With the first day of spring just around the corner, many of us are feeling that familiar urge to throw open the windows, clear out the cobwebs, and bring fresh energy into our homes. As nature renews itself with vibrant blooms and longer, sunnier days, it’s the perfect time to apply that same rejuvenating spirit to your writing projects. Whether you’re dusting off an unfinished manuscript or polishing a nearly complete draft, these spring cleaning techniques will help breathe new life into your work.

1. Find and remove your “crutch” words

Make sure you’ve engaged multiple senses in your descriptions. Have you included sounds, smells, tastes, and textures—not just visual details? Also, check for consistency in your settings and ensure you’ve established clear locations for your scenes.

Do you have words that you use often, even though they’re unnecessary? Use the search feature in your word processing software (Ctrl+F in Google Docs and Microsoft Word) to find and remove them. Common culprits include:

– Almost

– A bit

– Very

– Just

– Nearly

– Seems

– Definitely

Actually

Really

Basically

2. Check your prose for style consistency

Do you italicize titles or use quotes? Is it “internet” or “Internet”? These style issues (capitalization, punctuation, format, etc.) are determined by your chosen style guide, such as the Chicago Manual of Style or AP Stylebook.

Your editor will eventually make the final call, but to help your prose look professional, it’s a good idea to pick one style guide and adhere to those rules consistently.

3. Double-check your outline.

Perhaps you’re meeting your daily word count goals, but is it possible you’ve veered off course from your original plan? Take some time to review your work to date:

– Is it following your original outline?

– Do you need to revise your outline?

– Should you get your prose back on the plot track?

4. Proofread thoroughly

This is an easy task and a great activity if you don’t feel like “writing-writing.” Review your work for any spelling or grammatical errors.

Remember that spell check may not find words that are misspelled in context, such as “their” instead of “there” or “you’re” instead of “your.” Consider using editing software like Grammarly or ProWritingAid to help catch these errors, or review your work with a sharp eye.

5. Remove that double space after a period

If you’re younger, this may not be a problem for you, but those of us born before 1980 are used to putting two spaces after a period—a habit instilled in Typing class.

Your word processing software’s search-and-replace feature is the perfect tool. Use it to find double spaces after periods and replace them with single spaces.

6. Review and reconsider your adverbs

Some famous authors, such as Stephen King, abhor the adverb. A newer movement defends it. It’s impossible to totally rid your work of all adverbs. A general rule is to use only one “ly” word for every 300 words. Review your work and scrutinize your adverbs. Do you really need it or are you being lazy in your descriptions? For example, “the music blared” is a better way of saying “the music played loudly.” Revisit your “ly” words and see if there is a stronger way to describe something.

7. Trim excessive dialogue tags

“Said” and “asked” are often all you need. Fancy dialogue tags like “exclaimed,” “interjected,” or “pontificated” can distract readers. Let your dialogue and context convey emotion rather than relying on elaborate tags.

8. Cut unnecessary prepositions

Phrases like “in order to,” “due to the fact that,” and “in spite of the fact that” can be replaced with “to,” “because,” and “although.” Trimming these verbose constructions tightens your prose.

9. Verify sensory details and settings

And finally, number 10, the best way to “spring clean” your writing, is to …

10. Join book inc’s Book Revision Lab!

Our Book Revision Lab is a six-month program designed for writers ready to revise their memoir or novel manuscripts. With a focus on community, the Lab provides feedback, support, and guidance so that writers can explore and realize their books’ artistic and commercial potential. Learn more and apply.