About Us

ACT FOUR

A Community of Novelists

NOW IN ITS 4th YEAR,

A DIFFERENT KIND OF WRITING WORKSHOP PROVIDES YOU WITH A REVIEW OF YOUR FULL MANUSCRIPT BY FELLOW AUTHORS

After becoming friends in the same critique group for two consecutive years at the Big Sur Writing Workshop in the California redwoods, and after attending writing workshops throughout the United States, two aspiring novelists, D.S. Kane and D. J. Phinney envisioned a different breed of workshop, permitting peer review of not only the opening to one’s work, but a full-manuscript review, replicating a reader’s armchair experience.

Out of that vision, the Act Four novelists’ community came into being.

In our first year, there were only four of us. Two of us found literary agents, in large measure from the work done within ACT FOUR. The other two didn't try to obtain agents.

Our second year we had twelve writers, but only ten worked through to the end. Two more found literary agents.

We offered coursework in writing during our third year, and again had twelve writers.

This year, we have room for over twenty.

For a writer to be successful, they must develop the ability to critique and self-edit effectively.

This is what ACT FOUR teaches through critique via email.