Dora Pavel (born June 29, 1946) is a Romanian novelist, short-story writer, poet, and journalist.

Born as Dora Voicu to Viorica Pop and Eugen Voicu, both teachers, Dora Pavel graduated from the Decebal College in Deva (1964), and the Faculty of Letters of the Babeş-Bolyai University in Cluj (1969).

She graduated Decebal College in Deva (1964), and the Faculty of Letters of the Babeş-Bolyai University in Cluj (1969).

She became professor of Romanian language in Alba Iulia and Deva, then researcher at the Institute of Linguistics and Literary History in Cluj; since 1990, she has worked as editor at the local Radio Station of Cluj, where she specialises in topics of Romanian language and literature.

She also publishes poetry and prose in such literary magazines as Tribuna, Steaua, Contrapunct, Apostrof, Contemporanul-Ideea Europeană, România literară, Viaţa românească, Poesis, Familia and Vatra.