The late Richard P. Holm, MD

During the South Dakota Festival of Books, I listened to a group of five successful novelists discussing the art of writing and what they gained from creating those words. They all seemed to agree with journalist Malcolm Gladwell, who said that it takes some talent, but more importantly, about 10,000 hours of practice to become good at anything. They each also said that writing has given them joy and humor, an understanding about life and a sense of meaning.

Hearing all this, I reflected on how much room I have for improvement in my own writing. On the other hand,...