Ms. McMasters is the author of “The Leaving Season: A Memoir.” I wrote my obituary last week. I often do so once a year; it has become a kind of ritual. I’ve met a few others who do the same or ...

In her new book, Syme's Letter Writer, Rachel Syme of The New Yorker explains how to write a delightful letter to a loved one. Unlike texting and email, old-fashioned letters, hand-addressed and sent ...