And this: "Real emotion hides between the words and in the silences, the stumbles, the things they can’t quite say." <-- That's serious BOOM-age for me.

That sounds like some wonderful advice. And I love that you can carry it forward into your writing!

I remember at a SAG event I attended the late actor, Uta Hagen, told me that as she would leave the stage after a scene she could use her body language without uttering a word to have the audience on the edge of their seats or even in tears. This is something I use with my characters in my stories and in directing plays and it does work well to connect with readers and theater attendees.

If you don't already have it, grab a copy of the Emotions's Thesaurus and keep it on your desk. It is a wonder for those writers who struggle with getting emotion on the page. And when I write, I try to remember the saying, "no tears in the writer, no tears in the reader." So make yourself cry, and you will make those readers cry too!

YA is all about emotion, they want to feel all the feels when they read. That is why YA characters with a lot of angst are so popular, the reader can connect with them on a deep emotional level.

You’re welcome! I hope it helps!