John J. Geoghegan

Author, Editor, Journalist, Educator

Author and Journalist

I specialize in reporting on unusual inventions that fail in the marketplace despite their innovative nature. I call these inventions, “White Elephant Technology,” or WETech for short, a phrase I’ve helped popularize. I’ve written numerous newspaper and magazine articles on this and a variety of subjects as well as authored four, non-fiction books including a memoir, HEAR TODAY, GONE TOMORROW. Additionally, I helped shepherd into production, co-wrote, and served as technical consultant on a PBS documentary which was based in part on research for my first book, OPERATION STORM: JAPAN’S TOP SECRET SUBMARINES AND ITS PLAN TO CHANGE THE COURSE OF WORLD WAR II. I also served as an on camera expert for a Smithsonian Channel documentary based in part on research for my third book, WHEN GIANTS RULED THE SKY: THE BRIEF REIGN AND TRAGIC DEMISE OF THE AMERICAN RIGID AIRSHIP. My latest book, WHITE ELEPHANT TECHNOLOGY: 50 CRAZY INVENTIONS THAT SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN BUILT AND WHAT WE CAN LEARN FROM THEM, was published by The History Press in April 2024. In short, I enjoy working across a variety of genres including non-fiction, fiction, reportage, humor and documentary films. To learn more about me, click here. To learn more about the books I've written, click here. To see a sampling of my magazine and newspaper articles, click here.

Editorial Services

Whether you need a commercial assessment of your novel, memoir or non-fiction work; an editor to polish your manuscript; or a ghostwriter to help tell your story, I bring nearly 30 years of professional writing experience to your editorial project.  With four non-fiction books to my name and a fifth under contract, hundreds of newspaper and magazine articles in print, years working in the book publishing, newspaper, and magazine industries (not to mention my experience as a university writing instructor), my personal, hands-on approach can help you to achieve your writing goals. Click here for more information about editorial services and pricing. Finally, I also teach writing classes, and a twice annual Zoom class, HOW TO GET YOUR BOOK PUBLISHED, sponsored by Book Passage, Northern California’s leading independent bookstore

Educator and Enthusiast

Sharing my enthusiasm with students is one of my abiding passions. I have taught such courses as History, Freelance Writing, and How to Get Your Book Published at a variety of institutions including UC, Berkeley’s Osher Institute, the University of San Francisco’s Fromm Institute, Fairfield University, Dominican University, College of Marin, The Writing Salon, Book Passage and the New York Adventure Club. I’ve also been a guest lecturer at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business, UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business and Kansas University’s School of Journalism and Communications.

“I first met John through his Book Passage class, HOW TO GET YOUR BOOK PUBLISHED. I was so impressed, I hired him to do a commercial assessment of my manuscript as well as help with the development of my book proposal, query letter and agent/publisher target list. John was not only a pleasure to work with, but his guidance helped me to get a book contract . Now, I’m a published author!”

—G.T., author of a self-help memoir