the outset I said that I felt it would be good to have someone to challenge me, someone whose work I respected but who wrote differently from myself. I think it worked, and I have really appreciated your professionalism as a mentor and your interest in me as a developing writer.
Jon Chapman, mentored by Jill Dawson

I embarked on the Gold Dust adventure with some misgivings, but was immediately reassured on meeting Sal.  Her friendly, but rigorous approach was exactly right and under her guidance my manuscript has improved immeasurably.  Plot, character and language have all been developed and tightened and I now feel I have a story which is ready for submission.  However it fares, the journey to completion has been fruitful and enjoyable and I recommend the course to any would-be Gold Dusters.  Thanks, Sal. 
Liz Hourston, mentored by Sally Cline. 
 
Without Jill Dawson I would probably still be reading travel books on Iran rather than getting on with writing the novel in which the main character is from Iranian parentage.
With Jill's inspiration I finished a polished first draft of the novel within 8 months. 
 
When I applied for a mentor I had written two novels that were not published.  What I needed was permission to start a third novel, somebody to tell me that I can write.  Jill gave me the necessary encouragement, and most of all, raised my confidence as a writer.
'I'm a serious writer.  My novel is publishable.  I deserve your respect,' were the positive thoughts she gave me as a parting homework during our last session, to keep in mind when writing to agents. 
 
If you have been writing for a long time and are losing confidence because of a lack of success, try Gold Dust.
Fatima Martin, mentored by Jill Dawson

Working with Jill Dawson was like having an experienced writing friend who provided editorial input, motivation and industry insight in equal and plentiful measure. 
Paul Daly
 
‘It's difficult to pinpoint exactly what works in having a mentor, but there is no doubt  that my writing and my critical eye sharpened dramatically in the year I spent having Sal Cline as my GoldDust mentor. The shifts happened subtly -  for some time I wondered if I was making any progress, but when I look back  I cringe at what I originally presented to GoldDust. By contrast now the structure, content and style of my book are lean and strong.  Sal was great. Patient, encouraging, unrelenting in standards. She was just what I ne eded, and I have no hesitation in recommending the mentoring scheme. I am now writing to agents. As Sal said, maybe one will take me on, maybe not, but at least  my book is publishable. And it has spurred me on to write my next.
Mary Whistler mentored by Sally Cline.
 
‘Put simply, Michelle Spring helped me to transform a creaky outline into a polished first draft.   But so much more - she combines a powerful analysis of plot and searching insights into character with a sympathetic and supportive approach to her ‘mentees’.   A highly successful writer in her own right, Michelle understands the process and will deftly guide you through, around or over the many obstacles along the way.’
KATHRY N SKOYLES (ESCALATOR AWARD WINNER, whose novel is currently with her agent), mentored by Michelle Spring
 
‘Having just completed my year with a mentor, I can honestly say that there is no way I would have been able to produce a 60,000 word novel in twelve months without her.  The experience was exactly what I needed and had hoped for. Whilst regretting that this amazing creative period has come to an end, I do now feel energised and ready to engage with the literary world.  If you are serious about writing, and about becoming 'a writer', then you owe it to yourself to sign up.’ 
Helen Bettinson, mentored by Jill Dawson
 
I have just come to the end of my Gold Dust mentoring year and simultaneously completed the first draft of my first novel. It has been hard work but hugely rewarding, rather like a fast-track MA in Creative Writing only better as the monthly one-to-one feedback and discussion sessions that I had with my mentor could address my specific needs. I have learnt so much and feel so much better equipped to move ahead with my writing. I am eternally grateful to my wonderful mentor and so delighted to have had the “Gold Dust” experience. 
Lesley Gray, mentored by Jill Dawson

I had reached a crossroads in my writing (although it felt more like a dead end!) when I met Jill Dawson and learnt about the Gold Dust mentoring scheme. I knew I could write but had experienced enough knocks to make me wonder whether it was worth continuing. Jill showed me that it was. She has restored my self-belief and rekindled my passion for writing, and that alone is enough for me to be forever indebted to her. The future is still uncertain but I feel much better equipped to deal with the challenges of becoming published. I knew I didn't need yet another bog-standard writing course teaching me the nuts and bolts, although Jill's experience was invaluable in helping me iron out some structural issues in my novel, I needed an ally; someone who cared whether or not I sent in a few thousand words a month to read. Having regular deadlines gave my productivity and confidence such a boost that I not only finished my novel during my time with Jill, I started on a second. Jill was warm, patient, constructive and inspiring. I cannot thank her, or Gold Dust enough.
Anne Catchpole, mentored by Jill Dawson 
 
I have to admit that initially I was angry that I had to 'resort' to seeking help from a mentor; I had heard of the scheme back in December 06 but at that time, I was confident that I had something that agents and publishers would leap at.   I wrote down the name and began sending out my work. 

My initial agent's rejection merely spurred me on to write a better book proposal but even when that had been achieved, the rejection letters continued to appear and by the late Summer I found myself in a position whereby I had ten rejections from my first few chapters and two from reading the entire manuscript.  These two last rejections were what propelled me forward to seek help for both had singled out structural and editing issues and the consensus was that my book needed repair work.

I did not know what to expect from Sally and I found the prospect of someone critiquing my precious work daunting, although her cheery emails put me at great ease.   I remember at our first meeting how horrified I was when she told me that she would not, as I had expected, be reading my work first, but that we would dissect it chapter by chapter.  However would we finish the book?  I wondered.  I soon saw sense in her method and as she justly accused me of littering the work with cliches, poor language and 2 dimensional characters I quickly realised that I had been naive to think that I was ready for publication.  

Halfway through my mentoring period, I decided with Sally's blessing, that I would take everything that I had learnt from her and that I would come back in a few months time, with something resembling a novel.  It was almost eight months later that I sent the manuscript back to Sally but in that time, the one day a week and the odd writing retreat that I devoted to my book enabled me to digest her advice and produce a more accomplished novel.

Sally was utterly brilliant; I found her no-nonsense approach exactly what I needed and to have found somebody who appreciated my sense of humour was a wonderful bonus.   And I have chosen to continue with her; I have some minor repairs to conduct on my final draft and I shall be seeking her help to write my book proposal. 

Last but not least, Ruby, I cannot thank you enough for setting up this scheme; you have done a great service to up-and-coming writers and I feel enormously privileged to have been a part of it.
Jacqueline Cloake, mentored by Sally Cline

An intensely rewarding experience which gave me an insight into how to get under the skin of my characters. 
Katharine Morton, Cambridge

‘I have valued the opportunity of this mentorship immensely and found it an extremely useful process.  Sally’s and my goal for our work together was to take what were essentially poetic vignettes rather than true short stories, and turn them into stories.  The work was challenging but also enjoyable, although sometimes less so when I was at home alone wrestling with an old habit!  Sally has a very warm manner and I always found her criticism constructive and illuminating.  I very much enjoyed working with her and am sorry the mentorship has now come to an end.

Sally and I focused intensively on the mechanics of short story writing, taking my work back to the basics to look at what I do well in my writing and the areas that needed strengthening.  Our aim was not to change my writing ‘voice’ but to look at specific elements of my work and improve their effectiveness.  We worked on plot, characterisation and including more dialogue.  We also focused on structuring my stories and making them less meandering and vague, while constantly looking in detail at the language I was using.

I now have a much greater understanding of how a short story works and have applied this knowledge to existing stories as well as writing new pieces.  Sally has also helped me to identify the recurrent themes in my work, which I am now able to build on to pull my stories together into a cohesive body of work.  From having written a selection of unfinished and unsatisfactory pieces, I now have a small collection of finished stories that I feel confident about sending to competitions and hopefully publishing.
Anne Prouse, London

‘I am indebted to my Mentor, Jill Dawson. Our sessions have provided me with a real sense of purpose, and the feedback I have received at each one has been invaluable: constructive, focused and tactful. My Mentor has truly inspired me, and given me the confidence to pursue writing as a career.’ 
Stephanie Cross, London

Having a professional spend time looking at my manuscript and being able to offer advice on all aspects of writing was invaluable - I would highly recommend it to everyone with a manuscript that is not quite there yet - a second opinion (that isn't your best friend or your mother) is incredibly useful - and with this scheme you can always argue your case.
Victoria Patch, Dartington, mentored by Kathryn Heyman.

The mentoring scheme’s frequent (and much needed) deadlines provided me with stability and focus, as I juggled lecturing, research trips, funding applications, administration work and housing concerns with the main business of writing itself. I looked to both Sally Cline (my mentor) and Jill Dawson (my tutor at UEA who recommended the scheme) as examples of established writers who had managed to balance such issues.  

When Sally Cline and I drew up our contract during the first mentoring session, we agreed to redraft the first section of my three-part novel, The Gossamer Year, to a publishable standard. We also aimed to rework the climactic scenes at the beginning of part three. Each session involved two elements: a critique of a twenty page novel extract, submitted chronologically; and a chance to reflect on a previous submission, redrafted in light of the last mentor meeting. 

Certainly, the first part of my novel has now reached a much higher standard. Sally was both an exacting and supportive influence throughout this rigorous process of reworking. We will redraft the climactic scenes during the last two hours of mentoring. The mentoring has further developed my own critical faculties. I now feel more confident about working alone to improve and complete the rest of my novel. Sally’s advice was particularly useful in encouraging me to concentrate not only on each individual line, but to look more closely at plot, pace, character and overarching structure.

Sally’s generosity, with both her time and experience, provided me with insights into commercial as well as artistic considerations. I now feel better equipped to create and maintain a compelling narrative – although this still remains one of my greatest challenges. She also provided invaluable and patient advice about the synopsis of my novel, helping me to create, eventually, a document that makes The Gossamer Year sound both commercially viable and literary. The mentoring process has ended with me having approached literary agents. Claire Alexander of Gillon Aitken and Kate Jones of ICM have expressed interest and have asked to read the full manuscript once it is completed – a task I aim to achieve by February. 
Emma Sweeney

I found this mentorship invaluable. When I first met Kathryn last May, I had been working on my novel on and off for three years, struggling to make the transition from short stories. I was wallowing around in almost 70,000 words which were not really going anywhere and I’d given myself one last year to sink or swim. Kathryn and I made a plan, set deadlines to keep up the impetus and – with wonderful brio and humour – she encouraged me to be brave, to put aside sentence by sentence fiddling until I had tackled the larger structure of my novel. The focus on plot and structure was just what I needed and, with her consistent support and guidance over the months, I grew confident enough to cut away great chunks and rearrange others, and to keep pushing on. Kathryn is a stimulating and inspirational teacher. At each stage, with clear thinking, infectious energy and enthusiasm, she provided detailed verbal and written constructive criticism, mixed with praise, and she was particularly skilful at prompting me to ask myself questions, about each character and their role in the narrative, about tension and the ordering of scenes. It was exactly what I needed. Kathryn’s guidance helped me to ‘discover’ what my novel was actually about. Well within my target year, the novel was out there in the real world, with an agent. 
Jane, mentored by Kathryn Heyman.

I was lucky enough to be mentored by Sally Cline during the winter of 06/07 and found the process transformative, challenging and utterly essential.  I took a first novel to her which had become bogged in bad habits and ignorance of good technique and with her guidance and firm resistance to all things clichéd I produced a manuscript which has won me a literary agent.  Not only am I now further along the path to being published, I have learnt how to write and how not to write. The insight Sally brought to my work was impossible for me to see alone.  I doubt such strides could have been achieved without her.  She was a joy to work with; fierce, kind and unfailingly positive.  I always left our tutorials feeling buoyed up by her ability to combine honesty with encouragement. She refused to let standards drop.  As a result I have discovered it is always possible to find the right word and impossible to hide a wrong one. I would encourage all first time novelists to work with a mentor.  The worst that can happen is that you will have to rewrite your novel.  The best that can happen is that you will have to rewrite your novel.
Ella Anstruther, mentored by Sally Cline

Jill Dawson has enabled so many new writers, through her work with the Royal Literary Fund and Arts Council England, to write better, and Gold Dust is another brilliant opportunity.  I have had the privilege of working with both Sally Cline and Kate Pullinger.  Not only have they looked after my words but they have looked after me, and these periods of my writing life I shall always be grateful for.
Miranda Landgraf

Having Shelley Weiner as my mentor this last year 2008-09 has been a rewarding experience. She has read my novel and provided me with positive critical feedback on a monthly basis, which has been invaluable in helping me develop my confidence and abilities as a writer. 

I doubt I would have been able to progress as far without her professional editorial support. 
Erica Matlow

I thoroughly enjoyed the Gold Dust experience. It was an excellent discipline ensuring that finished exercises were presented on time. The mentoring was educational and rewarding. I learnt a tremendous amount about creative writing in a relatively short time.

I was tutored by Jill Dawson and Kathryn Heyman who both gave me insight and encouragement. They are both delightful and accomplished women and it was a pleasure to meet them. Although I only ‘met’ Kathryn on the phone, we immediately established a good rapport I hope to have a short story published this year as a direct result of their help and encouragement.

I have no hesitation in recommending this course to anyone wishing to fine tune their creative writing skills.
Sadie Morgan

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