I had a great idea for a column this week. Unfortunately, this isn’t it. After about 20 minutes of deep soul-searching, it occurred to me that some of you might be wondering how I write these columns.

Columnist David Murdock reflects on two decades of writing, sharing unexpected lessons learned about inspiration, editing, and finding his voice.

In the midst of a conversation, some friends asked how long it takes me to write a column. My response: it depends. If I have a topic I “feel,” not very long — say a couple of hours, allowing for ...

Commentary: Usually, coming up with an opener takes so much effort I take the rest of the day off. But running up against a deadline, I need to plow through.