Join us for free author readings from our 

Anthology 2026

Seaworthy

Sunday, March 8th

2:00 to 3:30 p.m. 

At the Beautiful 

Stanford Inn 
BY THE SEA

​ 44850 Comptche Ukiah Road

Mendocino
Pictureartwork by Janis Porter
Can't get to the reading? Join us live on our Facebook page! Just Log into Facebook
to Like and Follow. We are also on Instagram! @writersofthemendocinocoast

Members, please check your Member Bio​, above. ​If you aren’t featured, just send your brief bio (50 words) and (optional) a headshot to [email protected].

Membership: If you're thinking of joining Writers of the Mendocino Coast...
Please see our Membership tab, top of page
             LOCAL EVENTS                          MEMBER NEWS
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Free and Open to the Public
Fort Bragg Library
499 East Laurel Street
Fort Bragg

Wednesday, March 11
2:00 to 3:30 p.m.


"Horror and Healing: How Writing Horror Can Heal"
​
Taught by Rob Hawthorn

Rob Hawthorn is a husband, father, and writer. He's the Events Coordinator for Gallery Bookshop in Mendocino, and also hosts two podcasts: One is about music, and the other is a book club that examines 1960s comics through a modern lens. 
Poetry at the Cobalt
2nd Sunday of the Month
430 Main Street, Fort Bragg
 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.
Open mic follows.
Sign up at the event for a five-minute poetry reading.

All writers, all varieties, all styles (and non-styles) are invited. Established? Just starting out? Into rhyming, free verse,
expansive verse, reverses, metered, learned, unlearned... 

Creative Writing at the ​Fort Bragg Library

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AMBLE & RAMBLE

A Walking
Any-Book Book Club
for Adults

  • The Ukiah Branch Library is offering an Amble & Ramble book club. It takes place on the last Saturday of every month from Noon - 1:00pm.
  • We will meet on Perkins St. near the old Train Depot.The walk will begin at the Great Redwood Trail. 
  • Adults 21 and over are invited to participate. We welcome discussion and sharing about any book you are currently reading. No need to plan or pick up a designated book for this one – just show up when you can!
  • The Great Redwood Trail is ADA accessible. Contact 463-4490 or [email protected] to sign up or for more information. Sponsored by the Mendocino County Library and the Friends of the Ukiah Valley Library.
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Point Arena Third Thursday Poetry & Jazz
​7:00pm
THINK VISUAL
240 Main Street
Downtown Point Arena, CA 
Bring something to sit on, something to eat
and/or drink, your words, music and ears!!
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Rhythm Running River (Poetry) on KZYX&Z 
1st and 3rd Sundays
 3:00 -5:00 p.m.
    Dan Roberts: [email protected]
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​Cartwheels on the Sky ~ Poets, Poems & Discovery
Saturdays 7-7:30 KGUA - FM Gualala
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FORT BRAGG LIBRARY
First Thursdays Open Mic 6-8 p.m.
    Dan Hess: [email protected]
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UKIAH LIBRARY
Loba Poetry Series
Open Mic for teen & adults, Third Saturdays 3 p.m.
      Melissa Carr: [email protected]
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Writers Reading Ukiah 
     Last Thursday, 7 p.m Reading, 8 p.m. Open Mic
    Poetry, Spoken Word, Short Stories, Songs & Expository Prose.
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LOBA POETRY SERIES at Ukiah Branch Library
Reading and Open Mic
Second Saturdays, 3 pm
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Linda Noel & Theresa Whitehill
MENDOCINO POETRY SERIES
Last Saturday of the month, 4:00 - 6:00 pm
Barth Studio at the Mendocino Art Center
45200 Little Lake Street, Mendocino
email Devreaux Baker, [email protected], for more info
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Questions? Comments? Care to Subscribe to our free monthly newsletter?

Email [email protected] or write
WMC, P.O. Box 762 - Fort Bragg, CA 95437

We will never share or sell your personal information.
​Do you have newly published writing? Have you received a nomination, award or other notable exposure? Send a short announcement and we’ll add it to the website to help spread the word!  [email protected]
Care to Join WMC? 
Click Here or at the Membership Tab for information 
______________________________
Speaking of New Members,
Let's Welcome...

Kathy Hart - Joel Mikesell - Cindie Miller
Mel Peterson - Susan Warner

...to Writers of the Mendocino Coast!
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CONGRATULATIONS
TO WMC MEMBERS

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Member Fran Schwartz' new novel, Mina, Eclipsed, is a riveting story of a young woman just beginning to learn the shocking truth about her family and herself. 

The book is available at Gallery Bookshop in Mendocino, and through Amazon.



Member Joan Stanford was a featured poet in December at the Mendocino Open Mic Poetry Series. ​Joan is a registered art therapist and author of "The Art of Play: Ignite Your Imagination to Unlock Insight, Healing, and Joy." 

Member Earlene Gleisner's memoir has been included in The Lightbearers’ Chronicles launched on Amazon on November 22.
Contact Earlene at [email protected] 

Kailyn McCord's latest very personal essay, Why Was I Ashamed of the Bulge in my Vagina? is out with The Cut at New York Magazine.
                        ______________________________
Writers of the Mendocino Coast Policy Regarding Use of Artificial Intelligence
The WMC Board of Directors recently established an official policy regarding the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in members' writing. It is as follows:

Writers of the Mendocino Coast does not and will never accept work that was written, created, or developed, in whole or in part, using generative AI. This includes prose, poetry, and all mediums of art and photography. The policy extends across all our activities including our annual anthology, Ekphrasis, Smatchup, and public readings and workshops.

AI may have its place, but that place is not within the creative fields. At Writers of the Mendocino Coast, we value human creativity and expression, abhor plagiarism, and are keenly aware of--and deeply concerned about--the writers, artists, editors, and other creators whose copyrights and livelihoods are increasingly compromised by the use of artificial, non-human, intelligence.

By submitting your creative work and/or participating in our club activities, you pledge that no AI was, or will be, used.
                      _______________________________
Do You Have Your Copy of

Seaworthy
 
our 2026 Anthology?

All members receive one complimentary copy; additional books are $12.00. If you need them mailed, contact Elizabeth Vrenios at [email protected]. ​
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California Writers Club’s
Vision & Verse: A Fusion of
Art, Photography, Prose and
Poetry is available on Amazon.
               _______________________________________

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Listen now to our members read their one-minute plays!



i am from the ocean by windflower Townley

I Could Not Stop for Covid  by Holly Tannen

Something New & Murder She Wrote by Philip Zwerling
                          _____________________________
WRITING OPPORTUNITIES
                  FOR MEMBERS

Do you have a topic on the craft of writing to teach at an upcoming
meeting? Contact [email protected] 
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THE
KELLEY HOUSE
NEEDS YOU!


There are so many stories yet to tell, and they welcome your voice. Articles of 400 to 700 words can be paired with photos or illustrations from the Kelley House database of 10,000 images.

Call the Kelley House curator, Karen McGrath, at 707/937-5791 or email her at [email protected].
                         ______________________________
Get Ready for Smatch Up!
Sunday, May 17
This is one of our most popular and fun events. It's simple: two people write one story. One person starts it and the other person finishes it.

OK, maybe not so simple: Neither writer knows the identity of the other. Oh, and the writer who finishes the story gets to title it. 
The CWC website includes a calendar of monthly meetings for all state branches. Any of our members can attend the meetings of any other branch for free or for the same fee as their membership pays. To view their meeting topics (many are still on Zoom), click on https://calwriters.org/events/.
WRITERS OF THE MENDOCINO COAST
IS PROUD TO BE A BRANCH OF THE
CALIFORNIA WRITERS CLUB 
The CALIFORNIA WRITERS CLUB is a 501(c) (6) educational nonprofit dedicated to
educating members and the public-at-large in the craft of writing and in the marketing of their work.

California Writers Club: https://calwriters.org/
California Writers Club calendar for other branch's events:
https://calwriters.org/events-month