Morgan Laney - Institute for Writers

Recurring Topics: Seasons

Writing for Children BlogBy Morgan Laney August 24, 2021 Leave a comment

Seasonal stories, seasonal poetry and even a bit of seasonal nonfiction can be counted upon to appear in magazines and on publishers’ book lists every year. Jan Fields shares how to make this perennial topics feel new.

Remember the First Day of School?

Writing for Children BlogBy Morgan Laney August 16, 2021 1 Comment

Every year one event rolls around that is profoundly meaningful for children: the first day of school and these stories can offer a special opportunity for writers.

Planning Ahead for Timely Submissions

Writing for Adults BlogBy Morgan Laney August 9, 2021 3 Comments

What’s going to be happening? Victoria Sherrow helps us plan for timely submissions for holidays and commemorative events. Look for new angles into the market.

Writing for Holidays in Books and Magazines

Writing for Children BlogBy Morgan Laney August 9, 2021 5 Comments

Most publishers (including books and magazines) produce some holiday pieces each year. Here’s what you need to know to take advantage of these opportunities.

Mystery Elements: The Satisfying Ending

Writing for Children BlogBy Morgan Laney August 2, 2021 4 Comments

Mysteries are rarely open-ended because the very nature of how mysteries work requires closure to be successful. So let’s think about what makes for a good mystery ending.

Mystery Elements: Double Duty Dialogue

Writing for Children BlogBy Morgan Laney July 29, 2021 2 Comments

Dialogue is important in virtually every story you’ll ever write, but in mysteries that importance (and difficulty) is compounded by the use of dialogue in relation to clues.

Put on Your Mystery Thinking C.A.P.

Writing for Children BlogBy Morgan Laney July 23, 2021 4 Comments

Jan Fields shares the differences in writing mystery for adults and kids. Time to put on your mystery thinking C.A.P. and get started writing a mystery today!