Testimonials
“As a
perennial student of Writers in Progress, I have enjoyed watching Dori
grow into her very successful career as a teacher and mentor to writers
everywhere. Over the years, whenever I needed a boost in craft, I'd sign
up for a class and each time Dori would say, "Your writing has improved,
Carol." I'd toss the comment off as ‘sweet,’ but then I began to listen to
her and soon my confidence soared and my writing developed and matured.
Her lessons played a huge role in the writing of Harvest of Secrets and
I'm
immeasurably indebted...”
Carol V Paul,
author of Harvest of Secrets
“Dori Ostermiller
was my first and best teacher of memoir. Her workshops are gentle and
rigorous, deep and thought-provoking. But most of all, Dori is a truly
inspired teacher. She gave me the courage to write into the darkest and
richest parts of myself. I could not have written my first book without
her.”
Alison Smith, author of
Name all the Animals
“I have
taken a few Writers in Progress workshops; they have, in essence, enabled
me to discover the “writer” in me that I had forgotten about. Dori’s
exercises have opened up a whole new range of possibilities for my fiction
writing. Participating in the workshops and the reading series has also
helped me gain the confidence to read my work aloud, sharing it with
others.”
Megan Mistry, M.D.
“Dori is a gifted
teacher with the sharpest insight I’ve ever come across. We need that as
writers. The quality of her feedback is deep and powerful, always
generous, but not just polite. She begins and ends with this premise:
that we are already serious writers—whether budding, frightened, stuck or
in progress—who wish to improve our craft. So many workshops involve
trotting out short writing assignments. Dori does that, but as a prelude
to something deeper and more durable. I respect her immensely, and wish
she offered more workshops and more often.”
Julia Mines
“Dori
sets a wonderful, supportive tone, provides room for both seriousness
about craft and the light-heartedness necessary to write ‘shitty drafts.’
It was liberating and deepening to explore the side of writing that
includes process, creativity, dream-mind, etc… And I found her comments on
my pieces to be very insightful and encouraging.”
Nell Lake
“I came to
Writers in Progress needing to learn about narrative flow and character
development. Dori’s workshops did just that for me, and more. At first,
I needed the support and encouragement to keep writing—it wasn’t about
craft, it was about confidence and creativity. Then, as my book began to
take shape, Dori tailored her feedback and exercises to develop the skills
I needed. I highly recommend her…”
Kris Holloway,
author of
Monique and the Mango Rains: Two Years with a Midwife in Mali
“Dori covered
every beat of my manuscript with heart and brain, sensitive to what I was
trying to express. I’m grateful to her talent for making my narrative
read better, encouraging a rhythmic flow to my sentences, helping me
create more dynamic chapter openings, and giving my story more depth.
Energized by her comments, I was able to make her insights my own, using
them as a valued guide toward revision. How many editors become
personally involved? I was blessed to have found her.”
Joseph Wright
“Always
insightful and supportive, Dori’s editorial comments on my novel helped
me to understand what was working and what wasn’t. Her critique helped me
to see several possibilities for revision.”
Elli Meeropol
“Dori gives an
excellent reading to draft manuscripts. Her personal, one-on-one
reviews are candid, encouraging and very constructive. Her written
edits point out what works, while providing valuable suggestions on how to
make the writing tighter, the characters three-dimensional and the
narrative realistic and flowing. Her comments offered me the
necessary direction to begin a comprehensive re-write."
Brenda Marsian
