Several years ago I attended a seminar taught by the gifted writer, Sue Monk Kidd. During the two-day conference, she taught freely from her repertoire of writing craft and technique. But more, her foundational message to the artist writer was this: “If you don’t speak your voice, the world will miss a measure of healing.” That comforting and affirming message provided courage for me to begin sounding my own voice—at that time silenced by the censors in my head murmuring, “Why bother?” and “You’re not good enough.” “You work has no value.”

There are myriad and valuable websites offering methods and tools to help people improve their writing. My intent, though, is not so much...