our mentors

: Jill Dawson – founder

: Celia Brayfield

: Sally Cline

: Louise Doughty

: Susan Fletcher

: Midge Gillies

: Lesley Glaister

: Romesh Gunesekera

: Sarah Hall

: Kathryn Heyman

: Liz Jensen

: Jim Kelly

: Sarah May

: Andrew Miller

: Tim Pears

: Jane Rogers

: Richard Skinner

: Michelle Spring

: Lee Weatherly

: Shelley Weiner

: Andrew Wilson

Gold Dust’s mentors are writers at the top of their game. They are chosen for their writing and teaching accomplishments. We have a rule that all Gold Dust mentors must have published at least five books (often the figure is many more) and have won, judged or been nominated for major national and International literary prizes such as The Booker, The Costa, The Women’s Prize, The Folio, The Impac and others.

Click on an image to read more about an individual Gold Dust mentor.
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‘Well within my target year, the novel was out there in the real world, with an agent.’
– Jane Rusbridge, author of The Devil’s Music (Bloomsbury), mentored by Kathryn Heyman
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Many have been RLF Fellows, meaning they are particularly skilled at working one-to-one. In addition, all have taught on the best writing courses and many are, or have been, senior professors and course directors. These writing programmes include Creative Writing MAs such as UEA, Bath Spa, Goldsmith’s, Cambridge, Oxford, Sheffield Hallam, or for The Arvon Foundation, Guardian Masterclasses and The Faber Academy.
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‘Gold Dust is for people who take their writing seriously. It’s been a brilliant investment for me, worth every penny.’
– Cherise Saywell, author of Desert Fish (Vintage) mentored by Lesley Glaister.
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