Cat Dean standing outside Topping & Company bookshop in St Andrews

About Cat

I work with women who want to write, but aren’t always sure where to begin.

Some arrive with the beginning of a novel; others have fragments, memories, scenes, or half-finished drafts. Many simply know they want to write, but aren’t sure what shape that writing might take.

I’ve spent my working life around words. I’m a Teaching Fellow at the University of Edinburgh, where I teach creative writing, and I’ve also worked at Canongate Books. I hold a Master’s in English Literature, a certificate in adult education, and I trained as a book coach with Author Accelerator.

But I know what it feels like to put your own writing last.

I didn’t start taking my creative work seriously until I turned forty. Like many of the women I work with, I had always wanted to write — but life, perfectionism, and self-doubt kept getting in the way.

Since then, I’ve had work published in literary magazines, won national writing competitions, been shortlisted for awards, and developed my own fiction alongside my teaching and coaching work.

What helped me most was good feedback: clear, thoughtful, professional guidance that helped me see what was working, what wasn’t, and what the writing was trying to become.

That’s what I aim to offer through my coaching, workshops, and literary gatherings: a warm, structured place to explore ideas, build confidence, and begin putting words on the page. My approach is also shaped by my wider coaching training with Coaches Training Institute, which helps me ask better questions, listen carefully, and support people without taking over their work.

Interested in workshops, literary gatherings, or writing support?

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Kind words from a former student

"I previously worked as a journalist for many years, writing for titles including The Sunday Times and The Scotsman, but remain relatively new to fiction and so have welcomed Cat’s guidance with enthusiasm and gratitude. Whenever we work together, I’m confident of being in the hands of a professional."

Read the full testimonial