"So much of my life drifts across screens now, words appearing but rarely spoken, voices lost in the static. I notice how easy it is to feel apart, even in constant connection. Yet each time I hear a story spoken aloud, something shifts. The weight eases. A thread appears. I remember I am not alone. And that is why I gather with others—because our voices, shared, carry hope, carry meaning, carry us back to one another."
write-up-the-coast writer
SUNDAY October 12th, 3pm-5pm
“Your crown has been bought and paid for. Put it on your head and wear it.” —James Baldwin Write Up the Coast is where spoken and written stories spark connection—real people, real voices, in the same room.
Just Announced!
BOOK-IT! An Author/Artist BookFaire at The SeaRanch Lodge
Saturday, December 6th 12-4 pm
To apply as an exhibitor, email [email protected]
we give you the option. you bring your energy
ruf? draft
Monthly at The Sea Ranch Lodge, Write Now! is for anyone curious about writing—no experience needed. Surrounded by a magical coastal landscape that inspires our minds, we gather around simple prompts, put fingers to device or pen to paper, and share what surfaces—face to face, voice to voice. Again and again, we discover the magic of connection: your story becoming someone else's story, our stories weaving into community. As a community service, Write Now! is a free to all.
And because our gentle Hungarian herding dog ruf? is always nearby, we affectionately call these sessions ruf?draft—a playful reminder that every draft, like every voice, deserves to be heard.
*🐾 Always free to attend — if you’d like to “toss a treat in ruf?’s bowl,” donations help keep our stories being told and shared.
step in -story booth and 'pop-up's'
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,
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.
write-up -the-coast blog and podcast
Not every story needs a headline — sometimes it’s just a passing thought, a local moment, or a piece of writing worth sharing. The Write Up the Coast Blog is our space for those random stories, views, and written chats that give a glimpse of life on and beyond the coast. The Write Up the Coast Podcast complements it by giving those stories a voice — conversations, interviews, and collaborations that carry the spirit of our region to listeners near and far.
write-up -the-coast for you!
At Write Up The Coast, our work is rooted in community, creativity, and connection. Our offerings include the Step In Story Booth, perfect for festivals, gatherings, and celebrations, where multiple stories are recorded and later woven together to reflect the organic spirit of the event. We also host pop-up story sessions in unexpected places, design custom writing workshops and gatherings for your group or community, organize public readings that bring original voices to the stage, and create podcast collaborations that share stories from our region and beyond. For details or to explore a custom collaboration, email [email protected].
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]
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].
About Mark Sanford Gross (MSG)
Hi, I’m Mark Sanford Gross—yes, MSG like Madison Square Garden and monosodium glutamate. Growing up in New York City, my name made me an easy target: “gross” jokes, nicknames, and endless teasing. Even my middle name, Sanford, got its turn—tossed around with references to Sanford the monkey or Sanford and Son. What started as labels that left me out eventually became something I reclaimed, turning my name into a symbol of resilience, humor, and pride.
I’ve been fortunate to know love in different ways at different times in my life—each holding its own truth, each leaving me with lasting gifts. Two marriages, each different and meaningful, reflect that. The first shaped my early adulthood and family life, bringing me the gift of two amazing daughters. The second came years later, after the self-discovery that led me to embrace my authentic self, and after marriage equality finally became law. That’s when I was able to marry my husband, billy. Together with our dogs, woof! and ruf?, we’ve built a life on the Mendonoma coast grounded in love, community, and connection.
Those experiences of love and discovery anchor my passion for storytelling. Because when we discover and tell our stories, we do more than reflect on our lives—we open doors for others to see themselves, too.
We live in a time when face-to-face conversation has been thinned by screens, replaced with skepticism and a constant hum of worry. But when we gather to share our stories, something shifts: silence breaks open, we recognize ourselves in each other, and connection comes back to life.
That’s why I founded Write Up the Coast. Through projects like KGUA Writers and Write Now! at The Sea Ranch Lodge, I’ve seen storytelling transform strangers into community. Stories are more than creative expression—they’re bridges. They heal, they connect, and they remind us of our shared humanity.
So welcome. Pull up a chair, share your voice, and listen in. Together, word by word, we can build the connections that matter most.
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
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