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Molly McCloy

Fearless Storytelling by Molly McCloy

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Forthcoming in 2026 Nine Grudges: The Spiteful Origins of the Happiest Dyke on Earth

Winner of the 2023 Quill Prose Award from Red Hen Press, Nine Grudges: The Spiteful Origins of the Happiest Dyke on Earth is a sharp, hilarious memoir about how holding a grudge can sometimes save your life. From junior high betrayal to queer midlife reinvention, Molly McCloy serves up revenge with heart, humor, and just enough petty to keep it real.

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Fearless Storytelling Workshop

A Fearless Storytelling workshop will teach your organization’s public speakers to loosen up, be relatable, and make their presentation data come alive. We’ll have fun creating stories and jokes that audiences love. In a spirit of authenticity and connection, we’ll mine your organization’s story for the vital human stories within it.

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Tania Katan

Affable, honest, and hilarious, Molly McCloy always cracks open a good can of storytelling whoop-ass.

Tania Katan
award-winning author, public speaker

Nancy Petersen

Molly McCloy and Creative Narrations gave our workshop members confidence in our presentation skills and compelling stories to engage funders and inspire action.

Nancy Petersen
Agnese Nelms Haury Program in Environment and Social Justice

Jen Nowicki Clark

A powerful storytelling instructor, Molly McCloy helps her students find the right balance between honesty and humor.

Jen Nowicki Clark
Creative Narrations

Ali Cassidy, Quest Storytelling

Molly’s dynamic teaching style, understanding of her subject, and enthusiasm made for a transformative experience! She awakened the personal storyteller in me.

Ali Cassidy
Quest Storytelling

Mike Tveten

Molly is an incredible storyteller and a terrific teacher who gives excellent and straightforward advice.

Mike Tveten
Storytelling Researcher

David Leary

Molly is a storytelling expert who created a custom webinar for accountants and bookkeepers. Her experiences as a “so-called introvert” made a genuine connection with the audience, some of whom cited her webinar as their favorite CPE course.

David Leary
President, Sombrero Apps Company

Robert King

This webinar was a great opportunity to step out the daily routine and think about the best way to communicate the value we bring to our clients and the best way to get our messages across to different audiences. Thank you very much for a great presentation and really useful information.

Robert King
Children International

About Molly

Moth StorySLAM Winner, Story Coach, Keynote Speaker, Writer

Molly McCloy is a four-time Moth StorySLAM winner whose forthcoming memoir Nine Grudges: The Spiteful Origins of the Happiest Dyke on Earth won the 2023 Quill Prose Award from Red Hen Press who will publish the book in 2026. She has facilitated storytelling workshops for Pima Community College, Quest Storytelling, the University of Arizona’s The Agnese Nelms Haury Program in Environmental and Social Justice, and Auto Entry and CPA Academy.

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Molly McCloy's Performances

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Recent Updates

Flyer for Molly McCloy's reading of her teen diaries for the Mortified show

I Was (at) Mortified!

The author, dauntless, reads from her teen diaries.

A post it note with the words “THE POWER OF STORYTELLING” written on it, placed on a desk alongside a calculator, pen, and a paper with numbers—symbolizing the blend of narrative and data in communication.

How to Make Your Audience Care: The Emotional Hook in Storytelling

Storytelling isn’t just about recounting events—it’s about making your audience feel something. The most powerful stories are the ones that hook people emotionally, making them invested in the outcome. If you’ve ever watched a movie, read a book, or listened to a speech that made you laugh, cry, or sit on the edge of your…

The author in a purely aspirational state of COWGIRL around the age of 3.

Finding Agency in Childhood Trauma Narratives

I recently wrote an article exploring a crucial but often overlooked aspect of writing about childhood trauma: agency. Too often, trauma narratives focus solely on suffering, making them emotionally overwhelming for both writers and readers. But when a protagonist—especially a child—takes action, even in the smallest way, the story transforms. It becomes not just a…

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I ♥ Storytelling
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