Write-Up-the-Coast in Mendonoma Coast, the secret part of the northern Pacific coastline, where the tips of Sonoma and Mendocino counties tie a knot
It's, is all about crafting words that inspire. Every story we tell reflects the diversity and richness of human experiences through our own. We believe in the power of words to connect, motivate, and change perspectives using an immersive experience.
Bringing your stories out from your inside and into your outside. At Write-Up-the-Coast, we write and share and find the relevance of our own stories in each other, and build community through sharing the spoken word.
Saturday, September 13th 3P-5P
We gather. We write. We Share. We build community. Listen to what happens. Join our movment.
Completed! Watch for 2026 Starting June 1st.
Have you ever wanted to read Ulysses? Afraid it was too hard? Daunting? Where to begin? How? Finishing U80 2025, we wrapped up with over 2000 people globally, 14 webinars with noted scholars, 15 original podcasts downloaded over 6000 times over the course of our 80 days. Strangers, readers, and curious onlookers joined together in each day's reading. No expectations. No fees. Just a community brought together by a book...Ulysses! Join Mark from right here on the coast and Cliona O'Farrely from Trinity College in Dublin as they steer a slow read of Ulysses in 80 days, including interactions with authors, scholars, and experts. Now, in its third year. Ulysses in 80 has built a reputation as 'the way to read Ulysses'. The special part is that Mark is our neighbor and will host some fun local events and get-togethers. Only 10-15 pages a day. Starts June 1st.again in 2026. Stay tuned or send Mark a note at [email protected]
we give you the option. you bring your energy
ruf? draft
writing labs
This gathering is an informal space for individuals who are curious about writing, who may be skeptical of their own confidence or abilities, or who simply want to explore 'prompt-based writing' together. Participants will learn how this experience can help them uncover their hidden stories. In a trusting environment that encourages collaboration, attendees will engage in writing, sharing, and discovering their own writing skills. They will explore the reasons behind their writing and how their stories resonate with others. Our mascot, ruf?, is a Hungarian herding dog who quietly observes from a corner or beneath a chair. With his gentle gaze, he 'herds' all of our stories into the open.e 'herds' all of our stories into the open.
building community through writing
Invite your friends, neighbors, and visitors to a neighborhood open house. Organize a block party where everyone can come together. Consider hosting a "Hike and Write" event, or gathering after a community function. You could also meet at a coffee shop for a casual writing session. This is a great opportunity to get to know each other and share the stories we all carry.
write-up-the-coast writers
Write one story. Come to one space. You are a Write-Up-the-Coast Writer! A growing coalition of writers. Invitations to write, share, be heard, and participate come your way. No obligation.
Get your patch, notebook, and pen at the next writing gathering.
PODCAST "NEW! In Discussion with Tara Duggan, The San Francisco Chronicle
The Write Up the Coast podcast is inspired by the concept of "street interviews," where hosts approach people spontaneously and with their permission to ask questions. The podcast may also be recorded in specific locations to facilitate conversations or attend events to gather reactions to installations or happenings in the area. Additionally, it will cover and review local events. With a casual and informal structure, this podcast aims to entertain and highlight the reactions of community members.
Write Up the Coast BLOG
The Write Up the Coast Blog offers spontaneous reviews of events, gatherings, observations, and the unexpected. The blog aims to provide entertaining insights into what’s happening through short dialogues, photos, and various media. Covering events, interesting people and topics, the Write Up the Coast Blog delivers information in an informal and easily digestible manner.
Read Here: Celebrating Our Writers-December 28th, 2024-The Blog Entry
Write Up the Coast POP-UPS
Pop-ups occur without a specific schedule and may have little to no advance notice. Look for the "White Here" flag or tabletop sign from Write Up the Coast. During these fun events, we will share on-the-spot writing, which can either stand alone or provide an opportunity for participants to present their pieces at larger, planned events. For updates, check out or join the Write Up the Coast Writers Facebook page and follow us on Instagram at Write Up the Coast. If you would like to host a pop-up, please contact: [email protected]. a pop-up,
custom events
Write Up the Coast offers a variety of custom events, including ice-breakers, entertainment, and writing-focused retreats. If you're hosting visitors, planning a function, or looking for a unique ice-breaker, Write Up the Coast can help! Whether it's a fundraiser, an unusual home party, or a dinner gathering with a twist, writing among friends, acquaintances, and even strangers can create a powerful and enjoyable experience. Add something extra to your next event.
readings
.At all our gatherings, we enjoy reading to each other. However, we will also host larger public readings as part of Write Up the Coast, which will feature our extended writers. From events at local venues to larger planned gatherings, Write Up the Coast is committed to providing public forums for our writers to share their original stories created during our meetings. If you are interested in hosting a public reading, please contact [email protected].
Photo: Steve Saroff at Four-Eyed Frog event.t
Write-Up-the-Coast on-site
Team Building, Community Associations, Support Groups, Classrooms
Travel can be challenging for many people, which is why Write Up the Coast offers educational groups and solutions for business or employee conference meetings and team building. Write-Up-the-Coast is here to facilitate gatherings where everyone can participate in writing activities in safe and comfortable environments.
Sharing stories from members of our communities, business and personal, especially those we may not often have the chance to meet, can provide some of the most heartwarming and important narratives for everyone to hear and write about.
For further discussion, please contact [email protected].
My Bio and My About
. Mark Sanford Gross (MSG) – Why Write Up the Coast?
Hi, I’m Mark Sanford Gross—yes it's, MSG, like Madison Square Garden. Growing up in New York City, my name always sparked some raised eyebrows and smirks. People joked about my connection to the iconic arena, teased me with “gross” jokes, and threw in 1960s warnings about MSG being bad for you. It didn’t stop there: Sanford, the monkey. Markie Maypo. A parade of nicknames that felt like descriptors rather than my name.
My parents worked hard to make ends meet, I had to pick up the slack at home—doing laundry and pulling a laundry cart past the stickball crowd in the after-school parking lot. The kids would shout my name with giggles, whispers trailing behind me like echoes. Labels were the social currency, and my name became a free ticket for others to feel “cool” by leaving me out.
But as I dug into my family’s history, I uncovered the true meaning behind my name: it’s a tribute to my ancestors who fled to find freedom and start anew in America—a legacy of resilience and courage. Over time, I learned to wear it proudly, transforming it from a punchline into a source of strength and identity.
As a kid, I didn’t fit in with the sports crowd—or any crowd, really—so I spent a lot of time alone, letting my imagination fill the gaps. I learned life’s lessons by trial and error, fumbling my way forward. That’s been my lifelong approach: dive in, figure it out, and reinvent myself along the way.
At 68, I completed my first half marathon in New York City, running through neighborhoods filled with childhood memories. As I passed those old schoolyard fences, I held an invisible middle finger close to my hip. It wasn’t anger—it was triumph. A quiet, joyful laugh bubbled up inside me as thousands of strangers cheered us runners on through the streets of Manhattan, where memories still flickered on neon signs.
Life’s a constant leap, and mine started half an hour before Leap Day—a fitting metaphor for living just before jumping. I’ve taken leaps into marriage, parenthood, and career changes. My 28 years at The Washington Post taught me marketing, branding, and relationship-building, but more importantly, it helped me heal from the scars of childhood bullying. There, I found confidence and a sense of belonging.
In 2000, I moved from Washington, DC to San Francisco to open The Post’s first remote home office—a bold experiment in the era when “working from home” was seen as playing hooky. One year turned into many, and along the way, I met billy. We dated, fell in love, partnered, significant-othered, and eventually when we were able to, married legally. “Sign your names here,” the clerk said, pointing to our names on parallel dotted lines on a legal form as husband and husband. Her words filled the empty room more than music, clinking glasses, and a shouting crowd.
After retiring, billy and I took a road trip up California’s Highway 1 and found our paradise in Anchor Bay. Here, I discovered that life’s magic isn’t in grand accomplishments but in everyday connections with people and community. And yet, the world today feels more fractured than ever. Technology has made communication easier but connection harder. Real conversations—eye contact, shared laughter, the art of truly seeing one another—feel like a lost skill. That’s why I’m so passionate about storytelling. Through creating and hosting KGUA Writers, working with Mendonoma Health Alliance Peer Recovery, VOICES of Youth, and others, I’ve seen how stories break down walls, build trust, and remind us of our shared humanity. I’ve watched strangers transform into a community during Write Now! events at The Sea Ranch Lodge simply by sharing their words.
Storytelling rebuilds connections we’ve lost. It creates communities where every voice matters. It’s my mission to help others embrace the beauty of this process, to rediscover the simple power of communication, and to turn empathy and understanding into action.
Thank you for joining me on this journey. Stories have brought me love, comfort, tears, and joy—and they can do the same for you. Let your deepest memories flow onto the page. Let the tears dry and breathe fresh life into your words. In every gathering, this is what I encourage and shepherd.
Whether I’m leaping, stumbling, or just showing up with enthusiasm, I’m grateful to have you along for the ride.
Mark Sanford Gross (a.k.a. MSG)
FAQs
What Will I Learn? What Do You Teach?
It's the most common question. No agenda. No curriculum. No textbook. Each individual brings their energy. Adding this energy to the group makes up the energy and the connectedness of the group. This cannot be overlooked. It's an on-the-spot energy that guides and drives the dynamics of the group. We write. We share. We discuss. Each write-up-the-coast lab is different. The structure and the participants learn from each other and guide individual and collective writing. We adjust exercises and sharing in real-time based on the group.
In some exercises we may experiment with voice, genre, tense, dialogue and even AI. The individual group guides the dynamic of the structure and 'curriculum.'
I'm Not a Writer. I've Always Wanted to Write. Is This for Me?
Write Up the Coast Labs are for everyone, from the novice to the novelist. Everyone is welcome. We are all writers. We know our own stories better than anyone else. At Write-Up-The-Coast we start comfortably. From the first connection of word to page our story begins. We continue by going through an easy process of finding the stories beneath the first thing we write. We hear from each other where our stories are. And we write again. And again. We build our story or the beginnings of one. Sometimes, stories we never knew that hide inside of us come to the surface
What About Privacy and Sharing?
The rules for each Write Up the Coast lab are clear. No judgment. A promise by all for a safe and trusting environment. Nothing is shared beyond our lab without permission. Writing is an emotional activity. We respect that and encourage it. We hear our stories in other people's stories creating connection and comfort. And respect.
Do You Offer Custom Events?
Absolutely! Writing events are fantastic for team building and add a delightful touch to house parties, outdoor gatherings, family and friends get-togethers, and all kinds of celebrations. Whether it's a single-day or multi-day retreat, we offer introspective getaways that cater to communities in need of dedicated time and attention. Writing events can be integrated into your fundraising program.
Additionally, we can organize a Hike and Write excursion, ensuring that writing seamlessly integrates into your plans.
Thank you for reaching out. For custom events and pricing details, please get in touch with at [email protected].
What About Kids?
Kids are welcome. They have extraordinary imaginations and no filters. They write what they feel and are often they are the first to raise their hand to read. Each writing exercise we do in a workshop is easily adjusted to a kid. Their responses have often added new awareness to other's stories. The recommended minimum age are kids able to write and read.
Write Here:
Saturday, September 13th,3-5 PM: The Sea Ranch Lodge Bar. Write Now!
from the write up the coast community
"The role of public media is to connect our community more deeply together to allow us to debate, criticize, analyze, and understand our community. Mark's work signals that connectivity and helps deepen it, bringing joy and inspiration to people, even in the most difficult of times."
Meliisa Bell, CEO Chicago Public Media
I facilitate multiple Peer Recovery Support Groups each week. These groups are designed to empower and encourage individuals who are in various stages of recovery from substance use disorder. Mark has volunteered his time for nearly two years, during our Friday groups. “Mark’s Writer’s Workshop” has resulted in the most poignant, beautiful and raw expressions I have ever been privileged to witness. Mark suggests various “prompts” to the Friday group attendees. His innate ability to connect with people on a very real level and his default setting of kindness has resulted in a very safe place for my clients to write about some of their most personal and profound life experiences and challenges. These often times dark, always vulnerable life experiences being gently brought into the light during has resulted in profound growth and healing. I can’t thank you enough, Mark!”
-Jake Petrykowski-Mendonoma Health Alliance, Certified Peer Recovery Support Specialist
As I walked in my neighborhood one sunny afternoon, with COVID-19 beginning its surge and fear keeping people apart, a voice called out, "Peggy, I have an idea." It was my friend and fellow writer, Mark Gross. Mark quickly closed the gap between us and repeated, "I have an idea for a show!" After over 40 years in radio, I’m often skeptical when I hear those words. Standing in the shade of Northern California’s giant redwoods, Mark pitched his idea: a writing show to keep our community connected. He suggested offering a weekly writing prompt, collecting responses, and airing them. It took me less than 2 minutes to respond, “Okay, let’s try it!” The following Monday, Mark and I discussed his idea on KGUA, 88.3 FM, Gualala, CA. From that, the KGUAWRITERS program was born. The next week, we read the first responses on air from our remote studios. Over the next five years, and beyond the COVID-19 lockdown, we produced 198 programs featuring over 200 writers and, as a morning team, hosted a weekly show called KGUA Writers, reaching a global audience through KGUA’s streaming capabilities. KGUAWRITERS aired live on Mondays for almost five years, showcasing over 3,000 original stories from the KGUA Writers community. Always inviting everyone to participate. I’m proud of the KGUAWRITERS project, which highlighted the importance of sharing writing and stories during a time of limited personal interaction. It was thrilling to see the growth as listeners contributed to writing prompts each week. The program proved the joy of writing and the power of community radio, connecting global voices through storytelling. And how someone's idea can become a phenomenon.
Peggy Berryhill, Founder and Executive Chairwoman, KGUA - FM, Gualala California, Executive Director, Native Media Resource Center
Since the beginning of COVID-19, I have been a contributor to KGUA Writers, which was based in and broadcast from Guala, CA. Mark made it possible for me to participate remotely from New Jersey. My repetitive contributions to Mark’s program enabled me to come out of “Covid” and continue writing with exceptional inspiration based on the creative prompts from Mark over the years. Now that Mark is leading “write up the coast” and creating an opportunity for new people to come together in a creative wave in their writing, it will only add to the richness of what can be expected if you take part both for yourself and other people’s writing. No judgment… just write!
-barry hollritt.-photosbybarry.com
Mark Sanford Gross’s “Write up the Coast” writing sessions take place in a small group, in a comfortable setting, and he gets us to write. There is no time to stare at the blank page; we just start writing. The sessions are always insightful, and we are often surprised by what comes out in our writing. I return to Write Up the Coast sessions not only because I want to write and gain insight but also because my ability to write often rides on the "wings of Mark's enthusiasm.”
Shari Goforth-Registered Veterinary Technician
We have featured Mark Sanford Gross at several retreats at Mar Vista and have been very happy with what he offers. He is a unique and uncommon personality that brings out the best in people. His way of prompting creativity and engaging with our guests has been a wonderful addition to our offerings. We’re hosting our second writing lab with Mark this winter and look forward to Mark creating such a wonderful space for writers and creative folks to engage here at Mar Vista. Thanks, Mark!
Cab and Deanna Boettcher-owners and hosts. mar vista farm and cottages
Reach Out Today
We'd love to hear from you. Use the form to ask questions or get help with our writing services. We're here for you!