Neither can remember who came up with the original concept—a gathering of peers from around the country to meet and workshop nonfiction manuscripts—but one thing is clear: both Sue Ribner and Ron Grant organized and participated in the first Gribner in January 2005, a four-day intensive workshop, held in a beautiful mansion near Cannon Beach, Oregon, overlooking Haystack Rock in the Pacific Ocean.

So meaningful was the critique and so cutting-edge the innovation, that none of the original Gribner six gave up her/his spot for Gribner Number Two, the following September in a rural Michigan farmhouse. “Where else can I get five talented writers to unravel each element of my manuscript?” said Michael, one of the original members. “Where else can I get my work critiqued and work on my walnut-golf skills?” said Karen. Though Caroline never won a game of the infamous golf played in the lush yard and huge cornfield behind the farmhouse, Gribner did allow her to realize her dream of completing her manuscript and readying it for submission.

Then came Gribner Three through Six, held in Prague in the summers of 2006 - 2009, as part of the Prague Summer Program— the same program in which Sue and Ron originally met. More successful manuscript reviews have been conducted, these with PSP students University classroom overlooking the magical city of Prague.