Your freebie is hurtling toward your inbox, but . . .
While you’re here, let me help you banish dull scenes and create characters that jump off the page using my secret writing companion.
My strategies work even if . . .
☹️ When you sit at the keyboard, your mind goes blank and all that pops into your head are trite phrases like “She looked at him” and “He smiled at her.”
☹️ You’ve been planning your protagonist’s big scene all day, but your muse has apparently ditched you and gone to Bermuda.
☹️ Agents and editors keep telling you that your characters need fleshing out.
Snatch up the Energize Your Writing Toolkit today for just $37 before the timer runs out. (45% off!)
Will keep my imagination flowing.
“Having the toolkit at my disposal will give me material to reference back to and keep my imagination flowing. It will be a huge relief to not stop my writing process to ponder over how to describe nonverbal communication. I look forward to adding my own notes to the new binder I’ve just added to my shelf.” M.F. Adele
Staggering!
“The completeness of the attachment file is staggering. There’s something for every emotion!” J.T. Rath
Useful tool!
“Now that I am at the editing phase, I will be looking to replace my ‘telling’ with ‘showing’, thanks to this course and Cheat Sheets. Thank you for putting together such a useful tool to add to my toolkit!” Bobbie Carlton-Hess
Keeps your writing fresh and unique
“I appreciate the organized emotion lists. These definitely make writing faster and more engaging. It’s easy to get lazy with writing, especially when an idea is desperately trying to get out with lightning speed. This tool keeps your writing fresh and unique.” USA Today Bestselling Author Amy Proebstel
Imagine having a complete catalog of body language cues and other nonverbal prompts at your fingertips.
That means no more:
❌ Wasting time searching through a thesaurus or gazing out the window.
❌ Succumbing to laziness and glossing over pivotal scenes as you race to get the book done.
❌ Struggling to find alternate ways to describe an emotional phrase.
❌ Getting hung up on little details.
❌ Overusing trite phrases and body language cues.
Instead, you’ll:
✔️ Keep your imagination flowing and refresh your writing.
✔️ Easily come up with unique turns of phrase.
✔️ Replace telling with showing and write your story in a more balanced way.
✔️ Flesh out your characters by giving them added depth and believability.
✔️ Build your nonverbal library over time.
BRILLIANT!
“This course is simply brilliant! The printables sit conveniently in a binder on my desk to refer to during all phases of the writing process. This course provides the knowledge to save authors hundreds in editing fees. Do we still need editors? Absolutely! However, they won’t have as much work to do to help you make your book the best it can be.” Lisa Hawes
Focused My Writing
“The careful mix of dialogue, nonverbal communication, exposition, pacing, and outright creativity is essential to any fiction piece. This lesson served to focus my writing back to creating that seamless balance, particularly pertaining to nonverbal communication. Thank you for harnessing your talent to provide some of us Tasmanian Devils of frenetic writing production the opportunity to focus and learn something valuable.” Michelle Lovato
I can’t wait to tell you more about the toolkit! But first, let me introduce myself. Hi, I’m Stacy.
I help fiction and creative nonfiction writers of all levels who want to simplify the writing and editing process so they can save time and money. I do this through my online courses for writers and freelance developmental editing service.
I’m also a mom of two teens and have more than 700 books on my Kindle, an obsession with the TV show Supernatural, an addiction to doing the daily Wordle, and a bizarre fascination with office supplies and planners.
Initially, I created the Energize Your Writing Toolkit to strengthen the character emotions in my own books. It started out as a binder of messy, scrawled notes that no one else could decipher. (Don’t worry, it looks much more organized now!)
My binder was an invaluable resource as I wrote about amateur sleuths, theme park princesses, teen hockey players, and teen psychics, along with their supporting casts of friends, enemies, and love interests.
Here are a few Amazon reviews praising my characters.
Once I became a freelance editor, I realized that other authors could benefit from my body language and nonverbal communication cheat sheets also, so I gave my toolkit an upgrade. As you can see from the testimonials on this page, authors were grateful for the resource.
I’m thrilled since my goal is to save writers from overwhelm and help make their journey easier than mine was. As a freelance editor, I’ve helped hundreds of authors with their projects.
I’ve also taught workshops for organizations including Savvy Authors, Sisters in Crime, and numerous Romance Writer of America chapters, and have been a panelist and guest critiquer at many writing conferences.
I know what a difference a great writing resource can make and hope you’ll take some time to explore my toolkit.
Never craft a character emotion from scratch again and jump-start your writing with a muse you can always count on.
Get the ultimate shortcut to fleshing out your characters’ behavior and reactions with the Energize Your Writing Toolkit: Cheat Sheets for Character Emotions. Most writers are so focused on plotting, creating dialogue, world-building, and meeting deadlines that they slack off on nonverbal communication.
As a result, scenes come across much less dynamic on the page than they were in the author’s head. Some writers can’t put their finger on what’s missing while others realize that the emotion is lacking, but don’t know how to fix it. When writers struggle with how to convey their characters’ feelings, it throws off their groove, slows writing pace, and can even stall a project dead in its tracks.
Agents and editors who evaluate these lackluster manuscripts make comments like:
- “Flat, cardboard characters.”
- “Your characters need fleshing out.”
- “Your protagonist’s motivation is unclear.”
If the book is published, readers post Amazon reviews saying they didn’t connect with the characters, disliked them, or found their actions unbelievable.
Those frustrations end today.
Transform your writing with this indispensable toolkit you will pull out again and again.
The Energize Your Writing Toolkit is the smart and savvy way to make your scenes come alive. The toolkit contains jam-packed cheat sheets of over 4,000 emotional prompts, an overview of nonverbal communication for authors, examples from published books, a workbook, and a list of helpful tips.
Develop a system.
Put the pages into a binder that you can pull out whenever you need help showing a character’s emotions.
Get inspired.
Get inspiration when you’re stuck or scenes need more emotion. Use the phrases word-for-word, refine them, or mix & match.
Make it your own.
Use the blank lines and print extra pages to add your own phrases and categories. Or, just save the PDF on your desktop.
SHORT AND INSIGHTFUL
“I learned more than expected in such a short period of time. I found the material easy to comprehend and helpful in ways I wasn’t expecting. It has left me eager to go through my current WIP and fix a few issues that were pointed out. Will definitely be recommending this mini-course.” Maegan Fielder
SAVES ME SO MUCH TIME
“Energize Your Writing really has made it so much simpler to add rich, nonverbal communication to my writing without losing my focus and flow—now, I can easily flip to the relevant emotion in the toolkit and pick an appropriate phrasing in seconds.
I still usually end up personalizing the wording more on later drafts (and I love that there’s room in the Toolkit to add my own turns of phrase as I think of them), but it saves me so much time and gives me a stronger product to work with when revising. Less stopping + more writing=a happy writer! One of the really nice things is that, as I use the Toolkit as a reference more and more, I can feel myself slowly needing to refer to it less and less as I internalize more elements about the emotions that are common to my characters.” Elijah M.
Priceless!
“The emotions cheat sheet will be a valuable resource in my edit of this novel and especially in the second that is in progress. The section on how to use the cheat sheets is a valuable resource in and of itself. Of course the actual sheets on each emotion are priceless. They went into areas that I had never considered when I wrote my first novel.” Daryle Lefler
When you enroll in the Energize Your Writing Toolkit, you’ll get instant access to:
☑️ 4,000+ body language and nonverbal prompts that span 21 categories and numerous subcategories, all packaged inside a 100-page downloadable PDF, to guide you as you’re writing and editing
☑️ A walk-through video and detailed written instructions outlining how the toolkit works and tips to maximize its usefulness
☑️ Written lesson and video giving a solid overview of why nonverbal communication is important and how to work it into your book
☑️ 11-page workbook to identify your weaknesses and increase your awareness
☑️ 10 Hacks to Creating Characters That Jump Off the Page cheat sheet for even more energizing tips
You didn’t think I was done yet, did you?
In case you haven’t heard, I like to overdeliver! In addition to the entire Energize Your Writing Toolkit system, I’m also going to throw in 3 bonuses to help you invigorate those character emotions.
🥳 1. The Personality Playbook: 30 Secret-Weapon Questions to Ask Your Characters – Do you ever feel stumped about why your characters are acting a certain way? Or maybe you’re not sure what they would do next. Here is a great strategy that most authors overlook: talking to your characters. Interview your protagonist (and any other cast members) as if you were a reporter. Use these 30 days of journaling prompts to pick your characters’ brains and see what you uncover.
🥳 2. The Nifty Nonverbal Communication Navigator Wheel – Remember to sprinkle varied types of nonverbal communication into your book with this helpful reminder of categories. Post it near your computer or put it with your notes for easy reference.
🥳 3. The Emotion Energizer Wheel – Hang this by your desk for a refresher on the most useful emotions to give your characters more depth.
Are you ready to conquer stale phrases with your new writing companion?
If you act before the timer runs out, you’ll
get lifetime access with a one-time payment of:
$67 $37
You might be wondering, what’s the catch? Hey, I get it. If I’d seen this $37 expiring offer I might be skeptical too. But I promise, there’s no catch. I just want to help you make your book as strong as possible without the headache. If we don’t know each other yet, keep scrolling for more testimonials and my money-back guarantee.
EXCELLENT RESOURCE FOR WRITERS
“If you’ve been struggling to make your characters seem more alive, then the character emotions e-book & mini-course is for you!” Camille Flores
HELPFUL IN MULTIPLE WAYS
“I enjoyed this course for the twofold approach it takes. By providing the shortcut document, I know have a powerful weapon against repetition and the questions got me thinking about the importance of this.” Jordan Rath
WONDERFUL TIP SHEETS
“I didn’t realize there were so many other emotional nonverbal cues I could use, including ones related to sight. I appreciate now that I need to dig more deeply into my characters’ emotional experience to find the right physical clues appropriate to them. All the wonderful downloads and tip sheets! They will all help me so much as I edit. It was great! I can’t wait to edit using these tips.”
You're protected by the Energizer No-Hassle Guarantee.
The Energize Your Writing Toolkit comes with a 100% unconditional money-back guarantee, so your purchase is risk-free. There’s a good reason my clients and students call me generous, professional, enthusiastic, and insightful. I puts tons of time and effort into creating my courses and stand behind everything I teach.
I’ve had a passion for writing and reading my whole life, and I love working with kindred spirits who have stories to tell. I want to help you tell the stories burning inside you and get you closer to your goals. I truly believe the Energize Your Writing Toolkit is an incredibly useful tool, and I guarantee that it is a high-quality resource.
Ask for a refund within 7 days if you don’t think the course is everything I promised, let us know why it didn’t meet your expectations, and we will grant your request. (Just don’t be one of those people who enroll knowing they are going to ask for a refund once they’ve downloaded everything, okay? We can see that on our end.)
GOOD WAY TO EXPRESS CHARACTER EMOTION
“This course won’t take much time to complete, but it will help a lot with using nonverbal communication in your fiction to express character emotion.” Ree Larsen
GETS YOU THINKING
“I needed a reminder to consider nonverbal cues far more carefully. The toolkit is going to be handy when I write my next story.” Fiona Ayerst
Can Look Through IT TO Find What I'm Looking For
“I’ve been working to incorporate nonverbal communication and found it difficult for a variety of reasons. I like that this is essentially a reference guide. I can look through it to find what I’m looking for and use that to guide me as I go or when I’m going back through my work.” A.M. Williams
Complete Catalogue
“Such a complete catalogue of useful, common emotions and the associated gestures and body language will allow me to more easily pick and choose for any and every scene.” Liana Mackenzie
Made ME REALize a need
“I’m in the middle of my first book, and I feel like I don’t have nearly enough nonverbal communication going with it at this point. It made me realize the need to include a lot more nonverbal communication in my stories—current and future.” Michelle A Nieves
Have a question before ordering? Let me help.
Q. What will happen once I purchase the toolkit?
A. Purchases will be made through the Shortcuts for Writers Thrivecart Learn platform. You will be directed to set up a password and will be granted access to the classroom where you will find the lessons, videos, and downloadable high quality PDF files. The catalog of nonverbal cues features 100 pages of 8.5 x 11 (standard) size printables with room for three-hole punching. The pages fit standard binders and folders.
Q. Can I get a physical copy of the Energize Your Writing Toolkit?
A. This purchase is a digital download only, so no physical items will be shipped to you. It’s recommended that you print out the document. Colors may appear or print different depending on printer and printer settings. There may be a print edition released at book retailers in the future. I will be asking those enrolled in the mini course for suggestions of improvements to make for future editions. I will also invite them to submit nonverbal samples for future editions. In the event of a new edition, an updated PDF version will be uploaded to the classroom, so you will get digital access to any future updates. If a print version becomes available and you would like a copy, you would need to purchase it separately through the retailer.
Q. How is this better than nonverbal communication books on the market?
A. First, it’s not just an e-book. It’s a system to help you deal with the tricky issue of character emotions. Second, many nonverbal communication books get bogged down in the mechanics and psychology of body language and you’ll need to wade through a lot of material and a lot of books. Many body language books targeted specifically to writers are full of flowery or cliched prose.
Will you find some cliches in this toolkit? Yes, but I explain the role these phrases play and how to put your own unique spin on them. You won’t find flowery, over-the-top prose. As an author and freelance editor, I know what emotions writers struggle with portraying and what type of resources can make this task easier. I carefully chose each entry based on my decades of experience. Plus, you get several extras including videos, reminder graphics, a workbook, and The Personality Playbook: 30 Secret-Weapon Questions to Ask Your Characters.
Q. Can I share this toolkit with my writer friends or clients?
A. You’re welcome to share a link where they can buy the course. You can even join the affiliate program and get a commission on sales. However, you may not share your purchase or distribute copies of the Energize Your Writing Toolkit content with anyone else who has not yet purchased it. You can read the full Terms & Conditions here.
By downloading, printing, or otherwise using our products or content for personal use, you in no way assume any ownership rights of the content—it is still company property. Any reproduction or unauthorized use of any materials found in the program or content shall constitute infringement.
Pump up your character emotions with this amazing resource you’ll wonder how you ever lived without . . .
Unlock instant access to:
☑️ 4,000+ nonverbal prompts that span 21 categories and numerous subcategories, all packaged inside a 100-page downloadable PDF, to guide you as you’re writing and editing
☑️ A walk-through video and detailed written instructions outlining how the toolkit works and tips to maximize its usefulness
☑️ Written lesson and video giving a solid overview of why nonverbal communication is important and how to work it into your book
☑️ 11-page workbook to identify your weaknesses and increase your awareness
☑️ 10 Hacks to Creating Characters That Jump Off the Page cheat sheet for even more energizing tips
Plus you’ll get these fantastic bonuses!
🥳 1. The Personality Playbook: 30 Secret-Weapon Questions to Ask Your Characters – Do you ever feel stumped about why your characters are acting a certain way? Or maybe you’re not sure what they would do next. Here is a great strategy that most authors overlook: talking to your characters. Interview your protagonist (and any other cast members) as if you were a reporter. Use these 30 days of journaling prompts to pick your characters’ brains and see what you uncover.
🥳 2. The Nifty Nonverbal Communication Navigator Wheel – Remember to sprinkled varied types of nonverbal communication into your book with this helpful reminder of categories. Post it near your computer or put it with your notes for easy reference.
🥳 3. The Emotion Energizer Wheel – Hang this by your desk for a refresher on the most useful emotions to give your characters more depth.
If you act before the timer runs out, you’ll get lifetime access with a one-time payment of:
$67 $37
You can keep using the same words over and over, or you can grab my simple resources to breathe life into your characters and banish the stale phrases that plague most authors.
Sign up for the Energize Your Writing Toolkit and let’s get you a better system to follow so that readers will remember your characters long after they finish the book.
Disclaimer: Shortcuts for Writers doesn’t promise any specific results as a result of purchasing this training (eg – you have to put in the work) and any results, testimonials, or figures quoted on this page are not intended to imply guaranteed financial gains. I present testimonials and insights about other people’s experiences with my program for purposes of illustration only. They are not intended to represent or guarantee that current or future clients will achieve the same or similar results; rather, these testimonials represent what is possible for illustrative purposes only.
Privacy Policy: We will occasionally track your web activity on pages owned by Shortcuts for Writers and we will occasionally send you emails related to the course material. In all circumstances, your private data is kept confidential and you can unsubscribe from our emails at any time (except for transactional emails necessary to fulfill our contractual duties).
Terms & Conditions: You have 7 days starting the day after payment is received to preview the course material before your refund period expires. If you request a refund after the 7-day period, your request will be denied. Please read the full terms and conditions for this course here.