Hilarious. Poignant. Inspiring. That’s how early readers are describing Finding the Story. It follows a shy, anxious child as he discovers the rowdy world of journalism – and spends the rest of his life on a quest for fame, adventure and perhaps a few shreds of dignity.

This is my sixth nonfiction book — and a long-overview memoir. Its fundamental message of hope and resilience will sneak up on you slowly. Most of the early chapters are packed with the frenzied missteps of a young guy in a hurry, unsure of his goals but deeply determined to get there.

Yes, that was me, way out of my depth as a 26-year-old foreign correspondent, knocking back shots of vodka with some very sketchy Soviet “bankers.” That was me riding on the roof of a mountain bus in Nepal with an exciting new girlfriend, hoping we didn’t both get killed.

Often battered, never quite crushed, I learned a lot about how to bounce back from trouble — and somehow keep moving forward. There’s a “LinkedIn version” of my life that includes sharing in a Pulitzer Prize and publishing a New York Times bestselling book. But that’s not really what this book is about. Instead, it’s a diary of all the private hopes and struggles that never appear on our official bios.

Eventually recklessness gives way to patience; bravado yields to generosity. I become a coach helping others succeed instead of trying to hoard success for himself. The biggest transformation comes in the book’s final pages. That’s when I finally finds the clarity (and the humility) to write deeply about my father’s courage during World War II. Sometimes the biggest heroes are the people we’ve known forever.

Bio and Coaching

George Anders is an author, journalist and writing coach. From 2017-2023 he was a key member of LinkedIn’s editorial team, where he helped build initiatives such as the Interview Prep career tool and the widely read Workforce Insights newsletter. Earlier in his career, he spent two decades as a top feature writer for The Wall Street Journal, where he was part of a team that won a Pulitzer Prize for national reporting.

If you’re thinking about writing your own memoir, George can help make your journey easier and more productive. Look for a Calendly widget on this site in early July, which will let you book an appointment with George and specify your goal. Big picture coaching? Specific tips on storytelling? Something else? In most case, George is willing to provide at least a few minutes of free advice — along with referrals to carefully chosen specialists (such as ghostwriters) who can help you in detail.

George excels in spotting “what can go right,” in ways that help aspiring authors get unstuck. You will find his name in the acknowledgement sections of multiple published books, reflecting his steady support. During his Wall Street Journal days, he built training workshops that focused on how to get organized, how to identify your best material, and how to write with authority and verve. He has written for publications ranging from Harvard Business Review to the Gotham Canoe travel-writing site. He is a five-time Top Writer on Quora.

If you’re looking to build a memoir-writing event or workshop, contact George at this email: george [at] georgeandersbooks.com. As an active public speaker for the past 20 years, George is highly attuned to the ways that each audience needs its own blend of information, inspiration and entertainment. He lives in Northern California but travels actively for work and pleasure. He was the 2018 commencement speaker at Washington & Jefferson College; he has addressed campus audiences at settings such as Texas Tech, the University of Central Florida, Grinnell College and James Madison University.