Season 4, episode 12 is here!
michelle ray spent 15 years teaching abroad in Ecuador, Bahrain, and Dubai before coming back to the States, having a kid, and eventually sitting down to write a memoir.
This was a warm, funny, really honest conversation about writing and what stories actually do for us.
What we covered
- How Michelle stumbled onto Substack just to tick a box for a writing conference and ended up building something she genuinely loves.
- The technique she uses to help writers access memories they didn’t know they still had, and why people rarely remember in words.
- Why going back to old journals, emails, and documents can unlock parts of a story you thought you’d forgotten completely.
- What happened when Michelle found a journal from her first year in Bahrain after 15 years, and why reading it felt like reading someone else’s life.
- The vulnerability sweet spot she thinks most writers miss, and why you’re probably sharing less than you think you are.
- What her paid Story Discovery sessions actually involve, and why having your key story properly shaped changes everything about how you use it.
- Why she thinks finding a writing community matters more than almost anything else if you actually want to finish something.
You can find Michelle at states of matter on Substack.
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thedavidmcilroy.substack.com/subscribe
