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.

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

The best type of column starts with a zinger of an opening line, such as… uh… well… Hey, I’m not the one looking for how to write a column here. You’re supposed to be doing the heavy lifting. Usually, ...