NO NEED FOR WMC MEMBERS TO PREREGISTER FOR ZOOM EVENTS
Each month a new meeting link will be sent to your email address.
The public is welcome to send an email to writersmendocinocoast@gmail.com to request the Zoom link. All meetings are recorded.
At the close of the presentation, the Zoom session will remain open half an hour for chatting.
Each month a new meeting link will be sent to your email address.
The public is welcome to send an email to writersmendocinocoast@gmail.com to request the Zoom link. All meetings are recorded.
At the close of the presentation, the Zoom session will remain open half an hour for chatting.
Annual Smatch-Up Extravaganza June 19th Meeting at 3:00 p.m. Zoom
This much-loved event returns under the theme of "One Monday in October." One author writes a poem or story that another finishes. Authors were anonymously paired last month. End results will be read at this meeting. Join us for a fun afternoon of great writing and surprise coauthor reveals.
This much-loved event returns under the theme of "One Monday in October." One author writes a poem or story that another finishes. Authors were anonymously paired last month. End results will be read at this meeting. Join us for a fun afternoon of great writing and surprise coauthor reveals.
1946 - 2022
We might not have a Writers' Club if it weren't for Doug Fortier.
A year or so after the founding, the club was floundering. Doug held it together with determination and his conviction that getting together once a month to share our craft made us all better writers and might get us published. He had an amazing ability to network. Every writer who moved to the Mendocino Coast and showed the slightest interest was met by Doug. Almost always they joined WMC. Each month he welcomed new faces, until today in this tiny community, the club has grown to 85 members.
Doug loved learning and believed there was always more to learn about writing. He wanted our WMC speakers to teach us something new. At Board Meetings, evaluating the past month's program, his greatest criticism was: "Not enough craft."
We are one chapter of a state-wide organization, the California Writers' Club. Until he got too ill to travel, Doug journeyed faithfully to the Bay Area to attend these meetings. Mercifully, he kept the political shenanigans of what went on to himself. "How was it?" we would ask. "Nothing much to report," he'd say.
He was WMC's social media guru, posting news on our website, keeping up with member publications, and programs to come. He designed the cover of every year's anthology and, with Amie McGee's help, put out a beautiful volume. For Ekphrasis, he photographed every artist's work and put together a wonderful slide show to accompany our readings.
He was our person; we were his tribe. We will all miss him terribly.
We might not have a Writers' Club if it weren't for Doug Fortier.
A year or so after the founding, the club was floundering. Doug held it together with determination and his conviction that getting together once a month to share our craft made us all better writers and might get us published. He had an amazing ability to network. Every writer who moved to the Mendocino Coast and showed the slightest interest was met by Doug. Almost always they joined WMC. Each month he welcomed new faces, until today in this tiny community, the club has grown to 85 members.
Doug loved learning and believed there was always more to learn about writing. He wanted our WMC speakers to teach us something new. At Board Meetings, evaluating the past month's program, his greatest criticism was: "Not enough craft."
We are one chapter of a state-wide organization, the California Writers' Club. Until he got too ill to travel, Doug journeyed faithfully to the Bay Area to attend these meetings. Mercifully, he kept the political shenanigans of what went on to himself. "How was it?" we would ask. "Nothing much to report," he'd say.
He was WMC's social media guru, posting news on our website, keeping up with member publications, and programs to come. He designed the cover of every year's anthology and, with Amie McGee's help, put out a beautiful volume. For Ekphrasis, he photographed every artist's work and put together a wonderful slide show to accompany our readings.
He was our person; we were his tribe. We will all miss him terribly.
Applications Now Being Accepted for the WMC Doug Fortier Scholarship to the Mendocino Coast Writers Conference
In honor of Doug’s love for this event and our writing community, WMC is sponsoring this scholarship. To apply, submit a letter of interest and a writing sample to writersmendocinocoast@gmail.com. Current members only. Deadline: June 15th. Conference dates: August 4–6, 2022.
In honor of Doug’s love for this event and our writing community, WMC is sponsoring this scholarship. To apply, submit a letter of interest and a writing sample to writersmendocinocoast@gmail.com. Current members only. Deadline: June 15th. Conference dates: August 4–6, 2022.
Renew Now: Membership Dues Expires June 30th
Current members send a $45 check made out to Writers of the Mendocino Coast and mail it to: Treasurer, WMC, P.O. Box 762, Fort Bragg, CA 95437. Your chapter dues include copies of the annual WMC anthology and the CWC Literary Review (plus the opportunity to submit your writing for consideration to both publications), emailed copies of the quarterly CWC bulletin, participation in Ekphrasis and SmatchUp (on a first come basis), and a membership bio on our website. Support your local writing community by renewing today.
Current members send a $45 check made out to Writers of the Mendocino Coast and mail it to: Treasurer, WMC, P.O. Box 762, Fort Bragg, CA 95437. Your chapter dues include copies of the annual WMC anthology and the CWC Literary Review (plus the opportunity to submit your writing for consideration to both publications), emailed copies of the quarterly CWC bulletin, participation in Ekphrasis and SmatchUp (on a first come basis), and a membership bio on our website. Support your local writing community by renewing today.
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Launch of Ekphrasis X July 16 Meeting, 3:00 p.m. Zoom
This meeting is dedicated to Doug Fortier, who is responsible for creating Ekphrasis for WMC. Hear and see Doug's 2020 and 2021 Ekphrasis pieces. Doug's writing group will share anecdotes and some of Doug's work, and WMC members can recall some of their own great Doug moments. |
2023 Anthology Submissions Guidelines Theme: Common Ground (This can be interpreted loosely) Prose/Poetry Submission dates: June 1-midnight, Aug.31 Photo Submission: June 1-midnight Sept. 22 Link to more information. |
RECORDINGS OF MONTHLY MEETINGS Go to the YouTube channel for all the videos.
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The Mendocino Coast Writers Conference, August 4 - 6, is currently accepting applications (mcwc.org).
A new feature has been added to the CWC website--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/.
HAVE A MINUTE?
See the current schedule. Mendocino Theatre Company's One-Minute Radio Theatre is a two-minute spot broadcast bi-weekly on KZYX. Collaborate by submitting an original one-minute play. All voices to be heard! Plays can be in English or Spanish. No fee for submission nor cash award if your play is chosen; all actors and directors give their time free of charge. Submit your one-minute play* (app. 150-170 words, for 1-3 actors) in the body of an email (no attachments) to mtc@mcn.org with the subject MTC One-Minute Play: [Title of your play]. Include your full name, contact information, and a brief, 50-word bio. You may submit as many one-minute plays as you wish, but only one submission per email, please. *Play may not contain the "seven dirty words" prohibited by the FCC. Play must be totally original and the author's work. Listen now: 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 
Online Poetry
Workshop for Youth Professional poets from throughout California offer creative poetry writing lessons for youth and families. Lessons are free to everyone and require no prep. This online workshop is growing and lessons will continue to be added throughout the pandemic. Click to start writing! POETRY
Virtual Point Arena Third Thursday Poetry To receive an invitation to the Zoom reading, please email blake more: blake@snakelyone.com. Third Thursday Poetry Zoom is made possible by the Arena Theater and continues to be supported by Poets & Writers Magazine. 47th Anniversary Mendocino Spring Poetry Celebration, KZYX&Z, Sundays, 3 p.m.
Featuring fifty-three poets, including WMC members Karin Uphoff, Clare Bercot Zwerling, Elizabeth Kirkpatrick Vrenios, Marilyn Motherbear Scott, Lynn Kiesewetter, and Rowan Hawthorn. To listen live: https://www.kzyx.org/#stream/0 For playlists: http://www.outfarpress.com/rrr.html POETRY
Cartwheels on the Sky ~ Poets, Poems & Discovery Saturdays 7 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Live on KGUA FM Gualala and live streaming online KGUA.org with host blake more Show Archive: https://www.bmoreyou.net/musings/ Highlighting a new poet in conversation each week, the show offers fresh, intelligent, living poetry, and lively discussions. To be considered for future shows, contact blake@snakelyone.com FORT BRAGG LIBRARY
Poetry Open Mic Open Mic on Zoom - To request a Zoom invitation, contact Dan Hess: hessd@co.mendocino.ca.us Or use this link https://us02web.zoom.us/j/9748647159 Readers should limit themselves to eight minutes, for one to four poems. For more information, contact Dan Hesse, Branch Librarian at hessed@MendocinoCounty.org or 707 961-2625. And see FortBraggLibrary.org. UKIAH LIBRARY Open Mic on Zoom 7 p.m. last Thursday of the month. YA POETS CIRCLE Open Mic on Zoom 3 p.m. first Monday of the month. - To register and receive a Zoom link, contact Melissa Carr (she/her/they): carrm@mendocinocounty.org M E M B E R N E W S
Writing newly published, receives a nomination or award, or other notable exposure? Please send a short announcement to writersmendocinocoast@gmail.com 
Norma Watkins' new novel is available at Gallery Bookshop. A moving and darkly humorous novel that follows the intertwined lives of women willing to surrender everything to a man. You can order a copy at https://www.blackrosewriting.com/literary/incommon. 
WMC member Ginny Rorby's new novel is available at
Gallery Bookshop. Little House on the Prairie meets the Grapes of Wrath in this Coming of Age novel of hope & heroism, set in Texas during one of America’s worst natural disasters—the Dust Bowl. windflower's prose piece, The Water Has Been a Long Time Coming can be found under "Short Takes" in the Spring 2022 edition of persimmontree.org.
Drop in to the library site for the list of recently added books and 228+ reviews by WMC member Priscilla Comen.
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Do you have a topic on the craft of writing to teach at an upcoming meeting for forty-five minutes?
Contact WritersMendocinoCoast@gmail.com Writers that would like to teach a writing class or speak about their journey to writing during retreats at The Madrone & The Brambles in Philo, contact Carrie Castro carrie@themadrones.com.
WELCOME TO THE
CALIFORNIA WRITERS CLUB - FOUNDED in 1909 - The Mendocino Coast branch is proud to share in this legacy. Our intention is to expand the network and provide publishing opportunities for writers. 
MENDOCINO WRITERS MEET
ONLINE ON THE THIRD SUNDAY 3:00 Members Receive Link via Email Public May Email a Request WritersMendocinoCoast@Gmail.com
Writers of the Mendocino Coast
PO Box 762 Fort Bragg, CA 95437 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 
SUBSCRIBE TO THE MONTHLY NEWSLETTER
Email WritersMendocinoCoast@GMail.com Your email address will never be shared or sold. MEMBERSHIP
NEW MEMBERS See information on the Membership page. YEARLY RENEWAL, June 1 - August 15th, $45 plus a one time enrollment fee of $20. If registering after January 1st, the total fee is $42.50, until renewals are due again July 1. It's $15 for students. $25 for dual memberships when a member of another branch. Membership includes a copy of the club's recent anthology, copies of our state organization's Literary Review magazine, space for member biographies, and opportunities to see your writing in: -The annual anthology -The Literary Review published by our parent, California Writers Club. More info at www.calwriters.org -The yearly collaboration, Ekphrasis, with the Artists' Co-op of Mendocino -The annual SmatchUp, blind matching of two writers on a theme, each writing a single page. SPONSORED MEMBERSHIPS
Financial aid is available for membership WritersMendocinoCoast@GMail.com INTERESTED IN A WRITERS' GROUP / PARTNER
WMC MEMBER SALLIE REYNOLDS Read Sallie's biography on the Member Bio page. Contact her through WritersMendocinoCoast@GMail.com. 
KELLEY HOUSE CALENDAR
Call for Writers There are so many stories yet to tell, and they welcome your voice. Articles are 400 to 700 words and can be paired with photos or illustrations usually discovered in their database of 10,000 images. Call the Kelley House curator, Karen McGrath, at 707/937-5791 or email her at curator@kelleyhousemuseum.org. YouTube Videos of Monthly Meetings
See Archives tab above for details. Videos from previous years can also be found on our YouTube channel |
Welcome to opportunities to publish your writing, whether or not you live on the Mendocino Coast.
