Writing Coach

You know what happened. Let’s figure out what it means.

I’m a writer, teacher, and memoir author who has spent thirty years paying close attention to other people’s stories. Some people come to me needing help writing. Others need help figuring out what they’re actually writing about. That’s where I come in.

On this page:

Qualifications

I’m uniquely positioned to help you find the stories hiding inside your life:

  • MFA candidate in Creative Nonfiction at the University of Nebraska Omaha (Dec 2026).
  • Memoir author in the final stages of publishing. I’ve done the hard, messy work of excavating my story
  • 30+ years as an English teacher, helping people navigate identity and voice
  • A decade living abroad across Ecuador, Bahrain, and Dubai. I know firsthand what it means to lose and rebuild a sense of self
Michelle Ray on her travels drinking tea.

Know Your History

Knowing Your History Isn’t Knowing Your Story

You can list the events of your life, schools, jobs, moves, marriages, and losses, and still not know your story. Your history is a timeline. Your story is what emerges when you dig beneath it.

Knowing your story means sitting with the people, places, and situations that shaped you and asking the harder questions: Why did that moment change me? What pattern keeps showing up? How does it all fit together? This isn’t therapy. It’s you taking a hard, honest look at your past selves and discovering the through lines you couldn’t see while you were living them, the difference between remembering what happened and understanding what it means.

And that understanding has power. Your life is full of hidden gems, moments that shimmer when you hold them up to the light. Once you’ve done the work of finding them, you can weave them into a memoir or an essay, shape them into a speech or a talk, or turn them into the foundation of something you haven’t imagined yet. When you tell your story with clarity and intention, others recognize themselves in it. That’s how connection works, not by being universal, but by being specific. When you claim the value of your own story, others start to see why they should claim theirs.

Services

Story Discovery Session

A single session designed to help you uncover the story hiding inside your experience. We dig beneath the timeline of your life to find the moments that shaped you, the patterns you couldn’t see while living them, and the through lines that connect it all. You’ll leave with clarity on what your story is — and where it might go next.

Before the Session:

  • Complete the short pre-session survey and book a session
  • Bring a moment or a story from your life that still carries weight
  • It’s okay if you don’t have a story yet, we can discover one together
  • Come with curiosity and share only what feels right

After the session, you’ll receive a brief Next Steps document with reflections from our conversation, including the core story we uncovered, themes that emerged, and possible directions for developing or sharing it.

The Full Story

A curated six-session program for writers ready to go deeper. We identify your core stories, explore where they carry the most power, and shape them into something you can use — whether that’s a memoir, a speech, an essay, or content that connects with an audience. This is the work of moving from raw experience to purposeful narrative.

Custom Coaching

Not every writer fits a program. If you need ongoing support, accountability, or a thought partner for a project already in progress, we can build something that works for where you are. Flexible structure, consistent feedback, and a coach who knows how to listen.

Not sure where to start? Book a free 20-minute consult, and we’ll figure it out together.

What Clients Say

“Michelle’s ability to listen and then provide a breakdown is truly a gift that everyone should experience.”

Marlana, Writer

“Michelle’s calm, assuring nature is what set her Story Discovery session apart from other writing support I’ve engaged in. Feeling safe to share is the most important aspect, and she created that environment. She’s a good listener, and the questions she asked were a direct response to what I shared — including key questions that helped me clarify the purpose of my writing.”

Jo Ollila, Writer

“I came into the session knowing that I had a story, but wasn’t clear how exactly to frame it. I immediately felt comfortable chatting with Michelle. She listened carefully and helped me to see my story in a light that I hadn’t previously considered. I left with my brain buzzing with new ideas!”

Kristen G, Writer

Ready to Get Started?

Whether you need support with IB coursework, essay writing, or literary analysis, I’d love to hear from you.