Three Ways to Improve Your Writing Right Now

Often the space between my writers’ work being picked up by an agent and not, is not as vast as the writer thinks. Even small changes can make a huge difference in the impact of your words. Whether you're working on a novel, an essay, or a short story, refining your writing doesn't always require an overhaul—it’s often about making precise, deliberate adjustments. Here are three ways to sharpen your prose right now.

1. Eliminate Filter Words

Filter words are sneaky little distractions that weaken your writing and create distance between the reader and the character or narrative. Words like "felt," "saw," "heard," "thought," and "noticed" often act as unnecessary barriers between the narrator and your reader. Your reader wants to right there in on the action!

Instead of writing, She felt the cold breeze against her skin, say, The cold breeze pricked her skin. See the difference? The second version is immediate and immersive, putting the reader directly in the experience. It even does a bit of personification giving the breeze the power to injure the protagonist.

Scrub your manuscript for filter words and replace them with more direct, sensory-driven writing to enhance clarity and engagement. At times you’ll have to significantly rewrite a line or paragraph to omit filter words but not the entire manuscript! And the work always pays off!

If you follow me regularly you may have seen me talk recently about my recent analysis of the book and movie Fight Club for my local writers’ group. Here is a great example pulled from Chuck Palanuik’s novel where he could have said:

“It was obvious the poor bastards couldn’t even remember my name.”

But this is a form of saying “I recognized” or “I noticed” instead Chuck said this:

“Everyone gets a nametag, and people you’ve met every Tuesday night for a year, they come at you, handshake hand ready and their eyes on your nametag. I don’t think we’ve met.”

He uses 32 words to say what I said in eleven. But the payoff is worth it! see how he’s dropped you into the moment and let you live right along with the MC?

2. Engage Stronger Verbs

Verbs are the powerhouse of any sentence. Choosing dynamic, precise verbs over bland, generic ones instantly improves the energy of your writing. Instead of saying She walked across the room, try She strode across the room or She crept across the room.

See how each variation conveys a different tone, shaping the mood and action?

Often you can spot weak verbs because they rely on adverbs to carry their weight (this is why is often recommended to rid your writing of all -ly words; they’re indicators of weak verbs). Another way to recognize weak verbs is to simply gauge your own interest in the work. Are you bored? Then your reader likely is too!

You can pass your work off to a friend or beta reader or (the dreaded) read your work out loud. I know it’s painful, it’s worth it! Get it done!

Strong verbs can stand alone, packing a punch without excess baggage.

3. Ensure That Every Scene Changes

This one you likely already know: Every scene in your manuscript should push the story forward. If a scene doesn’t introduce new conflict, deepen character development, or advance the plot, it might need revisiting—or even cutting. A simple way to check for movement is to ask: What has changed between the beginning and end of this scene? If nothing has shifted—emotionally, relationally, or narratively—it might not be serving a purpose. Strengthen your writing by ensuring each scene contributes meaningfully to the larger arc.

But this one you may not: Did you know that just as each scene should change the story every scene must also change? I will thank Story Grid right up front for this little (story-changing) nugget. There should come a critical point in every scene where something changes. Something is revealed that the characters didn’t previously know, or something happens to change the trajectory in which your MC was headed. Maybe someone new rolls into town, maybe someone’s pregnancy is revealed or something as simple as a chance meeting of the MC and the person who will later become his/her mentor but for now is just a randomer on the street. The point is your character(s) cannot come out of the scene the same person as they went in.

Final Thoughts

Improving your writing doesn’t (always) require drastic measures—it’s often about refining the details. Eliminating filter words, opting for powerful verbs, and making sure your scenes serve a purpose can elevate your manuscript instantly. With these adjustments, your writing will feel tighter, more immersive, and more compelling.